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Directed by Alexander Mackendrick, The 'Maggie' is a heart warming comedy set in Scotland, about a skipper who tricks a wealthy American into entrusting him to ship valuable cargo on a dilapidated old puffer boat called the Maggie. The American tycoon realises his mistake and goes up against the scheming crew of the Maggie who are determined to outwit the American and keep the contract. The Maggie is one of Ealing Studios' forgotten treasures and a must-see for fans of the genre. James Copeland, Hubert Gregg, Andrew Keir, Paul Douglas, Geoffrey Keen.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
70 of 70 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
'The Maggie' is one of Ealing studios lesser known comedies. It is however a 'gem' in the true sense of the word. The film has everything..Humour, tragedy,anger, pathos, romance.The lot! A wily old skipper of a Western Isles 'Puffer' and his motley crew lead all who come into contact with them a fine old time! It leaves one wondering if their way of doing business was not 'de rigeur' for the time! I first saw this film when it came out in the early 1950s and have watched it over the years what by now must be hundreds of times and never fail to spot something new and never cease to enjoy it. The production costs of this basically simple film entertainment would probably not cover the wages of the tea boy working on todays blockbusters. This is a wonderful, warm movie,a real 'comfort film' and if I had to rush and save a single movie from my extensive DVD collection this would be the one! It is certainly my desert island movie !
Post Script to my review: There is one moment early on in the film where
the 'Maggie' is stuck on the subway in the Clyde. The skipper is standing on the 45degree stern and a large crowd is observing his plight from a bridge over the river. A voice calls out 'Are ye hanging on Captain Carlsen? Now this comment will probably be lost on newcomers to this movie but possibly not to those over a certain age. What this comment refers to is an incident in the South West approaches in December 1950 into January 1951 when a cargo ship, the 'Flying Enterprise' foundered. The crew were lifted off the stricken vessel but her Danish skipper, Captain Carlsen,insisted on staying with his ship. He remained with her for some two weeks in perilous conditions but was eventually recovered just before the ship finally sank. At the time the incident was a huge media item. The Captain hung on to his ship. Hence the comment in the movie 'Maggie' which was made not too long afterwards. Like 'Gone with the wind', 'Casablanca' 'Genievieve' et al, you could not have a sequel. Rest assured there will never be a 'Maggie 2' !
Post Script to my review: There is one moment early on in the film where
the 'Maggie' is stuck on the subway in the Clyde. The skipper is standing on the 45degree stern and a large crowd is observing his plight from a bridge over the river. A voice calls out 'Are ye hanging on Captain Carlsen? Now this comment will probably be lost on newcomers to this movie but possibly not to those over a certain age. What this comment refers to is an incident in the South West approaches in December 1950 into January 1951 when a cargo ship, the 'Flying Enterprise' foundered. The crew were lifted off the stricken vessel but her Danish skipper, Captain Carlsen,insisted on staying with his ship. He remained with her for some two weeks in perilous conditions but was eventually recovered just before the ship finally sank. At the time the incident was a huge media item. The Captain hung on to his ship. Hence the comment in the movie 'Maggie' which was made not too long afterwards. Like 'Gone with the wind', 'Casablanca' 'Genievieve' et al, you could not have a sequel. Rest assured there will never be a 'Maggie 2' !
40 of 40 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Until recently I had never heard of The Maggie, and so was not expecting the film to be a match for Passport to Pimlico, The Ladykillers, Whisky Galore and so many others. Now that I have seen it, I am at a loss as to why it is not universally regarded as one of the Ealing all-time greats.
The story concerns a wealthy American, Calvin B Marshall, played by Paul Douglas, who is trying to get his costly furniture and fittings transported from Glasgow to his new holiday home on the remote Western Isle of Kiltarra. Inadvertently, the contract is given to the most devious and dishonest captain in the coastal trade, MacTaggart, master of a barely seaworthy rustbucked of a puffer called the Maggie, which looks as if it will be lucky to make it out of the Clyde. As a result, Mr Marshall spends the rest of the film endeavouring to get his cargo back, in a battle of wills against a crew determined to fulfil the contract or sink in the trying. As Marshall says at one point, "if there's such a thing as a triple bluff, I bet MacTaggart invented it". Needless to say, of course, MacTaggart is way ahead of the game and calmly pulls a quadruple bluff on him!
The acting is quite simply superb. You can feel nothing but sympathy for the cargo's owner, who is an honest, reasonable man - in fact a highly successful businessman, but one who has never faced anything remotely comparable with MacTaggart. And Alex MacKenzie as the captain is simply superb. He barely utters a single honest word from start to finish, but you cannot help sympathizing with him just as much as with Mr Marshall. There is a brief moment when Marshall corners the crew in a pub, and the expression on the captain's face is simply priceless. And for those who think that child actors are nothing short of a disaster should look out for Tommy Kearins as the puffer's "wee boy", Dougie. He gives an outstanding performance.
