29 reviews
Let right be done - a drama in early 20th century England
This film kept me in suspense not knowing what the outcome would be. The acting, period atmosphere and historical recreation are all outstanding. The Winslow Boy is directed by Anthony Asquith and has a stellar cast led by Cedric Hardwicke, Robert Donat, Margaret Leighton and others. The film evokes a period of time when honour, self-sacrifice and the heavy arm of authority ruled countries such as England in the name of the common good.
The setting is the Edwardian Era of early 20th century England and into this time and place, we find a youth who has been expelled from a naval academy for stealing. The family believes he is innocent and his recently-retired father, distant from his children, ageing and afflicted with arthritis, sees an opportunity to strike a blow for his youngest child against injustice. In jurisprudence, it is called let right be done.
In this heroic effort, Arthur Winslow the father, played by Cedric Hardwicke, is backed by the strong conviction of his daughter Kate (Margaret Leighton) and Sir Robert Morton who takes on the government of the day (Robert Donat).
Thirteen-year old Ronnie Winslow is expelled from his academy for theft. The evidence against him is real but the son is adamant that he is innocent. Arthur Winslow believes his son and takes the matter to his lawyer and eventually to the Cabinet. He is paid a visit by Robert Donat, as Sir Robert Morton, a Member of Parliament, who takes up the case.
One of the most hard-hitting scenes is a ruthless cross-examination. The boy maintains his innocence and the MP leaves their home convinced of the boy's innocence. The badgering is relentless and had me on the edge of my seat as Donat hurls one accusation after another at the boy, who does not bend during the ordeal.
Sir Robert takes a shine to Kate, Arthur Winslow's daughter, who is played by Margaret Leighton. She superbly performs the role and risks her engagement by pressing the MP to proceed with the case, which has now become a national sensation.
There is a dramatic showdown in the House of Commons and the First Lord of the Admiralty, egged on by Sir Robert, agrees to let the case go to court. The final outcome has added emotion as the senior Winslow, and Sir Robert are tired and ailing.
This is an excellent period piece as well as high drama with great acting by the leading players and those in supporting roles, particularly Kathleen Harrison, the housekeeper. The era is evoked with scenes taking place on golf courses and men's clubs where politicians discuss matters of state, not to mention the churches, concert halls and railway stations. The nation's affairs are dominated by the suffragettes and the Irish question. All-round great entertainment. Highly recommend.
The setting is the Edwardian Era of early 20th century England and into this time and place, we find a youth who has been expelled from a naval academy for stealing. The family believes he is innocent and his recently-retired father, distant from his children, ageing and afflicted with arthritis, sees an opportunity to strike a blow for his youngest child against injustice. In jurisprudence, it is called let right be done.
In this heroic effort, Arthur Winslow the father, played by Cedric Hardwicke, is backed by the strong conviction of his daughter Kate (Margaret Leighton) and Sir Robert Morton who takes on the government of the day (Robert Donat).
Thirteen-year old Ronnie Winslow is expelled from his academy for theft. The evidence against him is real but the son is adamant that he is innocent. Arthur Winslow believes his son and takes the matter to his lawyer and eventually to the Cabinet. He is paid a visit by Robert Donat, as Sir Robert Morton, a Member of Parliament, who takes up the case.
One of the most hard-hitting scenes is a ruthless cross-examination. The boy maintains his innocence and the MP leaves their home convinced of the boy's innocence. The badgering is relentless and had me on the edge of my seat as Donat hurls one accusation after another at the boy, who does not bend during the ordeal.
Sir Robert takes a shine to Kate, Arthur Winslow's daughter, who is played by Margaret Leighton. She superbly performs the role and risks her engagement by pressing the MP to proceed with the case, which has now become a national sensation.
There is a dramatic showdown in the House of Commons and the First Lord of the Admiralty, egged on by Sir Robert, agrees to let the case go to court. The final outcome has added emotion as the senior Winslow, and Sir Robert are tired and ailing.
This is an excellent period piece as well as high drama with great acting by the leading players and those in supporting roles, particularly Kathleen Harrison, the housekeeper. The era is evoked with scenes taking place on golf courses and men's clubs where politicians discuss matters of state, not to mention the churches, concert halls and railway stations. The nation's affairs are dominated by the suffragettes and the Irish question. All-round great entertainment. Highly recommend.
Best of British
Terence Rattigan, once the toast of London's West End, fell very much out of favor when a new generation of playwrights made his plays seem antiquated and irrelevant. It took David Mamet's excellent filming of the "Winslow Boy" to remind us, that at his best, Rattigan was an exceptionally fine dramatist. Having much enjoyed the movie, I was curious to see the 1948 version directed by Anthony Asquith, who worked on a number of occasions with Rattigan.
It's an exceptional film from all accounts. Asquith's adaptations of theater works for the screen are excellent. Without opening them out too extensively they manage to avoid being stage bound, (Pygmalion, Browning Version, Importance of Being Earnest).
