Silver Sirens
Productions
The Man in the White Suit (1951)

The Man in the White Suit

| Film | 1951 | United Kingdom | B&W | Comedy, Drama | 1h 25min |

Stars: Alec Guinness, Joan Greenwood, Cecil Parker | Director: Alexander Mackendrick

A scientist produces a fabric that never gets dirty and never wears out. Unions and management are equally aghast

The most satirical of Ealing’s comedies, played as a farce and put together with meticulous cinematic counterpoint. Alec Guinness, by now the most ubiquitous of Ealing faces, plays a would be research chemist who invents a fabric which will never soil or wear out. Before the threatened unions and business owners can destroy his formula a flaw is revealed - the fabric disintegrates! One of the highlights is Joan Greenwood’s rapt response to Guinness’ scientific jargon - an enchanting piece of screen comedy and surely a contributor to the Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay.

The strange noises made by the laboratory apparatus were produced for the sound track by a tuba and a bassoon.

Guinness is Back…Working Wonders With Wile, Whimsey and Wit!

Cast (25)

Alec Guinness: Sidney Stratton

Joan Greenwood: Daphne Birnley

Cecil Parker: Alan Birnley

Vida Hope: Bertha

Michael Gough: Michael Corland

Ernest Thesiger: Sir John Kierlaw

Howard Marion-Crawford: Cranford

Henry Mollison: Hoskins

Patric Doonan: Frank

Duncan Lamont: Harry

Joan Harben: Miss Johnson

Arthur Howard: Roberts

Colin Gordon: Hill

Roddy Hughes: Green

Harold Goodwin: Wilkins

Stuart Latham: Harrison

Miles Malleson: The Tailor

Edie Martin: Mrs Watson

Mandy Miller: Gladdie

Charlotte Mitchell: Mill Girl

Olaf Olsen: Knudsen

Desmond Roberts: Mannering

Ewan Roberts: Fotheringay

John Rudling: Wilson

Charles Saynor: Pete

+ Show full cast (15 more)

News (2)

Poster from from Man in the White Suit musical (2019) featuring Stephen Mangan as Sidney Stratton and Kara Tointon as Daphne Birnley. Written and directed by Sean Foley (1)

The Man in the White Suit musical to open in September 2019

Date posted

30^th August, 2019

Stephen Mangan stars as the eponymous Sidney Stratton in a new stage musical of the 1951 film, The Man in the White Suit.

Poster for Six of the Best, a season of Ealing Comedies at UGC cinemas

Ealing Studios’ 100th anniversary celebrations

Date posted

10^th August, 2002

Popular Ealing films screened and a DVD boxset released to celebrate 100 years of Ealing Studios.

Buy on Blu-ray and DVD

The Man in the White Suit Blu-ray [2012]

Front cover of The Man in the White Suit Blu-ray featuring Alec Guinness. Part of the Vintage Classics series from Studio Canal.

Released:
19th November, 2012
Price: £13.00

The Man in the White Suit DVD [2006]

The Man in the White Suit DVD from aling Studios, 2006

Released:
13th November, 2006
Price: £7.59

Film clips

The Man in the White Suit (1951) opening credits (1m 28s)

Main title from The Man in the White Suit (1951). A scientist produces a fabric that never gets dirty and never wears out. Unions and management are equally aghast.

Long chain molecule (1m 03s)

Daphne chides her father for his actions towards Sidney with a barrage of scientific jargon

I hate this town (55s)

Joan Greenwood and Alec Guinness in a film clip from The Man in the White Suit

Director

Alexander Mackendrick

Producer

Michael Balcon

Writer

Roger MacDougall (play)

Production company

Ealing Studios

Pictures (48)

Main title from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (10) featuring Alec Guinness as Sidney Stratton and Cecil Parker as Alan Birnley — The Man in the White Suit (1951) photograph (10) | Guinness, Parker

Main title from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (10) featuring Alec Guinness as Sidney Stratton and Cecil Parker as Alan Birnley.

