Whisky Galore!

1949 1h 22m EN

👍

6.8

SOLID

★6.8TMDB · 156

ComedyCrime

Synopsis

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Scottish islanders try to plunder 50,000 cases of whisky from a stranded ship.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Basil Radford
Captain Paul Waggett
Bruce Seton
Sergeant Odd
Gordon Jackson
George Campbell
Wylie Watson
Joseph Macroon
Morland Graham
The Biffer
John Gregson
Sammy MacCodrun
Joan Greenwood
Peggy Macroon
Gabrielle Blunt
Catriona Macroon

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Alexander Mackendrick
Writers: Angus MacPhail, Compton MacKenzie
Languages: English, Gaelic
Countries: United Kingdom

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

82 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

77 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 2 languages: English, Gaelic.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Directed by Alexander Mackendrick, shot by Gerald Gibbs. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Ernest Irving. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Joseph Sterling shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Basil Radford and Bruce Seton and Gordon Jackson carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0042040 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Alexander Mackendrick directs. Gerald Gibbs behind the camera. Ernest Irving scores. Joseph Sterling cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United Kingdom. Dialogue in English, Gaelic.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

182 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
277 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
3Dialogue crosses 2 languages: English, Gaelic.
4Directed by Alexander Mackendrick, shot by Gerald Gibbs. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Ernest Irving. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Joseph Sterling shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Basil Radford and Bruce Seton and Gordon Jackson carry the top of the cast.
8IMDB entry: tt0042040 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Classified under 11 themes, including "island", "based on novel or book", "scotland", "shipwreck".

The technical file

Cinematography: Gerald Gibbs
Original score: Ernest Irving
Editing: Joseph Sterling
Runtime: 82 min · 1h 22m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Original language: EN
IMDB: Whisky Galore! (1949)

Also by

Alexander Mackendrick

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Community reviews

What people are saying

CinemaSerf2022-03-27
★ 8/10
Based on a real incident some 8 years earlier, this film tells the story of a whisky-starved Scottish island that gets the windfall to end all windfalls - a ship carrying an enormous cargo of Scotch runs aground. The islanders are determined to salvage whatever they can, despite the best efforts of the local Home Guard Captain (an Englishman - Basil Radford) and the Excise men. This is a gentle little comedy that pulls together an experienced comic cast in a joyous and entertaining way. This was filmed on the island of Barra in the Outer Hebrides and the scenery lends much to the charm of this film.

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