Being already familiar with the storyline, I simply sat back and savored the wonderful performances, and what performances they are. Cedric Hardwicke as the father lacks the softness of Nigel Hawthorne's portrayal and yet that's what precisely makes it ultimately more moving. Robert Donat overflows with charisma and Margaret Leighton plays her very first screen appearance with much intelligence and total aplomb.
The best of British
It's an exceptional film from all accounts. Asquith's adaptations of theater works for the screen are excellent. Without opening them out too extensively they manage to avoid being stage bound, (Pygmalion, Browning Version, Importance of Being Earnest).
Being already familiar with the storyline, I simply sat back and savored the wonderful performances, and what performances they are. Cedric Hardwicke as the father lacks the softness of Nigel Hawthorne's portrayal and yet that's what precisely makes it ultimately more moving. Robert Donat overflows with charisma and Margaret Leighton plays her very first screen appearance with much intelligence and total aplomb.
The best of British
- grahamclarke
- Aug 13, 2006
- Permalink
An excellent film...based on a real life miscarriage of justice.
"The Winslow Boy" has an interesting pedigree. The story is based on a real case involving a young cadet who was dismissed from his school without any sort of trial or due process. It seems in the early part of the twentieth century in Britain, there was a petty theft and the boy was punished even though it was not clear he'd committed the crime. Not surprisingly, the boy's father insisted there was a miscarriage of justice...but what makes it interesting is that the case didn't drop there but made its way all the way up to sessions of Parliament....where the case was championed by an MP. Some time later, the playwright and screenwriter, Terrence Rattigan, resurrected the story and wrote a play about it...and changed the names in the process. Now, some time after the play, the story finally made its way to film and Rattigan teamed up with one of his favorite directors for this well made movie.
It certainly helps the story that two very distinguished English actors appeared in two of the leading roles, Robert Donat and Sir Cedric Hardwicke. Oddly, Donat was given top billing...even though he doesn't appear in the film until about the 40 minute mark! But both are mesmerizingly good...and the well crafted story really makes an impact on the viewer, as they, too, are outraged by the school's high-handed and unfair handling of the case...especially when the accused was a mere boy. Well worth your time.
It certainly helps the story that two very distinguished English actors appeared in two of the leading roles, Robert Donat and Sir Cedric Hardwicke. Oddly, Donat was given top billing...even though he doesn't appear in the film until about the 40 minute mark! But both are mesmerizingly good...and the well crafted story really makes an impact on the viewer, as they, too, are outraged by the school's high-handed and unfair handling of the case...especially when the accused was a mere boy. Well worth your time.
- planktonrules
- Jul 13, 2018
- Permalink
Let right be done!
This is my second favorite movie of all time, after A Man For All Seasons. Both are spectacular to me because they embrace, discuss, and analyze philosophies and ideals. Both are also spectacular because of once-in-a-lifetime leading man performances. Scofield, quite justly, won Best Actor of 1966. I think he his portrayal was the Best of the 20th Century -- but I digress.
Donat is equally eloquent, compelling, and vulnerable as Sir Robert Morton. Donat is, in my opinion, one of the best 10 actors ever, and has a screen presence, and an embedded sense of irony, few have ever equalled. Sir Cedric Hardwicke and Margaret Leighton are absolutely superb in their roles as well. And there is a marvelous dance hall cameo from Cyril Ritchard and Stanley Holloway.
The brittle exterior of Sir Robert belies a passionate and sensitive lover of the law. Many times actors have essayed crusty characters trying to hide their hearts of gold, this portrayal goes so infinitely beyond that it makes all others look like pale imitators.
This is a movie that demands to be seen. The recent remake with Northam and Pidgeon was surprisingly good, but this one is pure greatness.
Donat is equally eloquent, compelling, and vulnerable as Sir Robert Morton. Donat is, in my opinion, one of the best 10 actors ever, and has a screen presence, and an embedded sense of irony, few have ever equalled. Sir Cedric Hardwicke and Margaret Leighton are absolutely superb in their roles as well. And there is a marvelous dance hall cameo from Cyril Ritchard and Stanley Holloway.
The brittle exterior of Sir Robert belies a passionate and sensitive lover of the law. Many times actors have essayed crusty characters trying to hide their hearts of gold, this portrayal goes so infinitely beyond that it makes all others look like pale imitators.
This is a movie that demands to be seen. The recent remake with Northam and Pidgeon was surprisingly good, but this one is pure greatness.
- aromatic-2
- Jul 15, 2001
- Permalink
Enduring Greatness
This is one of the greatest movies I have ever seen, and since I turn 92 next month, I have seen a fair number of movies. Robert Donat, one of England's greatest actors ever, embodies the true-life soul of Sir Robert Morton, a high-powered attorney, who sacrificed his success for principle. Sir Cedric Hardwicke as magnificent as the accused boy's beleaguered father. Margaret Leighton's chemistry with Donat is flawless. The dialogue by Terrence Rattigan is equally classic. There are also wonderful small bits by Stanley Holloway, Cyril Ritchard, and Ernest Thesinger. If you wish to see a classic English film, almost unknown in this country, rent this one, and you are in for a treat.
