Comedy

I'm All Right Jack

- Three of England's Top Comedians...One Big Laugh Riot!

Naive Stanley Windrush returns from the war, his mind set on a successful career in business. Much to his own dismay, he soon finds he has to start from the bottom and work his way up, and also that the management as well as the trade union use him as a tool in their fight for power.

Release Date : 1959-08-18

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Charter Film Productions

Production Country : United Kingdom

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : Fred Kite

Original Name : Peter Sellers

Gender : Male

Character Name : Stanley Windrush

Original Name : Ian Carmichael

Gender : Male

Character Name : Major Hitchcock

Original Name : Terry-Thomas

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sidney De Vere Cox

Original Name : Richard Attenborough

Gender : Male

Character Name : Bertram Tracepurcel

Original Name : Dennis Price

Gender : Male

Character Name : Aunt Dolly

Original Name : Margaret Rutherford

Gender : Female

Character Name : Mrs. Kite

Original Name : Irene Handl

Gender : Female

Character Name : Cynthia Kite

Original Name : Liz Fraser

Gender : Female

Character Name : Windrush Snr.

Original Name : Miles Malleson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mr. Mohammed

Original Name : Marne Maitland

Gender : Male

Character Name : Waters

Original Name : John Le Mesurier

Gender : Male

Character Name : Magistrate

Original Name : Raymond Huntley

Gender : Male

Character Name : Knowles

Original Name : Victor Maddern

Gender : Male

Character Name : Dai

Original Name : Kenneth Griffith

Gender : Male

Character Name : Charlie

Original Name : Fred Griffiths

Gender : Male

Character Name : Perce Carter

Original Name : Donal Donnelly

Gender : Male

Character Name : Shop Steward

Original Name : Sam Kydd

Gender : Male

Character Name : Shop Steward

Original Name : John Comer

Gender : Male

Character Name : Shop Steward

Original Name : Tony Comer

Gender : Male

Character Name : Shop Steward

Original Name : Cardew Robinson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Shop Steward

Original Name : Bruce Wightman

Gender : Male

Character Name : Shop Steward

Original Name : Bill Rayment

Gender : Male

Character Name : TV Receptionist

Original Name : Marianne Stone

Gender : Female

Character Name : Crawley

Original Name : Terry Scott

Gender : Male

Character Name : Hooper

Original Name : Ronnie Stevens

Gender : Male

Character Name : Num Yu's Executive

Original Name : Martin Boddey

Gender : Male

Character Name : Appts. Board Examiner

Original Name : Brian Oulton

Gender : Male

Character Name : TV Panel Chairman

Original Name : Malcolm Muggeridge

Gender : Male

Character Name : Detto Executive

Original Name : John Glyn-Jones

Gender : Male

Character Name : Miss Forsydke

Original Name : Pauline Winter

Gender : Female

Character Name : Missiles Director

Original Name : Maurice Colbourne

Gender : Male

Character Name : Young Chemist

Original Name : Jeremy White

Gender : Male

Character Name : Young Chemist

Original Name : Robin Ray

Gender : Male

Character Name : Bootle

Original Name : Michael Bates

Gender : Male

Character Name : Reporter

Original Name : John Van Eyssen

Gender : Male

Character Name : Reporter

Original Name : Robert Bruce

Gender : Male

Character Name : Reporter

Original Name : Michael Ward

Gender : Male

Character Name : Reporter

Original Name : Stringer Davis

Gender : Male

Character Name : Reporter

Original Name : Tony Spear

Gender : Male

Character Name : Photographer

Original Name : Arthur Skinner

Gender : Male

Character Name : Photographer

Original Name : William Dexter

Gender : Male

Character Name : Truscott

Original Name : Eynon Evans

Gender : Male

Character Name : Spencer

Original Name : Esma Cannon

Gender : Female

Character Name : Owens

Original Name : Robert S. Young

Gender : Male

Character Name : Police Inspector

Original Name : Roy Purcell

Gender : Male

Character Name : Tea Girl

Original Name : Marion Shaw

Gender : Male

Character Name : Workman

Original Name : Wally Patch

Gender : Male

Character Name : TV Producer

Original Name : Alun Owen

Gender : Male

Character Name : TV Announcer

Original Name : Muriel Young

Gender : Female

Character Name : TV Announcer

Original Name : Frank Phillips

Gender : Male

Character Name : Evangelist

Original Name : Ian Wilson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Empire Loyalist

