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Filmed at Barra in the outer Hebrides, Whisky Galore was based upon a true incident, the foundering of a cargo ship off the Isle Of Eriskay with 50,000 cases of Scotch aboard. The Scottish islanders of Todday by-pass war time rationing and delight in smuggling cases of their favourite tipple from the wrecked ship. Basil Radford stars as the teetotal English official, who is totally unable to comprehend the significance of whisky to the islanders. Marvellously detailed and well played, it firmly established the richest Ealing vein with the common theme of a small group triumphing over a more powerful opponent.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
25 of 25 people found the following review helpful
Format:Blu-ray|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is one of my favourite British comedies and it has received a very good transfer considering its age. The sound track is a bit crackly so the subtitles really are a great help. The extensive extras should have been a fantastic bonus but they are not subtitled and unless one has a good ear for the local accents they are very hard to follow. The memories of Angus Campbell are virtually unintelligable and really should have been subtitled as they might just as well have been in the Gaelic! Another problem is HUGE variations in volume between different speakers in the extras which require constant cuts and boosts in the volume level. This is a serious fault and should have been dealt with during the disc mastering. Have your mute button handy when the main menu reappears as the volume soars by some 20 decibles! A pity as it could have been so much better if these faults had been put right. The film itself however is excellent.
20 of 20 people found the following review helpful
Format:VHS Tape
A great film that perfectly depicts the way of life even today in the Hebrides.A cargo of whisky sinking into the sea,but not before the locals get their share first.
A classic scene is Duncan MacRae swallowing all the evidence before the exciseman enters his house.
Brilliant scenery, great acting and a brilliant music score.
On a lighter note,get a few friends round,watch the film together,and every time the cast have a dram you have one with them.
By the end of the film you think you're in Todday with them!!!
A classic scene is Duncan MacRae swallowing all the evidence before the exciseman enters his house.
Brilliant scenery, great acting and a brilliant music score.
On a lighter note,get a few friends round,watch the film together,and every time the cast have a dram you have one with them.
By the end of the film you think you're in Todday with them!!!
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:VHS Tape
"Whisky Galore" is a Highland Classic. It is an ageless film which will forever please lovers of the Scottish island life and culture. Based upon the real-life sinking of the SS Politician, off the Isle of Eriskay during the second World War, it is a hilarious drink-filled romp through the culture of the Western Isles. The dour and staid Captain Waggett is outwitted at every stage by the quick-witted islanders of Todday, who will try everything to get their hands on the precious cargo of uisge-beatha...'the water of life'... as rare as gold-dust during the wartime rationing. Except of course on the Sabbath, when all attempts to retrieve the whisky are postponed by the spiritual needs of the people.
A Scottish classic, with epic performances from Basil Rathbone and Gordon Jackson particularly, this all-time classic film even has some Gaelic language in it; making it a favourite of both Gael and non-Gael.
If you haven't seen it, watch it...as soon as you can!...
23 of 25 people found the following review helpful
By Chris White
Format:Blu-ray|Amazon Verified Purchase
Optimum has come up trumps again with another fine restoration of an Ealing classic on Blu-ray.
It's 1943 and wartime has taken its toll on the Scottish island of Todday. For the locals, a life without a wee dram is one bereft of meaning. Therefore a nearby stricken ship with a full cargo of whisky is manna from heaven. Against the efforts of the local Home Guard captain, who is assigned to ensure its safety, the wily residents believe that the liquor is theirs for the taking.
The monochrome picture on this Blu-ray has been meticulously restored. Thankfully, the scratch line problem that bedevilled The Lavender Hill Mob hasn't affected it. For the most part the image is blemish-free, although greyscale flicker and stabilisation issues are occasionally apparent. It is however a small price to pay for a presentation this good on a film so old.
As with the other Optimum Ealing releases, the soundtrack has been remastered in PCM 2.0 mono (and it's tested to its limits by James Robertson Justice, whose booming tones would make Brian Blessed feel a pang of envy).
There are substantial bonus features, including an audio commentary, a 50-minute documentary and a half-hour interview with Hilary Mackendrick, wife of director Alexander - this being his first feature.
Whisky Galore! was part of a hat-trick for Ealing in 1949, the others being Passport to Pimlico and Kind Hearts and Coronets.... Read more ›
It's 1943 and wartime has taken its toll on the Scottish island of Todday. For the locals, a life without a wee dram is one bereft of meaning. Therefore a nearby stricken ship with a full cargo of whisky is manna from heaven. Against the efforts of the local Home Guard captain, who is assigned to ensure its safety, the wily residents believe that the liquor is theirs for the taking.
