Whisky Galore! (1949)

Director:

Alexander Mackendrick

Writers:

Compton MacKenzie (novel)
Compton MacKenzie (screenplay)

Release Date:

25 December 1949 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

A Highland fling on a tight little island

Plot:

Scottish islanders try to plunder 50,000 cases of whisky from a stranded ship.

Plot Keywords:

Roadblock | Scottish Island | Cargo | Salvage | Shipwreck

Awards:

Nominated for BAFTA Film Award.

Cast

Basil Radford	...	Captain Paul Waggett
Catherine Lacey	...	Mrs Waggett
Bruce Seton	...	Sergeant Odd
Joan Greenwood	...	Peggy Macroon
Wylie Watson	...	Joseph Macroon
Gabrielle Blunt	...	Catriona Macroon
Gordon Jackson	...	George Campbell
Jean Cadell	...	Mrs Campbell
James Robertson Justice	...	Dr Maclaren
Morland Graham	...	The Biffer
John Gregson	...	Sammy MacCodrun
James Woodburn	...	Roderick MacRurie
James Anderson	...	Old Hector
Jameson Clark	...	Constable Macrae
Duncan Macrae	...	Angus McCormac

Also Known As:

Tight Little Island (USA)

Runtime:

82 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English | Scottish Gaelic

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Iceland:L | UK:Approved (British Film Censors) | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:A

Filming Locations:

Allasdale, Barra, Western Isles, Scotland, UK

Company:

Ealing Studios

Trivia:

Shot on the island of Barra, which boasts Britain's most unique airport - the runway is the beach.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Captain Waggett telephones the Post Office, he is unable to get through to the switchboard operator. Seconds later, he is speaking to Mistress Campbell. He could not possibly do so without the Post Office switchboard connecting him.

Quotes:

Captain Paul Waggett: I want to speak to your son George.
Mrs Campbell: George is in his bedroom.
Captain Paul Waggett: Oh, not ill, I hope.
Mrs Campbell: He's locked in his bedroom with his Bible and some bread and cheese, and he'll not be out until tomorra' mornin'.
Captain Paul Waggett: I never heard of anything so preposterous!
Mrs Campbell: Did you ever hear of the Fourth Commandment?
Captain Paul Waggett: Of course, I have!
Mrs Campbell: Remember the...
Captain Paul Waggett: You needn't repeat it. I learned the Commandment years ago.
Mrs Campbell: More shame to you then that yeh should lead my son away from righteousness.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in Norbert Smith, a Life (1989) (TV)

Have a drink!

A little town on a Scottish Isle suffers the most horrifying predicament, of which the outbreak of WWII in hindsight seemed to be an omen: they're out of whiskey! Everyone goes into an almost catatonic state until fortune takes a turn for the better: a ship is wrecked on a reef. The cargo: 50,000 cases of whiskey. But there's one do-gooder, the local militia leader, who just can't allow the cargo to be put to use. That, he says would lead to anarchy. Many well defined characters, good plot.