The Man in the White Suit

(1951)

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

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Photograph from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (9) featuring Alec Guinness as Sidney Stratton
Sidney Stratton
A new picture of the talented and lovely British actress Joan Greenwood under contract to the J. Arthur Rank Organisation.
Daphne Birnley
British actor Cecil Parker wears a suit, tie and pocket square
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
Photo of Dry Rot (1956) (1) featuring 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)

Film clips

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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.

The Man in the White Suit (1951) Opening Credits

Date published

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.

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

Long Chain Molecule

Date published

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

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

I Hate This Town

Date published

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

News

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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

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

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

Merchandise

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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 [2012]

Date posted
Price: £13.00
Buy The Man in the White Suit from Amazon.co.uk
The Man in the White Suit DVD from aling Studios, 2006

The Man in the White Suit DVD [2006]

Date posted
Price: £7.59
Buy The Man in the White Suit from Amazon.co.uk

Pictures

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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
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)
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)
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)
Italian poster for The Man in the White Suit (1951) (1)
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 DVD from aling Studios, 2006
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)
Photograph from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (8)
Main title from The Man in the White Suit (1951)
Photograph from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (7)
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.
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)
Lobby card from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (2)
DVD cover of The Man in the White Suit (1951) (3)
Polish poster for The Man in the White Suit (1951) (1)
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
Spanish poster for The Man in the White Suit (1951) (1)
Mexican lobby card from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (4)
Mexican lobby card from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (3)
Mexican lobby card from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (2)
Mexican lobby card from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (1)
French poster for The Man in the White Suit (1951) (2)
French poster for The Man in the White Suit (1951) (1)
Argentine poster for The Man in the White Suit (1951) (1)
Poster for The Man in the White Suit (1951) (3)
Photograph from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (4)
Video cover from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (1)
Photograph from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (3)
Photograph from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (2)
Poster for The Man in the White Suit (1951) (2)
DVD cover of The Man in the White Suit (1951) (1)
Poster for The Man in the White Suit (1951) (1)
Photograph from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (1)
Photograph from The Man in the White Suit (1951)
Video cover from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (6)
Video cover from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (5)
Italian lobby card from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (2)
Italian lobby card from The Man in the White Suit (1951) (1)

Production

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Alexander Mackendrick
Director
Michael Balcon
Producer
Roger MacDougall
Writer (play)

Companies

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Ealing Studios
Production company
General Film Distributors (GFD)
Distribution company