WHISKY GALORE!
UK, 2016, 98 minutes, Colour.
Greg or Fisher, Eddie Izzard, Sean Biggerstaff, Kevin Guthrie, Naomi Battrick, Ellie Kendrick, Alan Cuthbert, Fenella Woolgar, Bryan Pettifer, Tim Pigott Smith, Annie Louise Ross, James Cosmo, John Sessions.
Directed by Gillies Mac Kinnon.
1949, Alexander Mackendrick made a classic adaptation of the popular novel by Compton Mackenzie who also contributed to the screenplay. It is high on the list of the best of British comedies.
This is a 21st-century replaying of the story, set in 1941, rations in Britain because of the war, home guard in England to be ready for a possible invasion by the Nazis.
The setting is the island of Toddy, far off the coast of Scotland, a small number of inhabitants but Scots who appreciate the national industry, whisky-making. But then woes, because of restrictions during the war, they run out of whisky. The citizens are bereft, woebegone, making sad comments about cups of tea!
We are introduced to a range of characters on the island, led by Gregor Fisher as the postman who narrates the story. He is a strong personality and engages the audience with his presence as well as his storytelling. And he has two daughters of marriageable age, one in love with the local school teacher who is dominated by his absolutely horrendous mother, the other a member of the Armed Forces now returning from active service in Africa.
As expected, there are many characters on the island, the doctor, patients, home guard types who provide comedy, the local clergyman (James Cosmo) who gives a thundering Church of Scotland sermon on the commandments. In fact, the Sabbath is important because there can be no activity at all on the island. Which provides tension because a ship goes aground carrying a cargo of whisky but, midnight at the end of the Sabbath, everybody goes out to rescue the whisky and hide it.
The problem is that there is one of those intensely regulation-bound captains defending the island with the home guard. His played with rigidity by Eddie Izzard. There are further complications with the home guard itself, overpowering the young man returned from Africa who had trained them and has to guide them how to tie him up so that they get on with the smuggling. Then there are the Customs and Excise people who search for the whisky and the Islanders giving them quite a merry chase.
Happy endings all round, a ceremony to announce the engagement of the two daughters and the young men, even the cantankerous mother coming to the dance and having a whisky!
Many will review the classic but here is an opportunity to see it portrayed effectively and colourfully (with memories of Dad’s Army).
1. The status of the original, classic British comedy
2. A 21st-century interpretation? Memories of World War II? The Celtic imagination, sense of humour?
3. The setting, the island, hills, roads, woods? Sea, beaches, caves? The town, the streets, the homes, the pub? The church? The atmosphere of the island? The musical score and Celtic tones?
4. The title, Scots and the production of whisky, love of whisky? The scenes of drinking in the pub, friendship, bonds? The proprietor and his running out of whisky, the rations? His later behaviour, selling the whisky, losing out with the smuggling, giving the information to the authorities? The jokes about the absence of whisky, wry comments, cups of tea…?
5. The ship, foundering on the rocks, the over-confidence of the captain, abandoning ship, the cargo of whisky? The information? The Sabbath, the strict Scottish observance, no activity whatsoever except church? People looking at the boat, thinking about the whisky? Midnight, the overcoming of Sergeant Odd (and his training them and having to guide them what to do), his being found by Waggett? The expedition to the ship, the unloading of the whisky, the return, the storage in the cave, distribution of the whisky?
6. The narrative by Macroon? His age, postmaster at 22, his two daughters, his observations? His work at the Post Office? Activity at the pub? His two daughters and their being in love, his not wanting them to leave? The war situation, Captain Waggett and the discussions? Odd and his returning home and his courting the daughter? George teaching at the school and his courting the daughter? Macroon in charge, listening to the phone calls, diverting the attention of the authorities, hearing about the box and the letters of the Windsors, his rescuing them, reading the letters, the deal with the man searching for the letters?
7. George, teaching at the school, dominated by his mother, her absolute severity, his courting the daughter, her demands, her living in the house with the mother? The Sabbath, his mother locking him in his room? Getting out the window to help with the whisky? Getting drunk, going home, defying his mother? Her going to the party, drinking, mellowing and dancing?
8. The various characters in the town, the doctor and his demand to go through the barriers, his patients and their illness, reviving with the whisky? The various members of the home guard and the comic touches? The Minister, drinking the altar wine from the Catholics, his severe sermon on the commandments, yet his involvement with the whisky? The banns for the wedding?
9. Captain Waggett, his strictness with interpretation of the rules, unrelenting, not imaginative, Odd giving him ideas? His confiding in his wife? Her tolerance, wisecracks? Playing pool? His getting into a mess, going to the authorities, suspicious about the whisky, getting the customs officials to come, the search and the ingenuity of the islanders in concealing the whisky? Finally held up by the bike riders? Phone calls, flag signals, the truck, out of petrol and putting in the whisky?
10. The ceremonial for announcing the marriages, the drinking, the dancing? The ceremonies?
11. The officials, the colonel and the phone call, not wanting Waggett’s officiousness?
12. The British poking fun at themselves, at authorities – but enjoying the whisky galore?
