THE MAN IN THE WHITE SUIT
classic film review
THE MAN IN THE WHITE SUIT
Director: Alexander McKendrick 85 mins
One of my all time favourite films is due to be shown on the big screen later this month as part of the Belfast Film Festival. The Man in the White Suit stars Alec Guiness as Sidney Stratton, an eccentric inventor who creates a wonderful new fabric. This material never gets dirty or wears out.
Stratton has been working on his idea without much success for quite some time causing quite a few alarming explosions and cracks on the ceiling. Guinness gives his all in his portrayal of the obsessive, idealistic, naïve, eccentric and slightly hysterical inventor.
To show the marvelous qualities of his new fabric, Sidney has a suit made up in it. He chooses white fabric to show just how indestructible the material is and to show how easily dirt falls off it. Naturally, he expects that he is going to make a fortune from his revolutionary new fabric. This is where thing start to go wrong as he is pursued by the forces of capital and labour – the bosses and the workers.
The reason is obvious to us, but not at first to Stratton; if you buy a suit made from his fabric you will never have to get it repaired or ever have to buy another one. As a result the clothing industry will collapse. Nevertheless, Sidney determines to put his fabric on the market, forcing the big mill owners to resort to more desperate measures. It’s not only the bosses who want to suppress Sidney’s invention. The textile workers also want to suppress it as it will mean the end of their jobs. However, the bosses and the unions distrust each other. This distrust drives the second half of the film.
Like most post-war Ealing comedies, The Man in the White Suit is delightfully engaging. However, its view of the big bosses and organised labour is sharply satirical without preaching too much. The film has aged well despite having been made almost sixty years ago. Its acerbic observations on industry remains fresh today. Many present-day viewers will recognise ways in which it rings even more “true” in the modern era.
The Man in the White Suit is available on DVD and can be seen at the Strand Cinema on Tuesday March 31st at 8:00pm.
THE MAN IN THE WHITE SUIT
Director: Alexander McKendrick 85 mins
One of my all time favourite films is due to be shown on the big screen later this month as part of the Belfast Film Festival. The Man in the White Suit stars Alec Guiness as Sidney Stratton, an eccentric inventor who creates a wonderful new fabric. This material never gets dirty or wears out.
Stratton has been working on his idea without much success for quite some time causing quite a few alarming explosions and cracks on the ceiling. Guinness gives his all in his portrayal of the obsessive, idealistic, naïve, eccentric and slightly hysterical inventor.
To show the marvelous qualities of his new fabric, Sidney has a suit made up in it. He chooses white fabric to show just how indestructible the material is and to show how easily dirt falls off it. Naturally, he expects that he is going to make a fortune from his revolutionary new fabric. This is where thing start to go wrong as he is pursued by the forces of capital and labour – the bosses and the workers.
The reason is obvious to us, but not at first to Stratton; if you buy a suit made from his fabric you will never have to get it repaired or ever have to buy another one. As a result the clothing industry will collapse. Nevertheless, Sidney determines to put his fabric on the market, forcing the big mill owners to resort to more desperate measures. It’s not only the bosses who want to suppress Sidney’s invention. The textile workers also want to suppress it as it will mean the end of their jobs. However, the bosses and the unions distrust each other. This distrust drives the second half of the film.
Like most post-war Ealing comedies, The Man in the White Suit is delightfully engaging. However, its view of the big bosses and organised labour is sharply satirical without preaching too much. The film has aged well despite having been made almost sixty years ago. Its acerbic observations on industry remains fresh today. Many present-day viewers will recognise ways in which it rings even more “true” in the modern era.
The Man in the White Suit is available on DVD and can be seen at the Strand Cinema on Tuesday March 31st at 8:00pm.
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