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Whisky Galore (1949)

Whisky Galore! (original title)
Approved | | Comedy, Crime | 25 December 1949 (USA)
Whisky Galore Poster
Scottish islanders try to plunder 50,000 cases of whisky from a stranded ship.

Director:

Alexander Mackendrick

Writers:

Compton MacKenzie (novel) (as Compton Mackenzie), Compton MacKenzie (screenplay) (as Compton Mackenzie) | 1 more credit »

Stars:

Basil Radford, Joan Greenwood, Catherine Lacey | See full cast & crew »
Reviews
Nominated for 1 BAFTA Film Award. Another 1 win. See more awards »

Photos

See all 25 photos »
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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Basil Radford ... Captain Paul Waggett
Catherine Lacey ... Mrs. Waggett
Bruce Seton ... Sergeant Odd
Joan Greenwood ... Peggy Macroon
Wylie Watson ... Joseph Macroon
Gabrielle Blunt Gabrielle Blunt ... Catriona Macroon
Gordon Jackson ... George Campbell
Jean Cadell ... Mrs. Campbell
James Robertson Justice ... Dr. Maclaren
Morland Graham Morland Graham ... The Biffer
John Gregson ... Sammy MacCodrun
James Woodburn James Woodburn ... Roderick MacRurie
James Anderson James Anderson ... Old Hector
Jameson Clark Jameson Clark ... Constable Macrae
Duncan Macrae ... Angus MacCormac
See full cast »
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Storyline

Based on a true story. The name of the real ship, that sunk Feb 5 1941 - during WWII - was S/S Politician. Having left Liverpool two days earlier, heading for Jamaica, it sank outside Eriskay, The Outer Hebrides, Scotland, in bad weather, containing 250,000 bottles of whisky. The locals gathered as many bottles as they could, before the proper authorities arrived, and even today, bottles are found in the sand or in the sea every other year. Written by Jörg Ausfelt <joerg.ausfelt@telia.com>

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

home guard | hebrides | scotland | cave | barbed wire | See All (33) »

Taglines:

A Highland fling on a tight little island See more »

Genres:

Comedy | Crime

Certificate:

Approved | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

Add content advisory for parents »
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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English | Scottish Gaelic

Release Date:

25 December 1949 (USA) See more »

Also Known As:

Whisky Galore See more »

Filming Locations:

Allasdale, Barra, Western Isles, Scotland, UK See more »

Company Credits

Production Co:

Ealing Studios See more »
Show more on IMDbPro »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1
See full technical specs »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

Another reason why the film was shot on location was because all the Ealing Studios were filled with other productions at the time. See more »

Goofs

When Captain Waggett telephones the Post Office, he is unable to get through to the switchboard operator. Seconds later, he is speaking to Mistress Campbell. He could not possibly do so without the Post Office switchboard connecting him. See more »

Quotes

Farquharson: My men are experts.
Captain Paul Waggett: So are the Todday people, at hiding whisky!
See more »

Crazy Credits

Opening credits prologue: By a strange coincidence the S.S. Cabinet Minister was wrecked off the Island of Todday [in the movie] two years after the S.S. Politician, with a similar cargo, was wrecked [in real life] off the Island of Eriskay. But the coincidence stops there, for our story and the characters in it are pure fiction. See more »

Connections

Spoofed in Sir Norbert Smith, a Life (1989) See more »

Soundtracks

The MacaPhee song
(uncredited)
Traditional
Played at the engagement party
See more »

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User Reviews

Truly Enjoyable
24 September 2001 | by Bill Hutchinson – See all my reviews

Whisky Galore AKA Tight Little Island is one of the funniest movies I have ever seen. Alexander MacKendrick did a fantastic job in bringing Compton MacKenzie's book Whisky Galore to the big screen. MacKendrick keeps the pace going with plot twists that would cause one to "bust a gut." If you are looking for a truly enjoyable movie to lighten your mood, Whisky Galore is a must.
19 of 24 people found this review helpful.  Was this review helpful to you? | Report this
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