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

Neil North, who played the First Lord of the Admiralty in the 1999 version of The Winslow Boy, played Ronnie Winslow in the 1948 version.

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Goofs

The corset that Catherine Winslow wears under her dress clearly appears and disappears between shots in her last scenes with Sir Robert.

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Quotes

Catherine Winslow: One thing puzzles me. Why are you always at such pains to prevent people knowing the truth about you, Sir Robert?
Sir Robert Morton: Am I indeed?
Catherine Winslow: You know that you are. Why?
Sir Robert Morton: Which of us knows the truth about himself?
Catherine Winslow: That is no answer.
Sir Robert Morton: My dear Miss Winslow, are you cross-examining me?

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Connections

Version of Pojken Winslow (1959)

User Reviews

Well acted adaptation of a famous play.

Sometimes the best films you see are the ones you've never heard about. I saw this one sitting on the shelf of my local video store and rented it on a lark.

This is an adaptation of a play written by the late Terence Rattigan ("The Browning Version," "Separate Tables"). Here it is brought to the screen by another famous playwright, David Mamet, who wrote the screenplay and directed this film. It concerns the true story of a young boy who was expelled from the British Naval Academy early in the twentieth century for allegedly stealing a postal order.

This movie is very much a play put onto film. The sets are almost exclusively interior and the action is carried forward through dialogue. Events not at hand are explained through theatrical devices such as reading a letter or someone remarking on what's happened. At times I wished the director had made it more of a movie but it's still a very good film, mainly because the key actors are so good.

Mamet's wife, Rebecca Pidgeon, plays Catherine Winslow, the little boy's older sister. She's an outspoken but gentle woman who's strongly in favor of women's rights. Jeremy Northam plays Sir Robert Morton, the lawyer and member of the House of Commons who takes the Winslow case. He's outwardly reserved but inside he's as passionate about justice as Catherine. Both of these actors give outstanding performances. And as you might expect, there's a little romance suggested between the two by the end of the film.

I wish I knew more about the Winslow case because the film assumes you know most of the facts already. It must have been an important event in early twentieth century British history because they've made several films about it, including one made in 1948 with Robert Donat (Sir Robert Morton), Margaret Leighton (Catherine), and Cedric Hardwicke (the boy's father) that I'll have to see. There must be nuances about the relationship between the government and the common man in this case that are only hinted at here.

Very good entertainment and the acting will knock you off your feet.