I'm All Right Jack (1959)

User Rating:

7.5/10   

Director:

John Boulting

Writers:

Alan Hackney (novel)
Frank Harvey (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

8 April 1960 (Denmark)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

Three of England's Top Comedians...One Big Laugh Riot!

Plot:

Naive Stanley Windrush returns from the war, his mind set on a successful career in business. Much to his own dismay...

Plot Keywords:

Strike | Naive | Industrial Town | Female Rear Nudity | Advertising

Awards:

Won 2 BAFTA Film Awards. Another 1 nomination

Cast

Ian Carmichael	...	Stanley Windrush
Terry-Thomas	...	Major Hitchcock
Peter Sellers	...	Fred Kite / Sir John Kennaway
Richard Attenborough	...	Sidney De Vere Cox
Dennis Price	...	Bertram Tracepurcel
Margaret Rutherford	...	Aunt Dolly
Irene Handl	...	Mrs. Kite
Liz Fraser	...	Cynthia Kite
Miles Malleson	...	Windrush Snr.
Marne Maitland	...	Mr. Mohammed
John Le Mesurier	...	Waters
Raymond Huntley	...	Magistrate
Victor Maddern	...	Knowles
Kenneth Griffith	...	Dai
Fred Griffiths	...	Charlie
Donal Donnelly	...	Perce Carter
John Comer	...	Shop Steward
Sam Kydd	...	Shop Steward
Cardew Robinson	...	Shop Steward
Tony Comer	...	Shop Steward
Bruce Wightman	...	Shop Steward
Bill Rayment	...	Shop Steward (as Billy Rayment)
Ronnie Stevens	...	Hooper
Martin Boddey	...	Num Yum's Executive
Brian Oulton	...	Appts. Board Examiner
Malcolm Muggeridge	...	T.V. Panel Chairman
John Glyn-Jones	...	Detto Executive
Pauline Winter	...	Miss Forsdyke
Maurice Colbourne	...	Missiles Director
Jeremy White	...	Young Chemist
Robin Ray	...	Young Chemist
Michael Bates	...	Bootle
John Van Eyssen	...	Reporter
Robert Bruce	...	Reporter
Michael Ward	...	Reporter
Stringer Davis	...	Reporter
Tony Spear	...	Reporter
Arthur Skinner	...	Photographer
William Peacock	...	Photographer
Eynon Evans	...	Truscott
Esma Cannon	...	Spencer
Robert S. Young	...	Owens (as Robert Young)
Roy Purcell	...	Police Inspector
Marianne Stone	...	T.V. Receptionist
Terry Scott	...	Crawley
Marion Shaw	...	Tea Girl
Wally Patch	...	Workman
Alun Owen	...	T.V. Producer
Muriel Young	...	T.V. Announcer
Frank Phillips	...	B.B.C. Announcer
Ian Wilson	...	Evangelist
Margaret Lacey	...	Empire Loyalist
George Selway	...	Union Jack Workman
Alan Wilson	...	Union Jack Workman
David Lodge	...	Card Player
Keith Smith	...	Card Player
Kenneth J. Warren	...	Card Player (as Kenneth Warren)
Basil Dignam	...	Minister of Labour
Harry Locke	...	Trade Union Official
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
John Leyton	...	Recruit to Detto (uncredited)

Directed by
John Boulting

Writing credits
Alan Hackney		(novel "Private Life")
Frank Harvey		(screenplay) &
John Boulting		(screenplay) and
Alan Hackney		(screenplay)

Produced by
Roy Boulting	....	producer

Original Music by
Ken Hare		(music composed by)

Cinematography by
Mutz Greenbaum		(director of photography) (as Max Greene)

Film Editing by
Anthony Harvey

Art Direction by
William C. Andrews		(as Bill Andrews)

Makeup Department
David Aylott	....	makeup artist (as Dave Aylott)
Barbara Ritchie	....	hair stylist
Eric Allwright	....	assistant makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Adrian D. Worker	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Philip Shipway	....	assistant director
Denis Johnson Jr.	....	third assistant director (uncredited)
Julian Mackintosh	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
William Hutchinson	....	draughtsman (uncredited)
Peter James	....	set dresser (uncredited)
James Sawyer	....	draughtsman (uncredited)
A.J. Van Montagu	....	scenic artist (uncredited)
Tony Woollard	....	draughtsman (uncredited)

Sound Department
Chris Greenham	....	sound editor
Red Law	....	sound recordist
George Stephenson	....	sound recordist
Jack Davies	....	boom operator (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Peter Allwork	....	camera operator
John Jordan	....	focus puller (uncredited)
Laurie Ridley	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Jack Sullivan	....	chief electrician (uncredited)
Trevor Wrenn	....	clapper loader (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
John McCorry	....	wardrobe supervisor (uncredited)

Editorial Department
John Poyner	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Ron Goodwin	....	music arranger
Ron Goodwin	....	music director

Other crew
Olga Brook	....	continuity (as Olga Brooke)
David Ffolkes	....	title designer (uncredited)
Michael ffolkes	....	titles (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Charter Film Productions

Distributors

• British Lion Film Corporation (1959) (UK) (theatrical)
• Lion International Films (1960) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Pictures (1960) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD) (widescreen)
• Bravo! Television (2008) (Canada) (TV)
• Warner Home Video (1989) (UK) (VHS)

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Australia:PG (TV rating) | Iceland:L | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Australia:G | Finland:S | UK:U

Filming Locations:

Shepperton Studios, Shepperton, Surrey, England, UK

Company:

Charter Film Productions

Quotes:

Fred Kite: We do not and cannot accept the principle that incompetence justifies dismissal. That is victimisation.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Unknown Peter Sellers (2000) (TV)

Soundtrack:

I'm All Right, Jack

Great, acerbic British comedy

The cast alone is a triumph in this movie - some of the best British character actors who ever lived are here: Terry Thomas, Miles Malleson, John Le Mesurier, all backing up Ian Carmichael as the earnest, silly-ass upper-class bumbler and Peter Sellers as Fred Kite, the Marxist shop steward. Sellers in particular is wonderful; his Fred Kite is a lower class striver who has acquired just enough education to give him an inflated idea of his own abilities, but not enough to realize the gaps and inadequacies in his views. He is a perfect realization in miniature of Taine's statement that there is nothing more dangerous than a general idea in a narrow, empty mind. He boasts to his Oxford-educated gentleman lodger about the summer course he took at the university once, reminding him in a familiar fashion about the very good marmalade and toast provided by the college, while the obviously wealthy young man politely admits that he wasn't acquainted with the public dining hall during his years there.

The plot becomes more and more complex as the movie progresses, with almost everyone turning out to be on the take. The climax comes in a free-for-all over a bag containing thousands of pounds intended to bribe Stanley into joining the sensible schemers plundering the public while paying lip service to public service and solidarity with the working class. Malcolm Muggeridge has a interesting cameo in this scene, playing himself. Most recent broadcasts of this movie have edited out the disturbing racist statements of the working class characters, but the original movie had no sentimental soft spot for anyone, workers or bosses.