Incidentally, there is also a 1998 version of this movie starring Jeremy Northam and Ian McKellen. Although it does not approach the greatness of the original, it is a more than satisfactory homage, and well worth seeing in its own right --- AFTER you've treated yourself to Donat's classic performance.
Incidentally, there is also a 1998 version of this movie starring Jeremy Northam and Ian McKellen. Although it does not approach the greatness of the original, it is a more than satisfactory homage, and well worth seeing in its own right --- AFTER you've treated yourself to Donat's classic performance.
- the_old_roman
- Aug 25, 2001
- Permalink
total class
I hadn't seen this but was aware of its starry remake some fifty years on; having now seen both, this is the better movie for several reasons. Firstly, three brilliant actors in the cast: Cedric Hardwicke, who still fools me every time and it is a surprise and joy to discover it was him after all when the credits roll; Robert Donat, who had another definitive role in this to add to Mr Chips; and the lovely Margaret Leighton, as the suffragette Winslow daughter who isn't at all militant. Secondly, the plot, which manages to weave quite a few threads along with the central story of little Ronnie Winslow and the stolen postal order. And lastly, because of the sparkle and energy of the script and the detail put into every frame. It's a wonderful film which keeps the attention from wandering, and I highly recommend it.
Classic Study of English Manners and Preoccupations
By comparison with today's more pacey films, Anthony Asquith's version of the Terence Rattigan classic might seem somewhat slow, with long shots focused on the protagonists' faces and frequent use of the shot/reverse shot technique. As a piece of character-focused drama, however, the film could not be bettered. Set just before the outbreak of World War I, the film concentrates on the trial of a thirteen-year- old boy (Neil North), wrongly accused of stealing a postal order. His father (Cedric Hardwicke) is determined to fight the case, and engages top prosecuting counsel Sir Robert Morton (Robert Donat) to plead the case. While the film works as a courtroom drama, its main focus is on characterization; those small facial gestures that appear to say so little but actually say a whole lot about the protagonists' preoccupations. The Winslow family are concerned to maintain their English sang-froid, but that becomes very difficult as the case wears on. Hardwicke is quite brilliant at showing how the case affects Mr. Winslow; his tired expression as the film unfolds is rapidly superseded by a small smile as he discovers the result and staggers outside to talk to the press. Initially Donat appears as something of a cold fish, but he admits to Winslow's daughter Kate (Margaret Leighton) by the end that this is a facade constructed purely for public consumption. The ending is quite unexpected for both of them. For lovers of British variety of the mid-twentieth century, the film contains the added bonus of two performances by Cyril Ritchard and Stanley Holloway.
- l_rawjalaurence
- Apr 21, 2014
- Permalink
A riveting fight for justice
After watching the Terence Rattigan DVD collection (with most of the adaptations being from the 70s and 80s) when staying with family friends last year, Rattigan very quickly became one of my favourite playwrights and he still is. His dialogue is so intelligent, witty and meaty, his characterisation so dynamic, complex and real and the storytelling so beautifully constructed.
'The Winslow Boy' is along with 'The Browning Version' and 'Separate Tables' one of Rattigan's best, containing all of the above and also showing his gift of giving his principal characters an emotional and psychological complexity in a real life situation (if not quite as much as 'The Browning Version'). Was even more blown away by this 1948 film than with the wonderful 1951 adaptation of 'The Browning Version', only because it doesn't have anything that rings false compared with 'The Browning Version's' contrived optimism at the end.
Not only is, again from personal opinion, this 1948 film is the definitive version of 'The Winslow Boy', though it also has the excellent 1976 BBC adaptation with Alan Badel and Eric Porter and the version with Jeremy Northam (which needs to be re-watched but remember it having a lot of good merits) to compete with, but it is also one of the best adaptations of any of Rattigan's plays.
Rattigan's involvement himself with the screenplay has a lot to do with it. It is an incredibly faithful adaptation to the play, practically unscarred and largely untouched, remarkable for a work so text-bound. Fidelity doesn't always come as a good thing when adapted, if too faithful the essence of the work can be lost, here it's the fidelity that makes 'The Winslow Boy' so impressive. Is it talky? Yes it is. That is not the fault of the film. The play is talky. Rattigan in general is talky, but the dialogue itself and the themes that Rattigan touches upon are so amazing that to me this is a rare case of talky not being a bad thing. Rattigan manages to maintain the essence exactly of his own work while also opening up the action and extending it, which immediately gives a more cinematic feel and immediately avoids the potential issue of being too stagy.
Anthony Asquith directs as assuredly as ever, never undermining the intricacies of the events and the complex character dynamic and sharpening up the legal and social dramas and Rattigan's class and hypocrisy insights. 'The Winslow Boy' is a beautiful looking film, lovingly shot with sumptuous settings and costuming.
