Film Snail

6.6

I'm All Right Jack

NR·1959·105m

Comedy

Summary

Naive Stanley Windrush returns from the war, his mind set on a successful career in business. Much to his own dismay, he soon finds he has to start from the bottom and work his way up, and also that the management as well as the trade union use him as a tool in their fight for power.

Cast

Peter Sellers

Fred Kite

Ian Carmichael

Stanley Windrush

Terry-Thomas

Major Hitchcock

Richard Attenborough

Sidney De Vere Cox

Dennis Price

Bertram Tracepurcel

Margaret Rutherford

Aunt Dolly

Irene Handl

Mrs. Kite

Liz Fraser

Cynthia Kite

Miles Malleson

Windrush Snr.

Marne Maitland

Mr. Mohammed

John Le Mesurier

Waters

Raymond Huntley

Magistrate

Victor Maddern

Knowles

Kenneth Griffith

Dai

Fred Griffiths

Charlie

Donal Donnelly

Perce Carter

Sam Kydd

Shop Steward

John Comer

Shop Steward

Tony Comer

Shop Steward

Cardew Robinson

Shop Steward

Bruce Wightman

Shop Steward

Bill Rayment

Shop Steward

Marianne Stone

TV Receptionist

Terry Scott

Crawley

Ronnie Stevens

Hooper

Martin Boddey

Num Yu's Executive

Brian Oulton

Appts. Board Examiner

Malcolm Muggeridge

TV Panel Chairman

John Glyn-Jones

Detto Executive

Pauline Winter

Miss Forsydke

Maurice Colbourne

Missiles Director

Jeremy White

Young Chemist

Robin Ray

Young Chemist

Michael Bates

Bootle

John Van Eyssen

Reporter

Robert Bruce

Reporter

Michael Ward

Reporter

Stringer Davis

Reporter

Tony Spear

Reporter

Arthur Skinner

Photographer

William Dexter

Photographer

Eynon Evans

Truscott

Esma Cannon

Spencer

Robert S. Young

Owens

Roy Purcell

Police Inspector

Marion Shaw

Tea Girl

Wally Patch

Workman

Alun Owen

TV Producer

Muriel Young

TV Announcer

Frank Phillips

TV Announcer

Ian Wilson

Evangelist

Margaret Lacey

Empire Loyalist

George Selway

Union Jack Workman

David Lodge

Card Player

Keith Smith

Card Player

Kenneth J. Warren

Card Player

Basil Dignam

Minister of Labour

Harry Locke

Trade Union Official

John Adams

Constable (uncredited)

Chris Adcock

Actor (uncredited)

Jack Armstrong

Man in Court (uncredited)

Joe Beckett

Trade Union Official (uncredited)

Jack Berg

Factory Worker (uncredited)

Nigel Bernard

Studio Floor Manager (uncredited)

Jim Brady

Missiles Worker (uncredited)

Fay Bura

Audience Member (uncredited)

Alf Casha

Man in Court (uncredited)

Jimmy Charters

Missiles Worker (uncredited)

E. V. H. Emmett

Narrator (voice) (uncredited)

Mabel Etherington

Empire Loyalist (uncredited)

Chick Fowles

Solicitor (uncredited)

Tex Fuller

Factory Worker (uncredited)

Bob Grant

Card Player (uncredited)

Hilda Green

Nudist (uncredited)

Dave Griffiths

Factory Worker (uncredited)

Victor Harrington

Reporter (uncredited)

George Hilsdon

Reporter (uncredited)

Lindsay Hooper

Downing Street Butler (uncredited)

Billy John

Factoy Worker (uncredited)

Gertrude Kaye

Empire Loyalist (uncredited)

Frederick Kelsey

Clerk of Court (uncredited)

Juba Kennerley

Empire Loyalist (uncredited)

Julie La Rousse

Tennis Player (uncredited)

Aileen Lewis

Reporter (uncredited)

John Leyton

Recruit to Detto (uncredited)

Dickey Luck

Factory Worker/Lorry Driver (uncredited)