Photograph from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (9) featuring Alec Guinness as Sidney Stratton — The Man in the White Suit (1951) photograph (9) | Alec Guinness

Photograph from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (9) featuring Alec Guinness as Sidney Stratton.

Front cover of The Man in the White Suit Blu-ray featuring Alec Guinness. Part of the Vintage Classics series from Studio Canal. — The Man in the White Suit Blu-ray from Studio Canal

Front cover of The Man in the White Suit Blu-ray featuring Alec Guinness. Part of the Vintage Classics series from Studio Canal.

Joan Greenwood (as Daphne Birnley) looks pensive in a photograph from The Man in the White Suit (1951) — Joan Greenwood looks pensive in The Man in the White Suit (1951)

Joan Greenwood (as Daphne Birnley) looks pensive in a photograph from The Man in the White Suit (1951).

Scottish-American director Alexander Mackendrick (1912-1993) drills actors Joan Greenwood and Michael
Gough for the next scene, during production of ’The Man in the White Suit’ at Ealing Studios — The Man in the White Suit (1951) screenshot (3)

Scottish-American director Alexander Mackendrick (1912-1993) drills actors Joan Greenwood and Michael Gough for the next scene, during production of ’The Man in the White Suit’ at Ealing Studios.

Lobby card from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (5) — The Man in the White Suit (1951) lobby card (5)

Lobby card from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (5).

Alec Guinness (as Sidney Stratton) in a Belgian video cover from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (1) — The Man in the White Suit (1951) Belgian video cover (1) | Alec Guinness

Alec Guinness (as Sidney Stratton) in a Belgian video cover from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (1).

Chinese DVD cover of The Man in the White Suit (1951) (1) — The Man in the White Suit (1951) Chinese DVD cover (1)

Chinese DVD cover of The Man in the White Suit (1951) (1).

Italian poster for The Man in the White Suit (1951) (1) — The Man in the White Suit (1951) Italian poster (1)

Italian poster for The Man in the White Suit (1951) (1).

Video cover from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (3) — The Man in the White Suit (1951) video cover (3)

Video cover from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (3).

Alec Guinness (as Sidney Stratton) in a video cover from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (4) — The Man in the White Suit (1951) video cover (4) | Alec Guinness

Alec Guinness (as Sidney Stratton) in a video cover from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (4).

The Man in the White Suit DVD from aling Studios, 2006 — The Man in the White Suit (1951) DVD cover (Ealing Studios, 2006)

The Man in the White Suit DVD from aling Studios, 2006.

French DVD cover of The Man in the White Suit (1951) (1) — The Man in the White Suit (1951) French DVD cover (1)

French DVD cover of The Man in the White Suit (1951) (1).

Joan Greenwood (as Daphne Birnley) in a photograph from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (8) — The Man in the White Suit (1951) photograph (8) | Joan Greenwood

Joan Greenwood (as Daphne Birnley) in a photograph from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (8).

Photograph from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (8) — The Man in the White Suit (1951) photograph (8)

Photograph from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (8).

Main title from The Man in the White Suit (1951) — The Man in the White Suit (1951) opening credits

Main title from The Man in the White Suit (1951).

Photograph from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (7) — The Man in the White Suit (1951) photograph (7)

Photograph from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (7).

Photograph from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (6) — The Man in the White Suit (1951) photograph (6)

Photograph from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (6).

Film Complet magazine with Joan Greenwood in The Man in the White Suit. 4th July, 1950, issue number 381. (French). L’homme au complet blanc. — Film Complet magazine – Joan Greenwood – July 1950

Film Complet magazine with Joan Greenwood in The Man in the White Suit. 4th July, 1950, issue number 381. (French). L’homme au complet blanc.

Joan Greenwood (as Daphne Birnley) in a photograph from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (4) — The Man in the White Suit (1951) photograph (4) | Joan Greenwood

Joan Greenwood (as Daphne Birnley) in a photograph from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (4).