The monochrome picture on this Blu-ray has been meticulously restored. Thankfully, the scratch line problem that bedevilled The Lavender Hill Mob hasn't affected it. For the most part the image is blemish-free, although greyscale flicker and stabilisation issues are occasionally apparent. It is however a small price to pay for a presentation this good on a film so old.
As with the other Optimum Ealing releases, the soundtrack has been remastered in PCM 2.0 mono (and it's tested to its limits by James Robertson Justice, whose booming tones would make Brian Blessed feel a pang of envy).
There are substantial bonus features, including an audio commentary, a 50-minute documentary and a half-hour interview with Hilary Mackendrick, wife of director Alexander - this being his first feature.
Whisky Galore! was part of a hat-trick for Ealing in 1949, the others being Passport to Pimlico and Kind Hearts and Coronets.... Read more ›
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
By Misty
Format:DVD
Whisky Galore! What a fabuluous rainy Saturday afternoon film! It's gentle, old-fashioned entertainment at its very best - they just don't make 'em like this any more :)
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
It's been a long time since I last saw this film. Despite being in B&W it still is well told tale of a small Scotish island village who had been bereft of their water of life (whisky) for some time when a ship is wreckecked close to shore with a cargo of whisky aboard. The film tells what the villagers got up to to obtain this precious fluid while a self important none Scot along with the Excise Officers try to prevent them. A good laugh which has been retold many times in many forms. I certainly recomend it not only for a piee of cinimatic history but also for for the enjoyable tale.
15 of 17 people found the following review helpful
By D. M. Farmbrough
VINE™ VOICE
Format:VHS Tape
Well it's my favourite type of film, and it's so good even people who don't like quaint British comedies like it!
This is a prime example of Ealing Studios' success in showing the character and spirit of the British people, on this occasion the focus is on the Scots during war time. It might be argued that the Scottish people here are caricatures, but given the fact that director Mackendrick, writer Mackenzie, and the majority of the cast are also Scots this is more defensible, after all, we can't get in trouble for laughing at ourselves, can we?
The substantial amount of location work done on the Isle Of Barra shows the beauty of the land, and the skill of the director and cameramen. The script is tight (sorry!), witty, and with just enough pathos. The character of Captain Waggett is surely the prototype for Captain Mainwaring in Dad's Army, and if you look closer, other influences become apparent too.
If only all films were made this way...
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brilliant
A well loved oldie by the whole family and this retored edition was expertly done! a good story about a boat shipwrecked whilst full of whisky iand in a time where whisky was... Read more
Published 20 days ago by Mr W Harrison
3.0 out of 5 stars
whisky sitill galore!
having seen this when it came out in the cinemaat about the age of six. I was enthralled by all the now famous faces in it. well done Ealing.
Published 21 days ago by MikeMc
5.0 out of 5 stars
Classic!!
Been a while since we saw this movie but was worth the wait to see it again, well recommended to anyone who likes classics
Published 1 month ago by mr merrick
4.0 out of 5 stars
Not bad
Having obtained a new digital tv with built in dvd it seemd a good idea to buy this dvd and "Whisky Galore" is one of my old time favorites. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Mr C
5.0 out of 5 stars
exelent
good comedy that i have liked since i watched first time it is greate to watch again and again thanks
Published 5 months ago by James Poulton
4.0 out of 5 stars
Amusing little film
We both enjoyed the film and were interested to watch the extra interviews. Nice to see Gordon Jackson as a very young man - a good actor even then. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Patricia Geary
5.0 out of 5 stars
Whisky Galore re-mastered DVD
Lovingly restored, better than I thought might have been possible given the age of this film, and the gentle humour is as appealing today as it was all those years ago. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Mike
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fantastic
Thus item is exactly what I wanted my dad will be very happy as its for his Xmas pressy thanks
Published 6 months ago by L. Hill
5.0 out of 5 stars
A real treasure of a film
Thoroughly enjoyed it .A real old tale put together in a nostalgic and pleasing way.We have watched this film many times.
Published 6 months ago by elizabeth tucker
4.0 out of 5 stars
Whisky Galore
This film was bought for my father at his request (the good old days according to him) I'm too young to comment
Published 6 months ago by Clare Buckley
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