[yasr_overall_rating]
Scottish islanders try to plunder cases of whisky from a stranded ship.
While I never saw the original 1949 Ealing comedy “Whisky Galore,” it’s hard to imagine it being that much different from this incarnation. The producers have stated that they stayed true to the overall ambiance and character of the original, which in and of itself, was actually based on a true story that happened during World War II. It is 1941 on the small Scottish Hebridean island of Todday and the locals spend all of their time in the one pub that inhabits the island. Due to wartime rationing, when their whisky runs out and with no sign of replenishment anytime soon, every day on the island is somber and gloomy, everyone acting like their best friend just died. Late one Saturday evening, the SS Politician runs aground on some rocks just off the island due to heavy fog. The small crew manages to escape safely but when some of the locals make their way out to help, they discover that the ship is loaded with over 24,000 cases of whisky.
Fate, it seems, is not without a sense of irony. Because the next day is Sunday, and the entire island observes the Sabbath, all they can do is watch the ship as it lays on the rocks, hoping it won’t make its way to the bottom of the ocean before they can salvage their alcohol. To make matters worse, Captain Wagget (Eddie Izzard), the stuffy English commander of the local Home Guard, a man who does everything by the book, places one of his men on watch and demands that nobody goes near the ship or else they will be arrested. Naturally, everyone agrees but they all have ulterior motives. With Wagget fast asleep in bed at the stroke of midnight, and with the Sabbath now officially over, the islanders make their way out to the ship and rescue its cargo. During the recovery, the ship begins to sink into the icy waters below but luckily for all involved, nobody is hurt. The next day, Wagget is informed by his man that he was tied up the night before while the islanders made their way to the ship and when he discovers their haul in the caves along the beach, he calls in Customs and Excise. Now the islanders must race against time as they try to outsmart Wagget with diversions so that they can hide their whisky and save face.
While the events of “Whisky Galore” materialize during World War II, because the island is so far removed from everything, it is only mentioned occasionally, to remind the viewer when this is taking place. With so many different characters throughout the story, the film successfully manages to allocate just enough screen time and character development so that each person is fleshed out, and given a purpose, rather than just appearing sporadically, nondescript faces in the background. Along with the story’s central plot, the movie deals with a multitude of diversified scenarios, including a single father with two eighteen-year-old daughters who want to get married and leave the island to see the world, a cantankerous, controlling mother whose only son, finally manages to build up the courage to tell her what he wants from life, plus many more, and they are all triumphantly interwoven together without ever becoming overly convoluted. At its core, the film sheds light on the importance of community and family, and that without them, we have nothing. The movie is joyous and high-spirited, led by wonderful performances by all involved, and some beautifully striking cinematography.
In theaters Friday, May 12th
