Whisky Galore! (1949)

Director:

Alexander Mackendrick

Writers:

Compton MacKenzie (novel)
Compton MacKenzie (screenplay)
(more)

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:

Hebrides | Scotland | Home Guard | WWII | Ealing

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
Mary MacNeil	...	Mrs McCormac
Norman Macowan	...	Captain MacPhee
Alastair Hunter	...	Captain MacKechnie
Henry Mollison	...	Farquharson
Compton MacKenzie	...	Captain Buncher
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Finlay Currie	...	Narrator (uncredited)
A.E. Matthews	...	Colonel Linsey-Woolsey (uncredited)
Frank Webster	...	1st Mate (uncredited)

Directed by
Alexander Mackendrick

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Compton MacKenzie		novel
Compton MacKenzie		screenplay
Angus MacPhail		writer

Produced by
Michael Balcon	....	producer
Monja Danischewsky	....	associate producer (as M. Danischewsky)

Original Music by
Ernest Irving

Cinematography by
Gerald Gibbs

Film Editing by
Joseph Sterling
Charles Crichton		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
Jim Morahan

Makeup Department
Barbara Barnard	....	hairdresser supervisor (uncredited)
Ernest Taylor	....	makeup supervisor (uncredited)

Production Management
Hal Mason	....	production supervisor
L.C. Rudkin	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Harry Kratz	....	assistant director
Richmond Harding	....	third assistant director (uncredited)
John Meadows	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Bert Davey	....	draughtsman (uncredited)
Norman Dorme	....	draughtsman (uncredited)

Sound Department
Leonard Bulkley	....	sound recordist (as Leonard B. Bulkley)
Stephen Dalby	....	sound supervisor
Michael Stoll	....	boom operator (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Geoffrey Dickinson	....	special effects
Sydney Pearson	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Chic Waterson	....	camera operator (as Chick Waterson)
Hal Britten	....	camera operator: second unit (uncredited)
Jack Dooley	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Harry Gillam	....	director of photography: second unit (uncredited)
Roy Gough	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Douglas Slocombe	....	director of photography: second unit (uncredited)
Herbert Smith	....	focus puller (uncredited)
Ken Westbury	....	clapper loader (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Anthony Mendleson	....	wardrobe supervisor
Fred Birch	....	wardrobe master (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Roy Baker	....	second assistant editor (uncredited)
Robert Winter	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Ernest Irving	....	conductor

Other crew
Marjorie Owens	....	continuity

Production Companies

• Ealing Studios

Distributors

• General Film Distributors (GFD) (1949) (UK) (theatrical)
• Universal Pictures (1949) (USA) (theatrical)
• Victory Films (1950) (France) (theatrical)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV) (1966) (Finland) (TV)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV) (1993) (Finland) (TV) (MTV3)
• Sandrew Metronome Distribution (2008) (Finland) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1988) (UK) (VHS)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (1979) (Finland) (TV)

Other Companies

• Philharmonia Orchestra, The  music played by

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:

The sets were pre-built at Ealing Studios and then shipped up to Scotland. They were then constructed in a village hall for the frequent occasions when it was too wet to put them up outside.

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:

Farquharson: My men are experts.
Captain Paul Waggett: So are the Todday people, at hiding whisky!

Movie Connections:

Featured in Scotland on Screen (2009) (TV)

Compton Mackenzie's farcical finest!

I have seen Whisky Galore so many times I lost count during the 'eighties. Most films so viewed tend to lose their sparkle somewhat. Not with this little gem - I laugh every time.

I have been promised that these strange happenings were based in fact, but I cannot believe that such a concatenation of hilarious happenstance could possibly have occurred, here in the British Isles, where the ridiculous is commonplace, or anywhere else. This film is full of the finest British character actors of the era, and a few acting 'non-entities' as well, who all give marvellous performances. The laughter doesn't stop, and the whisky keeps on flowing - I love it. I hope you get half as much out of Whisky Galore as I have - you'll be well pleased.