“EALING
GOES SCOTTISHâ€
By
Raymond Benson
The
famous British studio, Ealing, made many kinds of pictures and became a major
force in the U.K.’s film industry, especially after producer Michael Balcon
took it over. While the studio had already made a few comedies, for some reason
in the late 1940s it started producing more of them. The natures of these
comedies shifted and became more intelligent, dry, and focused on underdog
characters who valiantly attempt to overcome a series of obstacles. Sometimes
the protagonists are successful—and sometimes not. Along the way, though, a
series of misadventures occur. They range from “amusing†to “riotously funny.†It
all worked, and the Ealing Comedies became a sub-genre unto themselves,
especially when they starred the likes of Alec Guinness, Alastair Sim, or
Stanley Holloway.
The
year 1949 is generally considered the beginning of the run, which lasted until
around 1957. In ’49, one of the best Ealing Comedy, Kind Hearts and Coronets
(directed by Robert Hamer), was released, but so was Whisky Galore!,
with Alexander Mackendrick making his directorial debut. From the accounts told
in the documentary supplements contained in this marvelous new Blu-ray package
from Film Movement, Mackendrick had a difficult time with the production. Shot
entirely on location in remote areas of Scotland, there were over-schedule and
over-budget problems, and the director himself tended to downplay the picture’s
quality in his later years.
That
said, Whisky Galore! (released as Tight Little Island in the
U.S.) ended up being a hit at the box office and is today fondly remembered as
one of the great Ealing Comedies. Its success assured Mackendrick’s place in
making future films for the studio, like The Man in the White Suit (1951)
and The Ladykillers (1955), as well as The Maggie (1954), which
is also included in this Blu-ray two-movie set.
Based
on true events, it’s the story of a Scottish isle called Todday and the inhabitants
who love their whisky. During World War II, the island goes dry and it’s near
impossible to obtain the magic nectar. One night a ship carrying cartons of
whisky meant for another port wrecks on the coast. While Captain Waggett (Basil
Radford, of “Charters and Caldicott†fame), the English head of the Home Guard
on the island, attempts to safeguard the whisky cases, everyone else is
determined to confiscate it and hide what they can in secret places. The comedy
comes with Waggett’s frustration at constantly being foiled, and with the
various eccentric and colorful characters that populate Todday.
Every
cast member is wonderful in the movie, but Joan Greenwood, who had starred in Kind
Hearts and Coronets, is a standout with her sultry, sexy low voice and
delivery.
The
Maggie
(released as High and Dry in the U.S.) also has a Scottish seafaring
theme, with the stubborn Captain MacTaggart (Alex Mackenzie) and his pitiful
“puffer†cargo boat attempting to haul expensive furniture owned by American
millionaire and businessman, Calvin Marshall (Paul Douglas) from one port to
another. At first the captain gets the job due to a misunderstanding and his
own perpetuation of it, but ultimately Marshall allows the Maggie to
haul his possessions. Everything that can go wrong does.
Film
Movement’s new high definition digital restorations from StudioCanal are
excellent. Whisky Galore! comes with an audio commentary by British film
expert John Ellis. Supplements include a 52-minute documentary, “Distilling
Whisky Galore!â€, “The Real Whisky Galore!†(about the shipwreck of the original
whisky-carrying vessel upon which the film is based), and a colorful booklet
containing an essay by film scholar Ronald Bergen. There are no supplements
associated with The Maggie.
For
fans of Ealing Comedies, Scottish history and atmosphere, and well-written and
performed British cinema, the Whisky Galore!/The Maggie combo
pack is for you!
CLICK HERE TO ORDER FROM AMAZON