Original Name : Margaret Lacey

Gender : Female

Character Name : Union Jack Workman

Original Name : George Selway

Gender : Male

Character Name : Card Player

Original Name : David Lodge

Gender : Male

Character Name : Card Player

Original Name : Keith Smith

Gender : Male

Character Name : Card Player

Original Name : Kenneth J. Warren

Gender : Male

Character Name : Minister of Labour

Original Name : Basil Dignam

Gender : Male

Character Name : Trade Union Official

Original Name : Harry Locke

Gender : Male

Character Name : Constable (uncredited)

Original Name : John Adams

Gender : Male

Character Name : Actor (uncredited)

Original Name : Chris Adcock

Gender : Male

Character Name : Man in Court (uncredited)

Original Name : Jack Armstrong

Gender : Male

Character Name : Trade Union Official (uncredited)

Original Name : Joe Beckett

Gender : Male

Character Name : Factory Worker (uncredited)

Original Name : Jack Berg

Gender : Male

Character Name : Studio Floor Manager (uncredited)

Original Name : Nigel Bernard

Gender : Male

Character Name : Missiles Worker (uncredited)

Original Name : Jim Brady

Gender : Male

Character Name : Audience Member (uncredited)

Original Name : Fay Bura

Gender : Male

Character Name : Man in Court (uncredited)

Original Name : Alf Casha

Gender : Male

Character Name : Missiles Worker (uncredited)

Original Name : Jimmy Charters

Gender : Male

Character Name : Narrator (voice) (uncredited)

Original Name : E. V. H. Emmett

Gender : Male

Character Name : Empire Loyalist (uncredited)

Original Name : Mabel Etherington

Gender : Female

Character Name : Solicitor (uncredited)

Original Name : Chick Fowles

Gender : Male

Character Name : Factory Worker (uncredited)

Original Name : Tex Fuller

Gender : Male

Character Name : Card Player (uncredited)

Original Name : Bob Grant

Gender : Male

Character Name : Nudist (uncredited)

Original Name : Hilda Green

Gender : Male

Character Name : Factory Worker (uncredited)

Original Name : Dave Griffiths

Gender : Male

Character Name : Reporter (uncredited)

Original Name : Victor Harrington

Gender : Male

Character Name : Reporter (uncredited)

Original Name : George Hilsdon

Gender : Male

Character Name : Downing Street Butler (uncredited)

Original Name : Lindsay Hooper

Gender : Male

Character Name : Factoy Worker (uncredited)

Original Name : Billy John

Gender : Male

Character Name : Empire Loyalist (uncredited)

Original Name : Gertrude Kaye

Gender : Male

Character Name : Clerk of Court (uncredited)

Original Name : Frederick Kelsey

Gender : Male

Character Name : Empire Loyalist (uncredited)

Original Name : Juba Kennerley

Gender : Male

Character Name : Tennis Player (uncredited)

Original Name : Julie La Rousse

Gender : Male

Character Name : Reporter (uncredited)

Original Name : Aileen Lewis

Gender : Female

Character Name : Recruit to Detto (uncredited)

Original Name : John Leyton

Gender : Male

Character Name : Factory Worker/Lorry Driver (uncredited)

Original Name : Dickey Luck

Gender : Male

Character Name : Solicitor (uncredited)

Original Name : Jack Mandeville

Gender : Male

Character Name : Tea Girl (uncredited)

Original Name : Vicky Marshall

Gender : Male

Character Name : Reporter (uncredited)

Original Name : Colin McKenzie

Gender : Male

Character Name : Missiles Worker (uncredited)

Original Name : Jimmy Millar

Gender : Male

Character Name : Reporter (uncredited)

Original Name : Cecil Paul

Gender : Male

Character Name : Youth (uncredited)

Original Name : Geremy Phillips

Gender : Male

Character Name : Missiles Worker (uncredited)

Original Name : Harry Phipps

Gender : Male

Character Name : Factory Worker (uncredited)

Original Name : Bob Raymond

Gender : Male

Character Name : Missiles Worker (uncredited)

Original Name : Ernie Rice

Gender : Male

Character Name : Actor (uncredited)

Original Name : Johnny Rossi

Gender : Male

Character Name : Reporter (uncredited)

Original Name : Pat Ryan

Gender : Male

Character Name : Official (uncredited)

Original Name : Jack Sharp

Gender : Male

Character Name : Visitor (uncredited)

Original Name : Sheila Sim

Gender : Female

Character Name : Factory Worker (uncredited)

Original Name : Stan Simmonds

Gender : Male

Character Name : Reporter (uncredited)

Original Name : Tony Spears

Gender : Male

Character Name : Missiles Worker (uncredited)

Original Name : George Spence

Gender : Male

Character Name : Solicitor (uncredited)