From start to finish, even when dialogue heavy, the story is riveting, with a much tighter pace than the BBC version, and so much is told and done and in a way where one doesn't miss any of it. The highlight in the play has always been the interrogation scene between Morton and Ronnie, that's the case here in this film as well, some of the cleverest dialogue delivered with nail-biting tension and wit. The characterisation and character dynamic is spot on, where one feels sorry for the right people, amused by the right people, inspired by the right people and grow to hate the right people. The main conflict is so easy to root for (done with real intelligence and meat and one really wants justice done as much as the characters do), and Catherine sums up Morton perfectly in describing him as a cold fish that you grow to admire.
You need good acting to complement all this. The acting is more than good all round, especially Robert Donat whose Morton is even more unforgettable than Alan Badel's and a brilliant performance in its own right (one of his best). More than up to his level are a moving Cedric Hardwicke, a charming and witty Margaret Leighton and Neil North's relatable Ronnie. It was easy to sympathise too with Basil Radford and learn to dislike Frank Lawton in John's eventual treatment of Catherine later on. Wilfred Hyde White makes a distinguished appearance as well.
One expecting a climactic courtroom scene without knowing the play will be disappointed that one finds out the verdict a different way, but that's also how the play ends and it rings just as true this way.
In summary, fantastic film and just as great an example of Rattigan at his best. 10/10 Bethany Cox
'The Winslow Boy' is along with 'The Browning Version' and 'Separate Tables' one of Rattigan's best, containing all of the above and also showing his gift of giving his principal characters an emotional and psychological complexity in a real life situation (if not quite as much as 'The Browning Version'). Was even more blown away by this 1948 film than with the wonderful 1951 adaptation of 'The Browning Version', only because it doesn't have anything that rings false compared with 'The Browning Version's' contrived optimism at the end.
Not only is, again from personal opinion, this 1948 film is the definitive version of 'The Winslow Boy', though it also has the excellent 1976 BBC adaptation with Alan Badel and Eric Porter and the version with Jeremy Northam (which needs to be re-watched but remember it having a lot of good merits) to compete with, but it is also one of the best adaptations of any of Rattigan's plays.
Rattigan's involvement himself with the screenplay has a lot to do with it. It is an incredibly faithful adaptation to the play, practically unscarred and largely untouched, remarkable for a work so text-bound. Fidelity doesn't always come as a good thing when adapted, if too faithful the essence of the work can be lost, here it's the fidelity that makes 'The Winslow Boy' so impressive. Is it talky? Yes it is. That is not the fault of the film. The play is talky. Rattigan in general is talky, but the dialogue itself and the themes that Rattigan touches upon are so amazing that to me this is a rare case of talky not being a bad thing. Rattigan manages to maintain the essence exactly of his own work while also opening up the action and extending it, which immediately gives a more cinematic feel and immediately avoids the potential issue of being too stagy.
Anthony Asquith directs as assuredly as ever, never undermining the intricacies of the events and the complex character dynamic and sharpening up the legal and social dramas and Rattigan's class and hypocrisy insights. 'The Winslow Boy' is a beautiful looking film, lovingly shot with sumptuous settings and costuming.
From start to finish, even when dialogue heavy, the story is riveting, with a much tighter pace than the BBC version, and so much is told and done and in a way where one doesn't miss any of it. The highlight in the play has always been the interrogation scene between Morton and Ronnie, that's the case here in this film as well, some of the cleverest dialogue delivered with nail-biting tension and wit. The characterisation and character dynamic is spot on, where one feels sorry for the right people, amused by the right people, inspired by the right people and grow to hate the right people. The main conflict is so easy to root for (done with real intelligence and meat and one really wants justice done as much as the characters do), and Catherine sums up Morton perfectly in describing him as a cold fish that you grow to admire.
You need good acting to complement all this. The acting is more than good all round, especially Robert Donat whose Morton is even more unforgettable than Alan Badel's and a brilliant performance in its own right (one of his best). More than up to his level are a moving Cedric Hardwicke, a charming and witty Margaret Leighton and Neil North's relatable Ronnie. It was easy to sympathise too with Basil Radford and learn to dislike Frank Lawton in John's eventual treatment of Catherine later on. Wilfred Hyde White makes a distinguished appearance as well.
One expecting a climactic courtroom scene without knowing the play will be disappointed that one finds out the verdict a different way, but that's also how the play ends and it rings just as true this way.
In summary, fantastic film and just as great an example of Rattigan at his best. 10/10 Bethany Cox
- TheLittleSongbird
- Aug 6, 2017
- Permalink
Intelligent people doing what's right
Getting Justice for a Young Boy - in the days of the Bunny Hop
- theowinthrop
- Jan 1, 2008
- Permalink
Winslow Yes. No, Don't Know
It's interesting that this Anthony Asquith directed movie is set in a Britain placed very securely in the era where and when his own father H H Asquith was the actual Prime Minister of the country, being in the early years of the Edwardian era just before the outbreak of the First World War. Indeed, although Asquith Sr isn't personally represented in the film, his government, which also included notables like Lloyd George and Winston Churchill features significantly in the action as the drama unfolds.