Lobby card from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (4) — The Man in the White Suit (1951) lobby card (4)

Lobby card from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (4).

Lobby card from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (2) — The Man in the White Suit (1951) lobby card (2)

Lobby card from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (2).

DVD cover of The Man in the White Suit (1951) (3) — The Man in the White Suit (1951) DVD cover (3)

DVD cover of The Man in the White Suit (1951) (3).

Polish poster for The Man in the White Suit (1951) (1) — The Man in the White Suit (1951) Polish poster (1)

Polish poster for The Man in the White Suit (1951) (1).

Lobby card from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (3) — The Man in the White Suit (1951) lobby card (3)

Lobby card from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (3).

Poster for Six of the Best, a season of Ealing Comedies at UGC cinemas — Six of the Best poster, UGC Cinemas 2002

Poster for Six of the Best, a season of Ealing Comedies at UGC cinemas.

Spanish poster for The Man in the White Suit (1951) (1) — The Man in the White Suit (1951) Spanish poster (1)

Spanish poster for The Man in the White Suit (1951) (1).

Mexican lobby card from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (4) — The Man in the White Suit (1951) Mexican lobby card (4)

Mexican lobby card from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (4).

Mexican lobby card from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (3) — The Man in the White Suit (1951) Mexican lobby card (3)

Mexican lobby card from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (3).

Mexican lobby card from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (2) — The Man in the White Suit (1951) Mexican lobby card (2)

Mexican lobby card from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (2).

Mexican lobby card from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (1) — The Man in the White Suit (1951) Mexican lobby card (1)

Mexican lobby card from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (1).

French poster for The Man in the White Suit (1951) (2) — The Man in the White Suit (1951) French poster (2)

French poster for The Man in the White Suit (1951) (2).

French poster for The Man in the White Suit (1951) (1) — The Man in the White Suit (1951) French poster (1)

French poster for The Man in the White Suit (1951) (1).

Argentine poster for The Man in the White Suit (1951) (1) — The Man in the White Suit (1951) Argentine poster (1)

Argentine poster for The Man in the White Suit (1951) (1).

Poster for The Man in the White Suit (1951) (3) — The Man in the White Suit (1951) poster (3)

Poster for The Man in the White Suit (1951) (3).

Photograph from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (4) — The Man in the White Suit (1951) photograph (4)

Photograph from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (4).

Video cover from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (1) — The Man in the White Suit (1951) video cover (1)

Video cover from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (1).

Photograph from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (3) — The Man in the White Suit (1951) photograph (3)

Photograph from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (3).

Photograph from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (2) — The Man in the White Suit (1951) photograph (2)

Photograph from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (2).

Poster for The Man in the White Suit (1951) (2) — The Man in the White Suit (1951) poster (2)

Poster for The Man in the White Suit (1951) (2).

DVD cover of The Man in the White Suit (1951) (1) — The Man in the White Suit (1951) DVD cover (1)

DVD cover of The Man in the White Suit (1951) (1).

Poster for The Man in the White Suit (1951) (1) — The Man in the White Suit (1951) poster (1)

Poster for The Man in the White Suit (1951) (1).

Photograph from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (1) — The Man in the White Suit (1951) photograph (1)

Photograph from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (1).

Photograph from The Man in the White Suit (1951) — The Man in the White Suit (1951) photograph

Photograph from The Man in the White Suit (1951).

Video cover from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (6) — The Man in the White Suit (1951) video cover (6)

Video cover from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (6).

Video cover from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (5) — The Man in the White Suit (1951) video cover (5)

Video cover from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (5).

Italian lobby card from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (2) — The Man in the White Suit (1951) Italian lobby card (2)

Italian lobby card from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (2).

Italian lobby card from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (1) — The Man in the White Suit (1951) Italian lobby card (1)

Italian lobby card from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (1).