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The Man in the White Suit
1951 Comedy / Sci-Fi / Drama
Review
The Man in the White Suit is
one of a series of memorable classic film comedies from Ealing
Studios, the British film production company that brought us such
cinematic jewels as Kind Hearts and Coronets
(1949), The Lavender Hill Mob (1951)
and The Ladykillers (1955).
The film succeeds both as an enjoyable knockabout farce and as a
wonderfully effective satire on the conflict between scientific
endeavour and the interests of big business (which still has
great relevance today). Alec Guinness turns in another impeccable performance, portraying the naïve inventor Stratton with great charm and poignancy, demonstrating the extraordinary range of his acting skill. By this stage, Guinness had achieved celebrity as a result of his appearances in David Lean’s Oliver Twist (1948) and Kind Hearts and Coronets. His co-stars in this film include the mesmerising Joan Greenwood (the actress with a voice that has the luxurious texture of crushed velvet), Cecil Parker – who is perfect as the harassed mill owner – and Ernest Thesiger, whose impressive film credits include James Whale’s Bride of Frankenstein (1935), relishing his part as a decrepit godfather-like figure. It is this ensemble of scintillating talent, served by an excellent screenplay, which makes The Man in the White Suit such a hugely enjoyable film. © James Travers 2008 Write a review for this film...User Comments
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Director:
Alexander Mackendrick
Starring: Alec Guinness, Joan Greenwood, Cecil Parker, Michael Gough, Ernest Thesiger Synopsis
Since graduating from Cambridge, Sidney Stratton has become obsessed
with his idea of inventing an indestructible fibre, one which will
revolutionise the clothes manufacturing industry. Unable to find
a backer for his research, he resorts to carrying out experiments in
secret in the laboratories of textile mills where he poses as a menial
worker. The hard-nosed mill owner Birnley knows an opportunity
when he sees one and, impressed with Stratton’s theories, and the
potentially lucrative returns these offer, he gives the inventor his
full support. Eventually, Stratton succeeds – he produces a
fabric which can neither wear out nor get dirty. Not everyone
shares his enthusiasm, however. Both the magnates of the textile
industry and the mill’s employees realise the implications of Statton’s
discovery. To protect their own interests, they join forces to
stop him...
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