The Winslow Boy (1948)

User Rating:

7.9/10   

Director:

Anthony Asquith

Writers:

Terence Rattigan (play)
Terence Rattigan (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

6 June 1950 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

In pre-WW1 England, a youngster is expelled from a naval academy over a petty theft, but his parents raise a political furor by demanding a trial.

Plot Keywords:

Based On Play | Character Name In Title | Title Spoken By Character

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Robert Donat	...	Sir Robert Morton
Cedric Hardwicke	...	Arthur Winslow
Basil Radford	...	Desmond Curry
Margaret Leighton	...	Catherine Winslow
Kathleen Harrison	...	Violet
Francis L. Sullivan	...	Attorney General
Marie Lohr	...	Grace Winslow
Jack Watling	...	Dickie Winslow
Walter Fitzgerald	...	First Lord
Frank Lawton	...	John Watherstone
Neil North	...	Ronnie Winslow
Nicholas Hannen	...	Col. Watherstone
Hugh Dempster	...	Agricultural Member
Evelyn Roberts	...	Hamilton MP
W.A. Kelley	...	Brian O'Rourke

Runtime:

117 min | West Germany:105 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

West Germany:12 | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl

Company:

De Grunwald Productions

Trivia:

H.H. Asquith, the Prime Minister whose name occurs (as Herbert Asquith) at various points throughout "The Winslow Boy", was in fact the father of that same Anthony Asquith who directed this film.

Movie Connections:

Version of The Winslow Boy (1990) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Who Were You With Last Night?

All This For Five Shillings

This film adaption of Terrence Rattigan's play The Winslow Boy is highlighted by Robert Donat's performance of celebrated English barrister, Sir Robert Morton. It's one of Donat's best performances although he's more Donat that Edward Carson on whom the character is actually based.

If you want to see a more accurate portrayal of Carson and by name than the Oscar Wilde film starring Peter Finch is what you have to look at. In that one James Mason plays Carson who was by all accounts one mean man to cross, but a brilliant advocate. In that film Carson is appearing for the prosecution and he's relentless.

In his own elegant way Donat is relentless also, but he's also one cold blooded fish. As he plays Morton, the part is perfect for one of Donat's antiseptic portrayals.

The story concerns young Ronald Winslow played by Neil North who is expelled from the Naval Academy for the theft of a postal money order of five shillings. I'm sure even back in the Edwardian days this would go down as a petty theft, but it involves the military, His Majesty's military which does not make mistakes as we know.

Half the film is devoted to just letting young Mr. North have his day in court. This isn't America, he has to get permission from the government just to be allowed to defend himself. That is something that North's father Cedric Hardwicke is determined to see he gets.

It costs the Winslow family considerable. Older brother Jack Watling is not allowed to finish Oxford, sister Margaret Leighton's fiancé Frank Lawton breaks up with her because of the notoriety and Hardwicke's health goes down hill.

The Winslow Boy is based on a true incident from back in the beginning of the last century and it has good performances all around. Cyril Ritchard and Stanley Holloway do a couple of music hall numbers to capture the spirit of the time and are welcome indeed.

Still The Winslow Boy is Robert Donat's show and a good show it is.