by Allan Fish
(UK 1949 82m) DVD2
Aka. Tight Little Island
Mourning for a departed spirit
p Monja Danischewsky d Alexander Mackendrick w Compton Mackenzie, Angus MacPhail novel Compton Mackenzie ph Gerald Gibbs, Chick Waterson ed Joseph Sterling m Ernest Irving art Jim Morahan
Basil Radford (Capt.Waggett), Bruce Seton (Sgt.Odd), Joan Greenwood (Peggy Macroon), Gordon Jackson (George Campbell), Jean Cadell (Mrs Campbell), James Robertson Justice (Dr MacLaren), Catherine Lacey (Dolly Waggett), John Gregson (Sammy MacCodrun), Wylie Watson (Joseph Macroon), Gabrielle Blunt (Catriona Macroon), Morland Graham (The Biffer), Duncan Macrae (Angus MacCormac), Henry Mollison (Farquharson), Compton Mackenzie (Capt.Buncher), Finlay Currie (narrator),
Alexander Mackendrick’s directorial debut often gets overlooked these days in examinations of Ealing comedies. Just one glance at the DVD box set in 2004 will show that while the likes of the uninspiring The Magnet is included, Galore gets left out. It’s a film influenced by the mystical feel of Michael Powell’s The Edge of the World, and in the opening sequence Flaherty’s Man of Aran, and which has been influential itself to the varied likes of The Maggie, Local Hero, Hamish Macbeth, The Wicker Man and even Breaking the Waves. This is the Scottish islands as we know and love them.
During the war a cargo ship, the SS Cabinet Minister (a wonderful alias for the real life wreck of the SS Politician on the isle of Eriskay that inspired the book and film) gets shipwrecked on the ragged coasts of the remote Hebridean island of Todday. The island in question is in great sorrow following the complete absence of whisky on the island due to the wartime rations, but the islanders soon buck up when they realise that the SS Cabinet Minister’s cargo was 50,000 cases of whisky.
The tone is marvellously set by the uncredited narration of the wonderful Finlay Currie; “in 1943 disaster overwhelmed this little island. Not famine or pestilence nor Hitler’s bombs or the hordes of an invading army, but something far, far worse….” A wee dram of whisky is everything to these islanders, their life’s blood, and they’ll be damned if they are going to let anyone interfere with their good fortune. Who can forget the look on Morland Graham’s face when he is told of the cargo, double-taking like Father Jack Hackett glimpsing the eternal? In the opposite corner to the islanders, fighting alone, playing the game for the sake of playing the game, is Basil Radford’s prototype Captain Mainwaring, Paul Waggett. Determined to stop the islanders from committing what he sees as a larceny of revenues, despite the protests of his sergeant and his colonel, whose response to the recovery of some of the cargo is to get him some. Radford is magnificent as Waggett, blustering in the face of insurmountable odds, simply because he feels he has to, a broken man by the end as a prince of ironies sees him carted off to the customs office for smuggling whisky himself. He’s a figure of ridicule, or humiliation, and it’s most definitely Radford’s finest hour.
Yet to single out Radford is to overlook the rest of the cast, with Greenwood – complete with lilting Scots accent – sublime as the island temptress, Watson living up to his name as the wily postmaster, Justice imperious as the local doctor and Gregson, Macrae and Jackson perfect as various island stereotypes. Chuck in Lacey’s delicious laughter at husband’s Radford’s defeat, Mollison’s sarcastic, cynical customs inspector and Cadell as the sort of battleaxe to strike fear into the hardiest Viking until she melts after taking a dram herself, and we have a mixture as intoxicating as the eponymous spirit. For this is a spiritual movie in more ways than one, exemplified in the locals refusing to touch the cargo when the hour of the Sabbath chimes, but ingenious in their hiding of the precious liquid when they come a-searching (bottles in the roof gutter anyone?). Open a bottle of Haig, grab a glass, settle down and enjoy one of the most beloved of British comedies.
How Whisky Galore made the Top 100:
No. 27 Bill Riley
No. 44 Jon Warner
No. 55 Allan Fish
No. 55 Sam Juliano
No. 58 Maurizio Roca
“It’s a film influenced by the mystical feel of Michael Powell’s The Edge of the World, and in the opening sequence Flaherty’s Man of Aran, and which has been influential itself to the varied likes of The Maggie, Local Hero, Hamish Macbeth, The Wicker Man and even Breaking the Waves. This is the Scottish islands as we know and love them.”
This is a whale of a sentence, or shall I say a “mermaid” of a sentence. In any case you have perfectly captures the essence of this classic Ealing comedy which of course is no surprise given your country of origin. Bill Forsyth’s LOCAL HERO was the first reference that came to my own mind, but of course you have included it as part of this breezy hybrid package. Mackendrick is better known for SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS, but there is something original at work in this earlier work, and a gleeful strain of quirky droll humor that’s British through and through. A real comedy gem. Fabulous review!
I agree Sam, this film is very droll and seems very British/Scottish or whatever you want to call it. Many of the great Ealing comedies seem to have a quirky scenario that provides many laughs arising from that scenario. They are laughs that build through the plot and surprises therein. Thinking of The Lavender Hill Mob, Kind Hearts and Coronets, The Ladykillers etc. It’s hard to put my finger on it, but many American comedies rely upon a significant comic persona or star or team to carry the day. True that Alec Guinness was quite the star, but it seems different somehow. The Ealing comedies seem more unassuming or something.