Adapted by the then celebrated playwright Terence Rattigan from his own successful stage play, the movie is an examination of the British legal process, class system and perhaps most of all the British sense of fair play, free speech and the right to a fair trial under the Magna Carta.
All hell breaks loose when a teenage boy, the youngest son of a respectable middle-class, middle-aged, just-retired bank manager, is expelled from the Naval Academy for the theft and encashment of a postal order owned by another student. Rather than accept the official navy line condemning his son, the father chooses to believe his son's denial of his alleged crime and hires the country's top defence lawyer (and Opposition M. P.) to act for his son in a court case against the Admiralty which is sticking by its original expulsion of the boy.
I have lately been enjoying other Asquith / Rattigan collaborations but this one I didn't think was as successful as others I've seen. The play's the thing, the Bard once said but while I appreciated the various character studies and underlying premise of the film, I was disappointed with the final outcome of the film. With the Winslow case attracting nationwide attention even at a time of impending war and major social reforms, the scene is apparently set for a cliff-hanging courtroom climax, which is then meekly sidestepped with the crucial verdict being delivered off-camera. Then to compound the matter still further, there's the rather silly implication of a future romantic involvement between the cold fish defence counsel and the older daughter of the Winslow household who has just been dumped by her weathervane fiancé, whose father won't brook the shame of the associated scandal. We're also never told the truth of exactly what did happen as regards the forged postal order which caused all the fuss in the first place.
Which is a shame because it was all percolating along nicely up until that point, bolstered by fine performances by Robert Donat as the boy's defender in court, Margaret Leighton as the suffragetist daughter and especially Cedric Hardwicke as the stubborn father determined to believe and stand by his scapegoat son.
There have since been brought to light many other well-documented miscarriages of justice in British legal history which rather undermines this particular story proclaiming the "let right be done" credo. For me, however, it seemed a pity that the dramatic tension effectively built up throughout the bulk of the movie was rather dissipated by a poorly conceived resolution in the end.
Adapted by the then celebrated playwright Terence Rattigan from his own successful stage play, the movie is an examination of the British legal process, class system and perhaps most of all the British sense of fair play, free speech and the right to a fair trial under the Magna Carta.
All hell breaks loose when a teenage boy, the youngest son of a respectable middle-class, middle-aged, just-retired bank manager, is expelled from the Naval Academy for the theft and encashment of a postal order owned by another student. Rather than accept the official navy line condemning his son, the father chooses to believe his son's denial of his alleged crime and hires the country's top defence lawyer (and Opposition M. P.) to act for his son in a court case against the Admiralty which is sticking by its original expulsion of the boy.
I have lately been enjoying other Asquith / Rattigan collaborations but this one I didn't think was as successful as others I've seen. The play's the thing, the Bard once said but while I appreciated the various character studies and underlying premise of the film, I was disappointed with the final outcome of the film. With the Winslow case attracting nationwide attention even at a time of impending war and major social reforms, the scene is apparently set for a cliff-hanging courtroom climax, which is then meekly sidestepped with the crucial verdict being delivered off-camera. Then to compound the matter still further, there's the rather silly implication of a future romantic involvement between the cold fish defence counsel and the older daughter of the Winslow household who has just been dumped by her weathervane fiancé, whose father won't brook the shame of the associated scandal. We're also never told the truth of exactly what did happen as regards the forged postal order which caused all the fuss in the first place.
Which is a shame because it was all percolating along nicely up until that point, bolstered by fine performances by Robert Donat as the boy's defender in court, Margaret Leighton as the suffragetist daughter and especially Cedric Hardwicke as the stubborn father determined to believe and stand by his scapegoat son.
There have since been brought to light many other well-documented miscarriages of justice in British legal history which rather undermines this particular story proclaiming the "let right be done" credo. For me, however, it seemed a pity that the dramatic tension effectively built up throughout the bulk of the movie was rather dissipated by a poorly conceived resolution in the end.
Superior to 1999 Remake in Every Way!
With all due respect to David Mamet, this is THE definitive version of this story. Based on an excellent stage drama by Terence Rattigan - itself based on an actual, (now) obscure British trial from a century ago - the film is unfortunately unavailable on DVD in the United States at this time. Watch for it to occasionally turn up on TCM, however. I agree with the rave review left by "the old roman" - it's worth staying up for. BTW, Robert Donat (of "The 39 Steps" fame) easily steals the film as the barrister Sir Robert Morton. After watching his performance, it's easy to see why he won the Best Actor Oscar in 1939 (for "Goodbye Mr. Chips") against such stiff competition as Clark Gable ("Gone With The Wind"), James Stewart ("Mr. Smith Goes To Washington") and Laurence Olivier ("Wuthering Heights")!