I think I have seen most of the Ealing comedies, and have loved almost every one of them, but for me this one beats them all.
The story concerns a wealthy American, Calvin B Marshall, played by Paul Douglas, who is trying to get his costly furniture and fittings transported from Glasgow to his new holiday home on the remote Western Isle of Kiltarra. Inadvertently, the contract is given to the most devious and dishonest captain in the coastal trade, MacTaggart, master of a barely seaworthy rustbucked of a puffer called the Maggie, which looks as if it will be lucky to make it out of the Clyde. As a result, Mr Marshall spends the rest of the film endeavouring to get his cargo back, in a battle of wills against a crew determined to fulfil the contract or sink in the trying. As Marshall says at one point, "if there's such a thing as a triple bluff, I bet MacTaggart invented it". Needless to say, of course, MacTaggart is way ahead of the game and calmly pulls a quadruple bluff on him!
The acting is quite simply superb. You can feel nothing but sympathy for the cargo's owner, who is an honest, reasonable man - in fact a highly successful businessman, but one who has never faced anything remotely comparable with MacTaggart. And Alex MacKenzie as the captain is simply superb. He barely utters a single honest word from start to finish, but you cannot help sympathizing with him just as much as with Mr Marshall. There is a brief moment when Marshall corners the crew in a pub, and the expression on the captain's face is simply priceless. And for those who think that child actors are nothing short of a disaster should look out for Tommy Kearins as the puffer's "wee boy", Dougie. He gives an outstanding performance.
I think I have seen most of the Ealing comedies, and have loved almost every one of them, but for me this one beats them all.
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
This wee film is "chust sublime" to quote the best known "Pufferman" of all. It describes the antics of the crew of an old boat in need of refit and the shifts the Skipper is put to. Alex MacKenzie's portrayal of the Skipper and Paul Douglas's of the American superbly demonstrate their differing thought processes. His (Douglas's) total incomprehension at the machinations of MacKenzie is perfect.
Most people will probably be unaware that the incident of the boat stuck on the Subway is, I believe, based on Warnock's "Faithful" doing just that! Then there is the "Birthday Party", with, if you listen carefully, telegrams from all around the world, a delightful touch and a not uncommon occurrence. Truly " a graand fillum" of a quieter and gentler time.
Most people will probably be unaware that the incident of the boat stuck on the Subway is, I believe, based on Warnock's "Faithful" doing just that! Then there is the "Birthday Party", with, if you listen carefully, telegrams from all around the world, a delightful touch and a not uncommon occurrence. Truly " a graand fillum" of a quieter and gentler time.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
A wonderful Scottish film and my dads favorite film
One of the best ealing films, and possibly one of the least known the Maggie is a gem. My dad loves it and sometimes Jokes that if we ever had a boat we should call it the... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Carrie ann
A Right Little Charmer!
The Maggie. An underrated, gentle little comedy, the sort of which Ealing are associated with. The storyline packs quite a punch on American capitalism as a tycoon gets to believe... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Tim Kidner
PC or What?
Contrary to what one reviewer has implied, this wonderful film had to be in black and white, just like so many others which would have lost through being in colour. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Pelican
DVD
Bought this as a christmas gift-cannot ever remember seeing this but we are looking forward to watching it on a quiet night in-nothing on the tv-a glass of wine and some... Read more
Published 5 months ago by Christine Rigby
sound bottom
Unlike the eponymous "puffer", the "Maggie", this Ealing gem has a perfectly sound bottom. Something like a cross between Local Hero and The African Queen, it is better than both,... Read more
Published 9 months ago by W. Hamilton
Ah, for times past ...
Such delight, this story of a little Scottish Coaster chugging on its way. I first saw this years ago as a very young person and yearned for it for ages.
What a different era! Read more
What a different era! Read more
Published 19 months ago by Mrs. R. P. Meinke
Vintage Ealing comedy
To describe this film as a comedy is a simplification, as it is a drama containing anger and rage as well as comedy. Read more
Published on 20 May 2010 by Mr. Edward Sayers
An excellent film
I purchased this dvd and was not disappointed. On one of the old Clyde Puffers is the mainstay of the action. The film is very well put together of an era long past. Read more
Published on 26 Mar 2010 by Lampwicke
Vintage Comedy
This is a charming Ealing Studios comedy, sadly in black-and-white. Don't let that detract you from watching this inexpensive DVD however.
Published on 20 Mar 2010 by DWP
the maggie
a forgotten classic . like all ealing films good family movies with old fashioned morals and values
Published on 9 July 2009 by James Mcnair
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