#140RVW
Classic Ealing comedy is a slow burn. Actually better than it needs to be, though unusually not all that funny. Could have been chase movie.
What’s more:
I was expecting this to be typically screwy comedy from Ealing Studios, and it definitely fit that formula, but I was rather impressed with the sophistication of the storyline. With a little more work or an inclination in that direction, this could have been a drama or a chase picture.
The story centers around Sidney Stratton (Alec Guinness), a bright if reckless chemist working in the textile industry, whether they like it or not. He has been moving from one mill to another, covertly working on his very costly experiments without the knowledge or approval of management. While working at his latest home, Birnley Mill, he befriends and impresses Daphne Birnley (Joan Greenwood), daughter of the mill’s owner, and she persuades her father to allow Sidney to continue his experiments.
Sidney has developed an indestructible fabric that repels dirt and never needs replacing. Naturally, this development would lead to the complete breakdown and extinction of his and all related industries. Sidney must be made to see reason, and the discovery suppressed. But he’s not going down easy.
Audiences familiar with Guinness only through his later work are in for a treat with these Ealing comedies. He really was a most resourceful actor and was at the height of his talents at the time of this film.
(Another thrill comes from seeing Alfred Pennyworth himself, the late Michael Gough as a young man.)
The film was directed by Boston native Alexander Mackendrick, who would go on to direct Guinness in The Ladykillers a few years later. The script was nominated for an Oscar and the movie was a hit. It remains a classic and is highly recommended.
Poster:
Trailer:
Bechdel Test:
The Representation Test Score: D (3 pts)
(http://therepresentationproject.org/grading-hollywood-the-representation-test/)
| Main Cast | Alec Guinness Sidney Stratton, Joan Greenwood Daphne Birnley, Cecil Parker Alan Birnley, Michael Gough Michael Corland |
| Rating | Approved |
| Release Date | Tue 01 Apr 1952 UTC |
| Director | Alexander Mackendrick |
| Genres | Comedy, Sci-Fi, Drama |
| Plot | An altruistic chemist invents a fabric that resists wear and stain as boon to humanity but both capital and labor realize it must be suppressed for economic reasons. |
| Poster |  |
| Runtime | 85 |
| Tagline | Should they let him play…or should they put him away? |
| Writers | Roger MacDougall (play), Roger MacDougall (screenplay) … |
| Year | 1951 |