The Man in the White Suit dvd movie.|
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List Price: $19.98 Our Price: $17.99 You Save: $1.99 Features • Black & White • Closed-captioned • DVD-Video • NTSC In Theaters : April, 1952 DVD Release : 10 September, 2002 |
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The Man in the White Suit description Ealing comedy--cozy, gentle, and whimsical, right? In this case, think again. Alexander Mackendrick was always the most politically aware of the Ealing directors, and in The Man in the White Suit (1952) he takes the studio's favorite theme of the little man up against the system and gives it a sharp satirical twist. Sidney Stratton (Alec Guinness at his most unworldly), a maverick scientist working in a textile mill, invents a fabric that never gets dirty and never wears out. He's hailed as a genius--until management and unions alike realize what his brainwave implies. Mackendrick's humor is exact and pointed, and the satire turns savage as a lynch mob of bosses and workers hunt Sidney down through dark, narrow streets. Mackendrick's disenchanted view of class-ridden British society still rings horribly true, and he draws note-perfect performances from the cream of British character actors: Cecil Parker as the liberal mill owner (based, it's said, on Ealing boss Michael Balcon); Ernest Thesiger as the evil old godfather of the industry; and, wittily sensual as Sidney's confidante, the ever-wonderful Joan Greenwood. Plus, listen out for the "voice" of Sidney's bizarre apparatus, the funniest and most unforgettable sound effect ever devised. --Philip Kemp |
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| ♥♥♥♥♥ | Fairly Entertaining Ealing Offering |
| This film will not be to everyone's taste despite an excellent performance from Alec Guinness as the eccentric young scientist Sidney Stratton who invents a material that puts the whole British fabric and laundry business into jeopardy. There is a strong management vs. workers message here (although not to the extent of "I'm All Right Jack"). The industrial "closing of ranks when threatened" works well, but the film suffers from a rather contrived ending which leaves the viewer rather frustrated (we want Sidney to succeed, despite the consequences!). The white suit also looks rather odd in the greyness of Britain in the 1950's (but maybe that was the point). Although there are some funny and entertaining moments, this is a second-rank Ealing offering. | |
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