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Halliwell's Film Guide
Highly enjoyable..performances and period settings are excellent.
Product Description
United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital 2.0 ), SPECIAL FEATURES: Black & White, Interactive Menu, Scene Access, SYNOPSIS: Story of middle-class father's battle with the Admiralty to establish his son's innocence when the latter is expelled from a boys naval boarding school for stealing a postal order, taking things as far as the High Court. SCREENED/AWARDED AT: BAFTA Awards, ...The Winslow Boy (1948)
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34 of 34 people found the following review helpful
Format:VHS Tape
Based on arguably Rattigan's most powerful play, The Winslow Boy is an example of post-war British film making at its best. Scripted loosely on a true story, it tells of a father's struggle to clear his son's name in the face of institutional adversity. Young Ronnie Winslow is accused of stealing a postal order at Naval College and is summarily expelled as a result. Willing to accept his son's word over all others, Arthur Winslow (Cedric Hardwicke) sacrifices all and engages Sir Robert Morton (Robert Donat), the foremost lawyer in the land, to fight his case.
Donat turns in a superb performance as the debonair lawyer - the scene in which Morton confronts young Ronnie Winslow is simply heart stopping - and the viewer is drawn into the struggle between the Winslow family in their fight against the system.
The film works on many levels, not least the way this traditional British family is torn apart by the emotional and financial pressure of fighting a seemingly impossible case but also revealing the courage in the pursuit of truth and honour.
Comparisons will naturally be made with the recent remake. (1999 directed by David Mamet). But the original is a far more satisfying experience, capturing the period more accurately and having the huge advantage of Mr Donat performing at his brilliant best. A must-see.
32 of 33 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
At last I can consign my well worn VHS tape of Anthony Asquith's peerless adaptation of Rattigan's play to the dustbin.
A 12 year old naval cadet(Alex North) is ran out of naval college for supposedly stealing a postal order.His kindly but belligerent father(Cedric Hardwicke)is sure his son is innocent and he puts the reputation of his family name and potential financial ruin to challenge the establishment and prove it.He engages a formidable but expensive barrister(Robert Donat)to make the case much to the consternation of his headstrong daughter(Margaret Leighton)who believes Donat to be in it only for the attendant publicity the case will afford him.
Brilliantly brought to the screen by Anthony Asquith,this is the ultimate feelgood movie disguised as social commentary of the times.Hardwicke and the lovely Leighton are first rate but it is Donat's film and the scene where he "cross examines"the boy is both electrifying and incredibly touching.Donat's final line in this scene brings a tear to my eye and a lump to my throat every time(and i've seen it about 20 times now).
One of the best british films ever made starring the best film and theatre actor this country has ever produced - the charming but sadly racked by insecurity Robert Donat.
Now let's have a release of Donat's 1934 The Count Of Monte Cristo
A 12 year old naval cadet(Alex North) is ran out of naval college for supposedly stealing a postal order.His kindly but belligerent father(Cedric Hardwicke)is sure his son is innocent and he puts the reputation of his family name and potential financial ruin to challenge the establishment and prove it.He engages a formidable but expensive barrister(Robert Donat)to make the case much to the consternation of his headstrong daughter(Margaret Leighton)who believes Donat to be in it only for the attendant publicity the case will afford him.
Brilliantly brought to the screen by Anthony Asquith,this is the ultimate feelgood movie disguised as social commentary of the times.Hardwicke and the lovely Leighton are first rate but it is Donat's film and the scene where he "cross examines"the boy is both electrifying and incredibly touching.Donat's final line in this scene brings a tear to my eye and a lump to my throat every time(and i've seen it about 20 times now).
One of the best british films ever made starring the best film and theatre actor this country has ever produced - the charming but sadly racked by insecurity Robert Donat.
Now let's have a release of Donat's 1934 The Count Of Monte Cristo
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:VHS Tape
This is a marvelously acted English drama, typical of the genre for its time, but superior in its casting. Based upon the play by Terrence Rattigan, the film takes place in England during the early part of the twentieth century, before the advent of World War I. A thirteen year old Naval cadet is expelled for stealing a postal order. He claims he did not do it, despite seeming evidence to the contrary. His upstanding family stands behind him and supports him. After going to the Naval academy from which he was expelled, where their entreaties fall upon deaf ears, they decide to take the unprecedented step of suing the Crown.
The family retains the services of the well respected barrister, Sir Robert Morton, cooly played with dash by the ever wonderful Robert Donat, who agrees to represent the boy. The case becomes a cause celebre all over England, and Sir Morton's client becomes known as that Winslow boy, a notoriety that shakes the boy's very proper family to its core. While the case wends its way through the British legal system, tension between the boy's intelligent, bluestocking sister and his barrister bubbles to the surface, and the sparks begin to fly.
The old time English courtroom scenes that follow will satisfy all legal beagles and lovers of courtroom drama. The resolution of the suit is somewhat predictable, but enhanced by the delicious wit of the dialogue and the wonderful performances by the entire cast. The movie ends on a note of romantic hope, as it does not lament what might have been between the barrister and the boy's sister, but, instead, augers what is surely to come.
All in all, this is a terrific movie with a stellar cast.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
old time classic
dated film past its\sell by date itokay for the wife & kids but not to my persoal taste as\said think its dated past it sell by date
Published 15 days ago by his royal higness
As Perfect as it can get in filmed plays
I think that it has all been said. I probably watched this film many decades ago on television but I don't remember. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Michael W. Ablett
Top Drawer
Outstanding british motion picture, a classic masterclass in quality acting. This DVD contains arguably our two finest actors in Robert Donat and Sir Cedric Hardwicke. Read more
Published 11 months ago by Abel Magwitch
Great performance, good film
Interesting drama of boy accused of stealing at his Naval school.
First his father, and then a famous lawyer fight for to clear his name. Read more
First his father, and then a famous lawyer fight for to clear his name. Read more
Published 12 months ago by K. Gordon
Best of the bunch
There are at least three excellent versions of this film that I have seen. The key scenes from each are readily available on YouTube and I decided this was the best... Read more
Published 14 months ago by Decuman
A real story
A very lovely and true story.
My parents where getting engaged after seeing this movie on 16 januari 1948 in the Alhambra Cinema in Amsterdam and my dad later became a... Read more
My parents where getting engaged after seeing this movie on 16 januari 1948 in the Alhambra Cinema in Amsterdam and my dad later became a... Read more
Published 14 months ago by Jan Berend Dusink
Outstanding Cast In Legendary Performance
I will try to keep this brief, since there is so much to analyze and praise in a review of this movie. First, this is by far the best version of Rattigan's play. Read more
Published 15 months ago by Shakespeare
compelling viewing
Virtually every film that Robert Donat appeared in was worth watching, and this is certainly no exception. The story is gripping, and the action evolves logically. Read more
Published 24 months ago by R. D. Beckett
Classic Film
Wonderful to enjoy again this classic movie from my childhood days. The acting is superb and, whilst the story might seem a little dated to some, I am sure many others will... Read more
Published on 31 Mar 2010 by William Atherton
Great "forgotten" film
A big THANK YOU to Optimum for giving us again the chance to own a rare and forgotten gemm on DVD in great quality. Read more
Published on 5 Mar 2010 by M. Bijlsma
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