Jack Mandeville

Solicitor (uncredited)

Vicky Marshall

Tea Girl (uncredited)

Colin McKenzie

Reporter (uncredited)

Jimmy Millar

Missiles Worker (uncredited)

Cecil Paul

Reporter (uncredited)

Geremy Phillips

Youth (uncredited)

Harry Phipps

Missiles Worker (uncredited)

Bob Raymond

Factory Worker (uncredited)

Ernie Rice

Missiles Worker (uncredited)

Johnny Rossi

Actor (uncredited)

Pat Ryan

Reporter (uncredited)

Jack Sharp

Official (uncredited)

Sheila Sim

Visitor (uncredited)

Stan Simmonds

Factory Worker (uncredited)

Tony Spears

Reporter (uncredited)

George Spence

Missiles Worker (uncredited)

Philip Stewart

Solicitor (uncredited)

Fred Stroud

Reporter (uncredited)

Joseph Tregonino

Empire Loyalist (uncredited)

Robert Vossler

Policeman (uncredited)

Billy Wilmot

Missiles Worker (uncredited)

Bob Wright

Reporter (uncredited)

Paula Wright

Nudist (uncredited)

Crew

Director, Screenplay

John Boulting

Author

Alan Hackney

Screenplay

Frank Harvey

Reviews

John Chard

November 23, 2018

Near masterpiece from the brilliant Boulting brothers.

I'm All Right Jack is directed and produced by John and Roy Boulting from a script by Frank Harvey, John Boulting and Alan Hackney. It's based on the novel Private Life by Hackney and is a sequel to the Boulting's 1956 film Private's Progress. Returning from the first film are Ian Carmichael, Dennis Price, Richard Attenborough, Terry-Thomas, Victor Madden & Miles Malleson. While Peter Sellers (BAFTA for Best Actor) and a ream of British comedy actors of the time make up the rest of the cast.

Looking to force a crooked deal, Bertram Tracepurcel (Price) and his cohort Sydney de Vere Cox (Attenborough) convince Major Hitchcock (Thomas), the personnel manager at the local missile factory, to hire Tracepurcel's nephew, Stanley Windrush (Carmichael), knowing full well that his earnest and wet behind the ears approach to work will cause fractions within the work force. Then it's expected that Bolshoi shop steward Fred Kite (Sellers) will call a strike that will see the crooked plan to fruition.

Between 1956 and 1963 the Boulting brothers produced a number of satirical movies, I'm All Right Jack is arguably the finest of the bunch. Given that it's now admittedly a dated time capsule, for some of the dialogue would simply be shot down in this day and age, one has to judge and value it for the time it was made. The first and most striking thing about the film is that nobody escapes the firing line, this is not merely a device to kick the trade unions with {and a kicking they do get}, but also the government, the media, big industries and the good old chestnut of the old school brigade. All are in the sights of the Boulting's and the team. The overriding message being that all of them are out for themselves, self-interest and feathering of ones nest is the order of the times.

Also winning a BAFTA was the screenplay, with that you still need the cast to do do it justice. Ian Carmichael was an undervalued performer in that he was an unselfish actor feeding set ups to his costars. That is never more evident than it is here where the likes of Margaret Rutherford, Irene Handl, John Le Mesurier, Liz Fraser & Victor Madden benefit greatly playing off of Carmichael's toff twit twittering. But it's Sellers movie all the way. Which considering he didn't want to do the movie originally, saying he couldn't see the role of Kite being funny, makes his turn all the more special. Studying for weeks labour leaders and politico types, Sellers, with suit too tight, cropped hair and a Hitler moustache, nails the pompous militancy of the shop steward leader. It doesn't stop there, couple it with the contrast of Kite's home life, where the Boulting's are slyly digging away at facades, and you get a two side of the coin performance that's a joy from start to finish.

Very much like Ealing's sharp 51 piece, The Man In The White Suit, this is cynical, but classy, British cinema across the board. Throwing punches and with cheek unbound, I'm All Right Jack has razor sharp teeth from which to take a bite of the comedy pie with. 9/10