The Winslow Boy (1999)

Early 20th century England: while toasting his daughter Catherine's engagement, Arthur Winslow learns the royal naval academy expelled his 14-year-old son, Ronnie, for stealing five ... See full summary »

Director:

David Mamet

Writers:

Terence Rattigan (play), David Mamet (screenplay)

Stars:

Matthew Pidgeon, Rebecca Pidgeon, Nigel Hawthorne

4 wins & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Matthew Pidgeon	...	Dickie Winslow
Rebecca Pidgeon	...	Catherine Winslow
Gemma Jones	...	Grace Winslow
Nigel Hawthorne	...	Arthur Winslow
Lana Bilzerian	...	Undermaid
Sarah Flind	...	Violet
Aden Gillett	...	John Watherstone
Guy Edwards	...	Ronnie Winslow
Colin Stinton	...	Desmond Curry
Eve Bland	...	Suffragette
Sara Stewart	...	Miss Barnes, Beacon Reporter
Perry Fenwick	...	Fred
Alan Polonsky	...	Mr. Michaels
Jeremy Northam	...	Sir Robert Morton
Neil North	...	First Lord

Storyline

Early 20th century England: while toasting his daughter Catherine's engagement, Arthur Winslow learns the royal naval academy expelled his 14-year-old son, Ronnie, for stealing five shillings. Father asks son if it is true; when the lad denies it, Arthur risks fortune, health, domestic peace, and Catherine's prospects to pursue justice. After defeat in the military court of appeals, Arthur and Catherine go to Sir Robert Morton, a brilliant, cool barrister and M.P., who examines Ronnie and suggests that they take the matter before Parliament to seek permission to sue the Crown. They do, which keeps Ronnie's story on the front page and keeps Catherine in Sir Robert's ken.

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Plot Keywords:

royal naval academy | military | engagement | parliament | marriage proposal | 

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

G

Details

Official Sites:

Sony Pictures Classics

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 April 1999 (USA)

Also Known As:

L'honneur des Winslow

Filming Locations:

London, England, UK

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

£51,670 (UK) (29 October 1999)

Gross:

£51,670 (UK) (29 October 1999)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Winslow Partners Ltd.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

104 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Not only do both movies The Winslow Boy and An Ideal Husband, feature Jeremy Northam as a character named "Sir Robert", his performances in those movies also won him the same two awards (Evening Standard British Film Award's "Best Actor" & ALFS Award's "British Actor of the Year").

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Goofs

At the beginning of the movie When Ronnie Winslow tears open the envelope and is about to remove the letter, the stamp and address are facing him, then in the reverse shot as he removes the letter the stamp and address are facing away from him.

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Quotes

Grace Winslow: You don't behave as if you are in love.
Catherine Winslow: How does one behave as if one is in love?
Arthur Winslow: [Looks at the book Catherine is reading] One doesn't read "The Social Evil and The Social Good." One reads Lord Byron.

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Connections

Version of BBC Play of the Month: The Winslow Boy (1977)

User Reviews

The marvelous Mamet...

Just saw The Winslow Boy, and it was a real gem of a movie. Mamet has always been the king of brilliantly droll dialogue, the sort of dialogue that is funny not in its words but its performance, and Winslow Boy is no exception. With unusually clean language, Mamet has written a screenplay that illicits honesty from its players without ever being forced or awkward. It's gorgeous.

The cast lent itself beautifully to the script's Mametian style. Most poignant was Nigel Hawthorn, who managed to break my heart with the shift of an eye. It was the kind of razor-sharp subtlety that Mamet's writing (plays and screenplays) requires, and Hawthorn delivered it with soft spoken brilliance.