- fontanelli61
- Jun 11, 2009
- Permalink
The Winslow Boy
This is a super ensemble "david and Goliath" style story. When young "Ronnie" returns home having been expelled from the Naval Academy, accused of forgery, his father is quickly convinced of the young man's integrity and innocence. This is not just a proud father's belligerence, but a determination on behalf of this upstanding and principled man "Arthur" (Sir Cedric Hardwicke) to see his son gets justice. To that end, he alights on the renowned barrister and parliamentarian "Sir Robert Morton" (Robert Donat) to raise the issue in Parliament - it was not possible to seek ordinary legal redress for the lad as it would have meant effectively suing the King which was a big taboo! What now ensues is a well delivered story of right and wrong, of sacrifice and of love. Donat features sparingly really, but when he appears his delicate charm and subtle means of engaging with the camera speak volumes that, coupled with Rattigan's own adaptation of his play and with a solid cast including the always reliable Kathleen Harrison, Basil Bradford and Margaret Leighton create a potent look at just how effective the little man can be, when given the right impetus and a proper champion. It's not devoid of humour, either - usually at the hands of the gramophone-wielding, rather foppish "Dickie" (Jack Watling) who is happily wasting £200 a year at university with all the academic acumen of a toadstool. Just shy of two hours, it really does motor along well and though the ending is maybe a little bit rushed, it's provides an interesting character study of a family life that must adapt and even struggle to do what is right. Well worth a watch.
- CinemaSerf
- Sep 23, 2022
- Permalink
Much ado about petty theft...hardly worth the good cast assembled...
Frankly, I was bored by the tiresome plot about an upper class British boy who is accused of petty theft (five shillings) and "sacked" from school, much to the annoyance of his stern father (SIR CEDRIC HARDWICKE). It was a letdown. I was expecting too much after first reading the comments on this film. The smallness of the theft and the social class distinctions that were obviously meant to be pointed out with a sub-plot involving Hardwicke's daughter, were not sufficiently engrossing for me to care about the outcome.
ROBERT DONAT doesn't even enter the film until the first forty-five minutes and then his character behaves rather oddly and seems cold and distant. Donat, by the way, was already beginning to show faint signs of the illness that he suffered all his life--the asthma that gave his voice a nasal tone seemed to be affecting his health long before he made his last film.
MARGARET LEIGHTON is the chief bright spot in the tale and FRANK LAWTON is effective as her not so wealthy suitor. NEIL NORTH is excellent as the Winslow boy at the center of the story--but it's a long-winded, talky tale taken from a stage play by Terence Rattigan and could easily have been trimmed for the movie version.
The ending is somewhat disappointing in that we don't see the Donat's actual triumph at trial. Instead, the British maid, overwrought with emotion, comes tearfully into the living room with news of the verdict and gushes for five minutes about all the happenings before we close with an ending that suggests Donat may have an interest in seeing Leighton again. This implication was the only clever touch in the screenplay's rather limp ending.
Sorry, this very British melodrama was not my cup of tea. Director Anthony Asquith seemed to have a feel for courtroom dramas. WILFRID HYDE-WHITE has a brief moment, an actor later used in the director's 1959 version of another British courtroom drama, LIBEL. But his skill as a director was sorely tested by this material.
ROBERT DONAT doesn't even enter the film until the first forty-five minutes and then his character behaves rather oddly and seems cold and distant. Donat, by the way, was already beginning to show faint signs of the illness that he suffered all his life--the asthma that gave his voice a nasal tone seemed to be affecting his health long before he made his last film.
MARGARET LEIGHTON is the chief bright spot in the tale and FRANK LAWTON is effective as her not so wealthy suitor. NEIL NORTH is excellent as the Winslow boy at the center of the story--but it's a long-winded, talky tale taken from a stage play by Terence Rattigan and could easily have been trimmed for the movie version.
The ending is somewhat disappointing in that we don't see the Donat's actual triumph at trial. Instead, the British maid, overwrought with emotion, comes tearfully into the living room with news of the verdict and gushes for five minutes about all the happenings before we close with an ending that suggests Donat may have an interest in seeing Leighton again. This implication was the only clever touch in the screenplay's rather limp ending.
Sorry, this very British melodrama was not my cup of tea. Director Anthony Asquith seemed to have a feel for courtroom dramas. WILFRID HYDE-WHITE has a brief moment, an actor later used in the director's 1959 version of another British courtroom drama, LIBEL. But his skill as a director was sorely tested by this material.
All This For Five Shillings
This film adaption of Terrence Rattigan's play The Winslow Boy is highlighted by Robert Donat's performance of celebrated English barrister, Sir Robert Morton. It's one of Donat's best performances although he's more Donat that Edward Carson on whom the character is actually based.
If you want to see a more accurate portrayal of Carson and by name than the Oscar Wilde film starring Peter Finch is what you have to look at. In that one James Mason plays Carson who was by all accounts one mean man to cross, but a brilliant advocate. In that film Carson is appearing for the prosecution and he's relentless.
In his own elegant way Donat is relentless also, but he's also one cold blooded fish. As he plays Morton, the part is perfect for one of Donat's antiseptic portrayals.
