This funny, well-executed film is often overlooked for the simple reason it was the last of the Ealing comedies. In fact, it is credited to "Ealing Films" not "Studios", being made at "MGM-British". To some, this suggests the last gasp of a glorious series of films. In fact, this is fun to watch and makes some sharp digs at good old England, and indulges in a few genre spoofs along the way.
Alec Guinness plays Captain Ambrose, a naval officer from a long line of naval officers who is incurably seasick and cannot serve at sea (a series of clips show his ancestors - all played by Guinness - from a coracle-rowing caveman, to Trafalgar, to Jutland in 1916 - shades of 'Kind Hearts and Coronets'). At one point, to our surprise, we do see him on the storm-lashed bridge of a warship only for the camera to pull back to show a mock-up being sprayed by a man with a hosepipe - echoes of Charles Frend's 'The Cruel Sea' (there is even a brief clip of K49, HMS Compass Rose, from that film) .
To keep up the family tradition he uses his savings to buy a run-down seaside pier. He may be a martyr to seasickness but Ambrose is Navy through and through and with a combination of personality and discipline (giving speeches similar to Noel Coward from 'In Which We Serve') he gets the old place working again. When the corrupt local council try to buy him out at a rock-bottom price he goes the whole hog and registers the place as a ship offering 'cruises' to fellow seasickness sufferers.
'Barnacle Bill' follows the Ealing staple of the 'little man' up against vested interests but in this case the opposition is petty and mean-minded. England is changing, it has a new youth culture, but the changes can be exhilarating and should be embraced (Guinness dancing to a skiffle group is a highlight of the film). Ealing films have always been said to stand for traditional values and the good old British ways of doing things. 'Barnacle Bill' indicates a changing viewpoint - we have great traditions, but there are elements of narrow-mindedness and corruption which we can well do without.
As a footnote: Guinness's 'crew' on the pier include Percy Herbert and Harold Goodwin who would go on to help him build 'The Bridge on the River Kwai' for David Lean.
Alec Guinness plays Captain Ambrose, a naval officer from a long line of naval officers who is incurably seasick and cannot serve at sea (a series of clips show his ancestors - all played by Guinness - from a coracle-rowing caveman, to Trafalgar, to Jutland in 1916 - shades of 'Kind Hearts and Coronets'). At one point, to our surprise, we do see him on the storm-lashed bridge of a warship only for the camera to pull back to show a mock-up being sprayed by a man with a hosepipe - echoes of Charles Frend's 'The Cruel Sea' (there is even a brief clip of K49, HMS Compass Rose, from that film) .
To keep up the family tradition he uses his savings to buy a run-down seaside pier. He may be a martyr to seasickness but Ambrose is Navy through and through and with a combination of personality and discipline (giving speeches similar to Noel Coward from 'In Which We Serve') he gets the old place working again. When the corrupt local council try to buy him out at a rock-bottom price he goes the whole hog and registers the place as a ship offering 'cruises' to fellow seasickness sufferers.
'Barnacle Bill' follows the Ealing staple of the 'little man' up against vested interests but in this case the opposition is petty and mean-minded. England is changing, it has a new youth culture, but the changes can be exhilarating and should be embraced (Guinness dancing to a skiffle group is a highlight of the film). Ealing films have always been said to stand for traditional values and the good old British ways of doing things. 'Barnacle Bill' indicates a changing viewpoint - we have great traditions, but there are elements of narrow-mindedness and corruption which we can well do without.
As a footnote: Guinness's 'crew' on the pier include Percy Herbert and Harold Goodwin who would go on to help him build 'The Bridge on the River Kwai' for David Lean.