Whisky Galore (1949)

On an isolated Scottish island during WWII, where whisky is drunk like water, a panic begins when their government ration of whisky is used up. However, a freighter goes aground in the heavy fog one night. Its cargo ... 50,000 cases of whisky! The islanders plot a raid before the ship sinks but not if the by the book British commander (Basil Radford, THE LADY VANISHES) of the Home Guard has his way. This quaint Ealing comedy directed by Alexander MacKendrick (SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS) seems greatly loved by a good many people and it has its minor charms but overall, I found the whimsy a bit too thickly laid on for my taste. I was grateful for the bible thumping, dominating battle-axe played by Jean Cadell, who locks her adult son (Gordon Jackson) in his bedroom for talking back to her to balance things out! Nicely shot on location in the Outer Hebrides. Based on the novel by Compton MacKenzie (who co-wrote the screenplay) and based on an actual incident which occurred in 1941. With Joan Greenwood (wasted), Catherine Lacey, Bruce Seton and James Robertson Justice.