Even understanding the British class structure the way I do, and the British sense of humor as I do, and the time this film was made, it's a flop. Not bad enough to just switch it off, but not good enough to actually be interesting. There is something about the British lower classes feeling that the rich owe them which always rubs me the wrong way. The entitlement of people to feel they have the right to take something just because they want it, regardless of who owns it, is just irksome, and this movie revels in it. Stir all the class resentment you want, and then add a few slapstick scenes, and you get this mess of disjointed scenes without a real plot. My advice: once you've seen the parts at the beginning where Alec Guinness is making silly voices over the phone (aside from the Popeye voice he uses for most of the movie), you're done. Just stop there (about ten minutes in). Nothing worthwhile follows.
Review of The Horse's Mouth