The story concerns young Ronald Winslow played by Neil North who is expelled from the Naval Academy for the theft of a postal money order of five shillings. I'm sure even back in the Edwardian days this would go down as a petty theft, but it involves the military, His Majesty's military which does not make mistakes as we know.
Half the film is devoted to just letting young Mr. North have his day in court. This isn't America, he has to get permission from the government just to be allowed to defend himself. That is something that North's father Cedric Hardwicke is determined to see he gets.
It costs the Winslow family considerable. Older brother Jack Watling is not allowed to finish Oxford, sister Margaret Leighton's fiancé Frank Lawton breaks up with her because of the notoriety and Hardwicke's health goes down hill.
The Winslow Boy is based on a true incident from back in the beginning of the last century and it has good performances all around. Cyril Ritchard and Stanley Holloway do a couple of music hall numbers to capture the spirit of the time and are welcome indeed.
Still The Winslow Boy is Robert Donat's show and a good show it is.
If you want to see a more accurate portrayal of Carson and by name than the Oscar Wilde film starring Peter Finch is what you have to look at. In that one James Mason plays Carson who was by all accounts one mean man to cross, but a brilliant advocate. In that film Carson is appearing for the prosecution and he's relentless.
In his own elegant way Donat is relentless also, but he's also one cold blooded fish. As he plays Morton, the part is perfect for one of Donat's antiseptic portrayals.
The story concerns young Ronald Winslow played by Neil North who is expelled from the Naval Academy for the theft of a postal money order of five shillings. I'm sure even back in the Edwardian days this would go down as a petty theft, but it involves the military, His Majesty's military which does not make mistakes as we know.
Half the film is devoted to just letting young Mr. North have his day in court. This isn't America, he has to get permission from the government just to be allowed to defend himself. That is something that North's father Cedric Hardwicke is determined to see he gets.
It costs the Winslow family considerable. Older brother Jack Watling is not allowed to finish Oxford, sister Margaret Leighton's fiancé Frank Lawton breaks up with her because of the notoriety and Hardwicke's health goes down hill.
The Winslow Boy is based on a true incident from back in the beginning of the last century and it has good performances all around. Cyril Ritchard and Stanley Holloway do a couple of music hall numbers to capture the spirit of the time and are welcome indeed.
Still The Winslow Boy is Robert Donat's show and a good show it is.
- bkoganbing
- Jan 1, 2008
- Permalink
Noble, principled, but still dramatic and exiting!
the better version
- WinterMaiden
- Jan 25, 2007
- Permalink
A great, great movie
The film is based on a true episode, the Archer-Shee case. Sir Robert Morton in real life was Sir Edward Carson, an Irish Tory politician and brilliantly histrionic lawyer who successfully defended the boy, who was the half-brother of a fellow MP. Carson later married a much younger woman, though not the boy's sister. The Winslow Boy himself was killed during the First World War.
- Cambridge UK
- Apr 9, 2002
- Permalink
Very good version of the play that does well with both social and legal drama
Arthur Winslow is the head of a respectable London family; however this threatens to change when his young son is expelled from military school for stealing a postal order worth 5 shillings. Winslow risks his wealth and his family to pursue justice for his son. However when the military court of appeal rejects him he has to appeal to the highest court in the land through MP Sir Morton.
Having seen a recent version of this play I was curious to see another and was glad when I spotted it coming onto television. The play itself is pretty stagy and because of this it doesn't suffer from being dated the 1948 production values are easily the equal of the 1998 version. The film here differs from the recent version in that it has much more of the legal wrangling onscreen and not off. This makes the film much better as it encompasses both the social battle of the Winslow's and the legal one.
Both are involving and gripping but I must admit that I wasn't as caught up in the social drama as much as I wanted to be, because I felt that any family who's main worry in life was that there son had been excluded from school needn't worry about much! The fact that the Winslow's were able to get the ear of an MP just made it more difficult for me to get into few people live in such high circles (even if they work in a bank!).
The cast are good. Hardwicke is good as Winslow but the real star of the piece is Donat as Sir Morton. He is very stiff but also has layers that he reveals as he goes as well as carrying the weight of the legal thrills. The majority of the cast are good in roles of varying sizes and no-one does a noticeably bad job. Some are slight stereotypes but not to the film's detriment.
Overall this is a very good film and is better than the modern version. It mixes drama with wit and romance to good effect and puts the legal drama and the social drama on the same level rather than letting one suffer to the other. It had the potential to feel slow but the drama keeps it interesting throughout.
Having seen a recent version of this play I was curious to see another and was glad when I spotted it coming onto television. The play itself is pretty stagy and because of this it doesn't suffer from being dated the 1948 production values are easily the equal of the 1998 version. The film here differs from the recent version in that it has much more of the legal wrangling onscreen and not off. This makes the film much better as it encompasses both the social battle of the Winslow's and the legal one.
