Author Topic: ealing films  (Read 7653 times)

pupscout

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ealing films
« on: December 21, 2007, 02:01:57 AM »
my school recently showed a series of ealing films, and i remembered you recommending some of them to kids during the netflix rearranging segment. i had to work every tuesday, though, so i missed all of them except the lavender hill mob. it was one of the funniest movies i've seen, so i was wondering if you had any suggestions on where to go from there, or maybe if you would just talk about ealing a little bit.
thanks,
hannah

Sarah

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Re: ealing films
« Reply #1 on: December 21, 2007, 08:04:36 AM »
Just watch everything Alec Guinness is in.  You'll be glad you did.

Chris L

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Re: ealing films
« Reply #2 on: December 21, 2007, 08:59:24 AM »
Just watch everything Alec Guinness is in.  You'll be glad you did.

Except Star Wars.

Sarah

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Re: ealing films
« Reply #3 on: December 21, 2007, 10:21:14 AM »
Every Ealing movie, that is.

pupscout

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Re: ealing films
« Reply #4 on: December 21, 2007, 08:21:33 PM »
i've checked out kind hearts and coronets, but i was also wondering about movies like whiskey galore and the non-guiness ealing films. lavender hill mob definitely convinced me i would like to watch all the guiness ealing films, although after kind hearts i'm not sure which ones to pursue.

Sarah

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Re: ealing films
« Reply #5 on: December 21, 2007, 08:48:46 PM »
Whisky Galore (aka Tight Little Island, I believe) is likable.  A Run for Your Money had charm (but then I'm a sucker for a Welsh accent).  Passport to Pimlico is very nice.  But it's the Guinness films that really shine; watch them all and be happy.  (It's not an Ealing comedy, but I'm also partial to the bittersweet The Last Holiday; I cannot imagine the travesty that the Queen Latifah remake must be.)

If you want to go beyond the comedies, check out Dead of Night and, if you have a romantic bent, The Captive Heart.

And you might also want to branch out to the Boulting Brothers:  I'm All Right, Jack (a young Peter Sellers, Ian Carmichael, Terry-Thomas), Lucky Jim (Ian Carmichael again, and one of the few movies my father has sat through and enjoyed more than once), etc.

I envy you watching all these for the first time.  You have larks ahead of you (which reminds me:  you can also catch Guinness in David Lean's Great Expectations, a lovely film indeed; for that matter, he's Fagin in Lean's Oliver Twist.  And speaking of Lean, you really shouldn't miss Blithe Spirit, in which Margaret Rutherford does a star turn as a very hearty medium.  Boy, I do love me some British film, don't I?).

P.S.  Michael Powell!!!

pupscout

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Re: ealing films
« Reply #6 on: December 21, 2007, 09:54:29 PM »

I've only seen two of Michael Powell's films, but they were both fantastic. I am excited to get started on all of these films, thank you Sarah!

Jason

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Re: ealing films
« Reply #7 on: December 29, 2007, 07:39:47 PM »
Whisky Galore (aka Tight Little Island





Or the remake, Heroin Galore.
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Sarah

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Re: ealing films
« Reply #8 on: December 29, 2007, 07:45:49 PM »
I love how they re-created so faithfully the soft, slightly fuzzy black-and-white of the original.  And that Gordon Jackson is in it.

The heroin reminds me of the cocaine in Rare Birds, which is also salvaged from the sea.  Or what is called "sea hash" around here: bales of hashish dumped overboard that have on occasion washed ashore here or on Campobello across the channel.

Andy

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Re: ealing films
« Reply #9 on: December 29, 2007, 10:09:40 PM »
what is an "ealing film"?
Breakfast- I'm havin' a time
Wheelies- I'm havin' a time
Headlocks- I'm havin' a time
Drunk Tank- not so much a time
George St.- I'm havin' a time
Brenda- I'm havin' a time
Bingo- I'm havin' a time
House Arrest- I'm still havin' a time

Sarah

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Re: ealing films
« Reply #10 on: December 30, 2007, 12:17:01 AM »
Don't know if you're serious.  Just in case you are, here's a link to the Wiki entry on the subject.

Tom Scharpling

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Re: ealing films
« Reply #11 on: December 30, 2007, 12:58:06 AM »
Sarah's got this thread locked down tight. I'll second almost everything she said - Whiskey Galore is fun but not the most important thing to see. You're better off looking for anything Alec Guinness, then slide over to some Terry-Thomas.

Tom.

Andy

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Re: ealing films
« Reply #12 on: December 30, 2007, 01:39:47 AM »
I thought it was going to be films about fishing for eels.
Breakfast- I'm havin' a time
Wheelies- I'm havin' a time
Headlocks- I'm havin' a time
Drunk Tank- not so much a time
George St.- I'm havin' a time
Brenda- I'm havin' a time
Bingo- I'm havin' a time
House Arrest- I'm still havin' a time

Sarah

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Re: ealing films
« Reply #13 on: December 30, 2007, 09:28:00 AM »
I thought of telling you that, Andy, and then decided against it.  Ealing comedy is serious business, after all.

Tom, I've been feeling bad for answering pupscout's question, given that it was addressed to you.  It's a subject I care about so I got carried away.  I'm glad my presumption didn't offend.

samir

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Re: ealing films
« Reply #14 on: December 30, 2007, 07:54:34 PM »
As a north Londoner, I fully endorse the Ealing comedy.

In addition to those mentioned, Ladykillers is worth a look-see, too.
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