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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 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 »
Edit

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English | Scottish Gaelic

Release Date:

25 December 1949 (USA) See more »

Also Known As:

Tight Little Island 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

The shipwreck that brings whisky to the isle of Todday happens 20 minutes into the film. In the original novel, it occurs halfway through. See more »

Goofs

Had there really been whisky (or really about anything except air) in those wooden crates piled as high as a person on the rowboats the villagers use to loot the cargo ship, those boats would have capsized or sunk by the sheer weight of the crates. 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

Featured in Richard E. Grant on Ealing Comedies: Passport to Success (2016) See more »

Soundtracks

Brochan Lom, Tana Lom
(uncredited)
Traditional
Sung when the whisky is first being shared out
See more »

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User Reviews

 
Compton Mackenzie's farcical finest!
19 June 2002 | by Bregelad – See all my reviews

I have seen Whisky Galore so many times I lost count during the 'eighties. Most films so viewed tend to lose their sparkle somewhat. Not with this little gem - I laugh every time.

I have been promised that these strange happenings were based in fact, but I cannot believe that such a concatenation of hilarious happenstance could possibly have occurred, here in the British Isles, where the ridiculous is commonplace, or anywhere else. This film is full of the finest British character actors of the era, and a few acting 'non-entities' as well, who all give marvellous performances. The laughter doesn't stop, and the whisky keeps on flowing - I love it. I hope you get half as much out of Whisky Galore as I have - you'll be well pleased.
12 of 16 people found this review helpful.  Was this review helpful to you? | Report this
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