Both are involving and gripping but I must admit that I wasn't as caught up in the social drama as much as I wanted to be, because I felt that any family who's main worry in life was that there son had been excluded from school needn't worry about much! The fact that the Winslow's were able to get the ear of an MP just made it more difficult for me to get into few people live in such high circles (even if they work in a bank!).
The cast are good. Hardwicke is good as Winslow but the real star of the piece is Donat as Sir Morton. He is very stiff but also has layers that he reveals as he goes as well as carrying the weight of the legal thrills. The majority of the cast are good in roles of varying sizes and no-one does a noticeably bad job. Some are slight stereotypes but not to the film's detriment.
Overall this is a very good film and is better than the modern version. It mixes drama with wit and romance to good effect and puts the legal drama and the social drama on the same level rather than letting one suffer to the other. It had the potential to feel slow but the drama keeps it interesting throughout.
- bob the moo
- Feb 20, 2003
- Permalink
A truly great film
- jdhb-768-61234
- Jul 14, 2018
- Permalink
A great human rights film with wit and superb cast
Compelling family drama
In pre-WWI Edwardian England, Ronnie Winslow is expelled from the Osborne Naval College for stealing a 5 shilling postal order from a fellow cadet. It's a blow to the father who believes in Ronnie after he claims to be innocent. The father wants a proper trial and the family takes the case all the way to the House of Commons where it becomes a cause celeb and a case of constitutional law.
Adapted from the Terence Rattigan play based on a true story, it is a very compelling story. It's a thrilling drama despite its old fashion nature. That's because the characters are so well drawn, and the nature of the drama is so human. It is about what is right and wrong. It is also a tale of David versus Goliath. The acting is quite natural. The only disappointment is that the trial is somewhat anti-climatic. The House of Commons debate is where the story climaxes. However that can't be helped by the movie.
Adapted from the Terence Rattigan play based on a true story, it is a very compelling story. It's a thrilling drama despite its old fashion nature. That's because the characters are so well drawn, and the nature of the drama is so human. It is about what is right and wrong. It is also a tale of David versus Goliath. The acting is quite natural. The only disappointment is that the trial is somewhat anti-climatic. The House of Commons debate is where the story climaxes. However that can't be helped by the movie.
- SnoopyStyle
- Apr 19, 2014
- Permalink
Mother's always right.
It's time for some more Robert Donut, starring here in The Winslow Boy. Expectations are high, this comes highly recommended by many, not least my Mum. To be perfectly honest, it's hard not to like films like this, it smacks of pleasantness, oh but there's a dark side. A proper one, this is a serious tale. Everyone is terribly well spoken, prim and well off. There are expectations. Expectations that young Ronnie Winslow (Neil North) doesn't live up to. He's accused of stealing at his authoritative Naval School. He swears he's innocent though and with his retired banker father (Cedric Hardwicke), well it's war! To be honest it's more of scandal at first, but one born of principle. Bloody hell they've got me talking like them. Enter Mr Donut as Sir Robert Morton "The greatest barrister in the country". Also a bit snooty. Ah but you see that's what makes him so wonderful. In a world of order, everything in its place, speak when you're spoken to, Morton is the maverick and Donut is magnetic. Winslow and his boy take the Navy to court. They want a fair hearing, they want to clear Ronnie's name, they want justice. It comes at a price though, one that upsets the dynamics of the Winslow family. Choices have to be made. Reputation over comfort. For all the flowery details of the day, it deals with some pretty heavy topics. Not least the ability to sue the Navy and by association the King "a dangerous precedent to set". What could tear a family apart though only serves to galvanise. All this gives the story real heft, but make no mistake, it's all window dressing for Donut to effortlessly take the reigns and shine. He's magnificent, be it in the humblest of scenes or in parliament, not to mention the courtroom itself. For all the heat on the Winslow Boy. The Winslow Girl, Catherine (Margaret Leighton) deserves as much of the spotlight. Leighton gives Donut a real run for his money in the star stakes. If their final scene together doesn't fill your heart with joy, there's little hope for you. This is a fantastic film, proving that old saying... Mother's always right.
- garethcrook
- Nov 9, 2020
- Permalink
Classic Writing and Filmmaking - The Winslow Boy: Best Film of 1948
The writing in this film is superb. Seldom do you get depth from more than one character in a film. This film has at least four characters that shine in great depth. There is the father, the daughter, the big-time lawyer, and the boyfriend of the daughter; all given ample opportunity to display their deepest emotions in a world-class script about a boy unjustly accused of a petty crime, There are many parallels in this Edwardian-era film to the struggles of black families who have children unjustly accused of petty crimes as well. Guilty until proven innocent seems to be a recurring theme. Emma Thompson is an incredible talent who dominates every scene she is in. This is one of the best films of the forties; and in my opinion FAR better than the academy award winner for that year - Hamlet. This was actually the best film of 1948.
- arthur_tafero
- Feb 4, 2021
- Permalink
The movie augments the stage play brilliantly!
- JohnHowardReid
- Dec 12, 2017
- Permalink