Allan, I watched this again a few months ago for the first time in many years and found it as delightful as you did, even though it didn’t make my own list. I believe my own ballot had only one Ealing comedy on it, but if the ballot had gone to 100, several more would likely have made it. I agree that the island setting, the great ensemble cast, and the thumbing-your-nose-at authority attitude of the film make it a memorable one. To watch this film and delight in the devious antics of the islanders makes one feel a bit of an anarchist, in a good way. I think you may be right that this is the finest hour of Basil Radford, as the brunt of the islanders’ schemes to subvert order and authority. The islanders themselves are as endearing a group of rogues as you’re likely to find in any movie.
Superb comment as always R.D., perfectly framing teh film’s artistry and appeal.
Allan nice piece on this film. You cover it very well. I was new to this film a few months ago and actually found it on Youtube in its entirety. It is delightful, good spirited and hilarious! I like what you say when you feel it gets the shaft somewhat when Ealing comedies are discussed. I think it’s one of the very best, top 5 for me, maybe even top 3, as far as ones that I’ve seen.
You mention the other films set in the Scottish Isles etc…..I was also thinking of P&P’s I Know Where I’m Going!. I visited Scotland for a week last year and when I watched Whisky Galore it definitely took me back.
Yes and Basil Radford is hilarious…my goodness. Had me in stitches. I think my favorite moment in the film is when the 3 gentlemen are trying to secure the coast and the boats to get to the ship but they come across the army guard. As they’re hiding behind the rock they begin to discuss the guard in terms of him being an enemy. One of them questions whether another countrymen could actually be “the enemy”. The guy says, “Any man that stands between us and the whisky is an enemy.”
I’ve never seen this one.
I;ll have to ask Schmulee if he’s got it for a borrow. Once again Allan brings one to the table for me to add to my list of films to see…
Youtube Dennis. It’s there in its entirety if you want to see it that way.
UK Blu Ray – another plea for multi region to Dennis.
Dennis doesn’t have multi-region? Dennis, 40 lashes with a wet noodle for you! I seem to recall though that Dennis has netflix though with offers a dvd of this film for viewing. I just revisited it and it’s a very good transfer that doesn’t scream for the HD.
Hold on, the last time I spoke to Dennis a few days ago he told me that he has picked up an all-Region player. So he will soon watch this I’m sure.
No, no, no… I NEVER SAID I picked up and all regions player. I SAID I picked up an all-regions Blu-Ray of ZODIAC that Allan pointed me in the right direction to. The US version was a two disc set that had all the information splayed over the two platters. The All Regions UK version had all the same material on one. The US blu was going for 125 dollars whereas the UK all regions version went for 24 in change… I get the game, put the info on two discs and the US can charge way more.
Allan saved me 101 dollars with that suggestion…
I owe him for that one and the UK blu I received played beautifully and sported a flawless 1080p HD transfer that was gleaming.
Oh in that case Dennis assume the position and I’ll run and get the long wet noodle. lol
Ah as long as we’re talking Scottish Whisky…..My favorites are the Ardbeg, Lagavulin, and Laphroaig. I think Ardbeg is my favorite. Lots of peat.
Oh boy, Jon this is one sizing up I am at a loss to contribute to. I am a non-drinker and a non-smoker, and will only have on occasional glass of red wine for its health benefits. But I am figuring Dennis and or Jamie will be able to embellish this quite nicely. I will have to research your choices though.
Sam if you are a non-drinker, I don’t recommend starting with these! However, If you had had some of these, you might understand even more why the locals go to the lengths that they do in this film! This stuff is like gold!
hahaha Jon I don’t doubt it at all. The locals definitely know their whisky!
I can’t contribute here either Sam, as I live by the motto, “if it’s brown it shouldn’t be put down”. But wait most beer is brown, or blackish brown and I drink that seemingly by the gallon. I suppose all lushes have their unique loves, mine is a meaty porter, or an English ESB, not liquor for the most part.
Oh Jamie….there is always room for more! Beer and Whisky do not have to live mutually exclusive from each other. I usually go for Beer, but if one were to go for Whisky, Single Malt Scotch is king. But it’s so darn expensive.
Oh yeah, I know they don’t live counter to each other, or should, but for me and how I like to drink (work on a buzz over a few hours then turn it into a wash of crazed drunkenness) can’t be captured with hard liquor. I’d just be shitfaced to quickly, and to violently. If I do have a cocktail, I usually prefer the clear heavenly bliss of vodka or especially gin alternating between lemons and lime twists.
Yes Jamie I think the Whisky has to come later in the evening. I never start out with it myself. It has to be a nice build and then pow.
Oh and the Whisky needs to be straight up. No ice please.
I could have sworn I included this one on my list but it doesn’t show above so probably not. Oh well, it is one I like, a funny film built almost entirely on its very funny premise and endearing love of booze.
A nice, concise essay here by Allan, the perfect Wonders regular to tackle this film.
My most recent viewing I came away with another thought: watch the title sequence. It is exquisitely rendered with beautiful typography, almost a nod to the very funny film that is to come but will never budge into the world of cheap laughs or gaffes. Especially for its time too, it’s wonderful. Though it’s chopped quite poorly it can be seen here:
I like what you say here about the film never going for cheap laughs. That’s a great thought and very true. The premise is hilarious.
Chivas neat, and it’s off to an early grave.
Had I voted, this would definitely have been on my ballot. One of my favorite British comedies, and a nice, cheeky piece from Allan (did this make the 40s countdown? I can’t remember and am too lazy to look!).
Joel, oddly enough this did not make the countdown, though Allan likes it a lot as I do, and he had a review of it written in his book.