The Man in the White Suit
by Alexander Mackendrick
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Alec Guinness, Cecil Parker, Ernest Thesiger, Joan Greenwood, Michael GoughDirector: Alexander Mackendrick
Cinematographer: Douglas Slocombe
Writer: Alexander Mackendrick
Editor: Bernard Gribble
Producer: Michael Balcon
Producer: Sidney Cole
Writer: John Dighton
Writer: Roger MacDougall
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language)
Format: Black & White, Closed-captioned, DVD, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 85 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2002-09-10
Audience Rating: Unrated
Studio: Starz / Anchor Bay
Movie Reviews of The Man in the White Suit
Movie Review: A Sly, Gentle And Very Funny Satire
Summary: 5 Stars
"Now that calm and sanity have returned to the textile industry, I find it my duty to reveal something of the true story behind the recent crisis...a story which we were happily able to keep out of the newspapers at the time."
"Why can't you scientists leave things alone? What about my bit of washing when there's no washing to do?"
The movie starts with the first quote and almost, but not quite, ends with the second. In between is one of the funniest and best-made of comedies. In post-war Britain, Sidney Stratton is a young man with a passion for chemistry and an obsession with creating his "long molecule." With this he'll be able to create a fabric that is indestructible and will never need cleaning. It will be a blessing for humanity. But Stratton keeps getting fired from his jobs, which always are at places where he can secretly set up his chemical experiments. At last, through wonderful confusions, he finds himself running a giant laboratory at Birnley Mills; he has the support of the delicious daughter (Joan Greenwood) of the owner; and he succeeds in creating his fabric. At first the mill's owner, Alan Birnley, can barely suppress his glee. His mills will turn out fabric that everyone will want. Then the workers and the other mill owners realize there's a problem. With a fabric that will never wear out and never needs cleaning...what happens to their mills and what happens to their jobs?
What happens is that labor and capital join forces to suppress Sidney's invention. The movie takes on all comers with sly dialogue, chases and kidnappings, some sharp-elbowed pokes at the self interest of both unions and management, and some fine comic acting. Through it all Alec Guinness, playing the sweet-natured and obsessed Sidney Stratton, dominates the film with a sly, gentle performance. Near the end, when the fabric is shown to have a fatal flaw and Sidney is left standing in his shorts and shirt with everyone laughing at him, the movie also is poignant. But then, at the end of the movie, we realize that we just may not have seen the last of Sidney Stratton.
The movie features a number of wonderful British actors who couldn't be touched in their era (or ours, in my opinion) for their skills in playing sophisticated comedy: Joan Greenwood, Cecil Parker, Michael Gough and Ernest Thesiger. Thesiger, looking as aged and dry as a old twig, steals his scenes.
Of the comedies Guinness made in this period -- The Lavender Hill Mob, Kind Hearts and Coronets, etc -- this one is my favorite. The DVD transfer is excellent.
Summary of The Man in the White Suit
Studio: Starz/sphe Release Date: 11/11/2008 Run time: 85 minutes Rating: NrSimilar DVD Movies
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