Product Details

• Actors: Basil Radford, Joan Greenwood, Catherine Lacey, John Gregson, James Robertson Justice
• Format: Black & White, NTSC, Full Screen
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Studio: Nostalgia Home Video
• Run Time: 82 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000OV6OVE
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #46,363 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Droll British comedy deals with Scottish islanders during World War II who must cope without alcohol...until a shipload of whiskey is stranded just off their shores and a "rescue" run is planned. Basil Radford, Catherine Lacey, Joan Greenwood star. AKA: "Tight Little Island." 82 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Also known as "Tight Little Island", August 29, 2005

By 

microjoe - See all my reviews
(TOP 50 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Whisky Galore (DVD)

While "Whisky Galore!" was the original name of this film in England, it was retitled at the time for it's American release to "Tight Little Island" and you may know it by that name. It is by far is one of the best films to ever come from the British Ealing Studio. After WWII this studio created many comedies that are true gems to this day, and this is one of the best of the bunch. With a wonderful director and ensemble group of character actors, the film has a depth of personality that comes across from the script and the acting makes you feel as if you know these people, or you will wish you did.

The story is a simple one, allowing for comic genius by the actors themselves. It is set during WWII and a remote Scottish island is banned from any liquor shipments due to war rations. Over the long period of the "dry time" the residents are beginning to crave a drink, whiskey to be exact. It is not so much that they are big drinkers, its the old mental trick that we always want something when we are told we can't have it anymore. On the other hand there are those that want it more than others - so much so they even pray about it. After another dry evening of missing the good stuff, suddenly a ship crashes on their shores and spills out fifty thousand cases of the amber liquid like manna from heaven right in front of them. The residents can't help but want some of it but the government wants to swoop in and take it away, and search the entire island for any missing cases too. The islanders decide to sock some away for themselves and so the great cat and mouse game begins. The antics of the islanders as they go to great lengths to trick the government officials is brilliantly funny. All in all a very satisfying movie and for those that have seen this movie, it becomes something they will never forget. I highly recommend!

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amateur Dram Antics!, September 22, 2007

By 

David Lusher (London England) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Whisky Galore (DVD)

Actually, it's all very professional. A gentle comedy about some Scottish islanders who, after weeks without whisky, suddenly find that a ship laden with the stuff, has foundered in their waters. Needless to say, there is high jinks in rescuing (and secreting) the precious cargo on the island of Todday before the Customs, or the officious Captain of the Home Guard, can do anything about it. The casting is first-class, with loads of eccentric locals proving to be more than a match for the outsiders. There are nice sub-plots to savour too. Highly recommended!

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This film is a comedy classic, April 24, 2006

By 

M. C. Crammer (Decatur, GA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Whisky Galore (DVD)

If you like classic comedies (don't mind black and white, don't mind accents), then I highly recommend this movie. Set in the Hebrides (islands off the west coast of Scotland) during the Second World War, this film, based on a Compton Mackenzie novel, tells the story of the islanders' attempt to offload whisky off a wrecked ship before it sinks. They REALLY want the whisky because there's none on the island, due to rationing, and even when there is, it's expensive, so all the free whisky is very tempting. It is a longstanding tradition to take cargo off wrecked ships and keep it -- these are very poor people, after all, trying to earn a living fishing or raising sheep. There are a couple of problems, however -- one is an Englishman who takes it upon himself to protect the cargo, and the other is the Sabbath -- which the islanders respect so greatly they will not break even for whisky. Even in black and white, the island setting is beautiful, as is the music, the accents, etc. The humor stands up very well, particularly the characterization of the islanders (one very religious and stern older woman is very funny -- an old battleaxe, but thoroughly believable as she bullies her grown son and locks him in his room as punishment!)

The sound is not great, and the picture can be quite dark in the night scenes, but this is definitely a DVD worth owning.