Original Name : Philip Stewart

Gender : Male

Character Name : Reporter (uncredited)

Original Name : Fred Stroud

Gender : Male

Character Name : Empire Loyalist (uncredited)

Original Name : Joseph Tregonino

Gender : Male

Character Name : Policeman (uncredited)

Original Name : Robert Vossler

Gender : Male

Character Name : Missiles Worker (uncredited)

Original Name : Billy Wilmot

Gender : Male

Character Name : Reporter (uncredited)

Original Name : Bob Wright

Gender : Male

Character Name : Nudist (uncredited)

Original Name : Paula Wright

Gender : Female

Reviews

John Chard

@John Chard

2024-05-16

Near masterpiece from the brilliant Boulting brothers. I'm All Right Jack is directed and produced by John and Roy Boulting from a script by Frank Harvey, John Boulting and Alan Hackney. It's based on the novel Private Life by Hackney and is a sequel to the Boulting's 1956 film Private's Progress. Returning from the first film are Ian Carmichael, Dennis Price, Richard Attenborough, Terry-Thomas, Victor Madden & Miles Malleson. While Peter Sellers (BAFTA for Best Actor) and a ream of British comedy actors of the time make up the rest of the cast. Looking to force a crooked deal, Bertram Tracepurcel (Price) and his cohort Sydney de Vere Cox (Attenborough) convince Major Hitchcock (Thomas), the personnel manager at the local missile factory, to hire Tracepurcel's nephew, Stanley Windrush (Carmichael), knowing full well that his earnest and wet behind the ears approach to work will cause fractions within the work force. Then it's expected that Bolshoi shop steward Fred Kite (Sellers) will call a strike that will see the crooked plan to fruition. Between 1956 and 1963 the Boulting brothers produced a number of satirical movies, I'm All Right Jack is arguably the finest of the bunch. Given that it's now admittedly a dated time capsule, for some of the dialogue would simply be shot down in this day and age, one has to judge and value it for the time it was made. The first and most striking thing about the film is that nobody escapes the firing line, this is not merely a device to kick the trade unions with {and a kicking they do get}, but also the government, the media, big industries and the good old chestnut of the old school brigade. All are in the sights of the Boulting's and the team. The overriding message being that all of them are out for themselves, self-interest and feathering of ones nest is the order of the times. Also winning a BAFTA was the screenplay, with that you still need the cast to do do it justice. Ian Carmichael was an undervalued performer in that he was an unselfish actor feeding set ups to his costars. That is never more evident than it is here where the likes of Margaret Rutherford, Irene Handl, John Le Mesurier, Liz Fraser & Victor Madden benefit greatly playing off of Carmichael's toff twit twittering. But it's Sellers movie all the way. Which considering he didn't want to do the movie originally, saying he couldn't see the role of Kite being funny, makes his turn all the more special. Studying for weeks labour leaders and politico types, Sellers, with suit too tight, cropped hair and a Hitler moustache, nails the pompous militancy of the shop steward leader. It doesn't stop there, couple it with the contrast of Kite's home life, where the Boulting's are slyly digging away at facades, and you get a two side of the coin performance that's a joy from start to finish. Very much like Ealing's sharp 51 piece, The Man In The White Suit, this is cynical, but classy, British cinema across the board. Throwing punches and with cheek unbound, I'm All Right Jack has razor sharp teeth from which to take a bite of the comedy pie with. 9/10

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2024-04-25

Poor old "Windrush" (Ian Carmichael) finds himself cleverly manipulated by his uncle "Tracepurcel" (Dennis Price) into taking a job at the family factory. Not in the management, you understand, but on the shop floor. After about ten seconds, his arrival has provoked the animosity of shop steward "Kite" (Peter Sellers) who can't quite decide whether he is annoyed that this man has been employed without union consultation or because he might be summarily fired because they complain to the management (Terry-Thomas). To strike or not to strike? Well that's really the gist of this entertaining satire that pokes fun at the bloody-mindedness of a union organisation that is hostile to just about everything, and at a management that cares only about lining it's own pockets. It's this latter aspect that's well played out by Price and Richard Attenborough who's character owns a rival desperate to poach a lucrative £1.5 millions contract from the esteemed "Mr. Mohammed" (Marne Maitland). A delightful ensemble of the great and the good from British cinema lights up the rest of this - Margaret Rutherford, Miles Malleson (usually entirely déshabillé), Liz Fraser and the no-nonsense Irene Handl all get in on the act and help this send up the ridiculousness of the dogmatic as well as the outdated family business practices that enabled the bosses to basically inherit their jobs! Sellers, Price and Carmichael are on great form here depicting the sublime to the ridiculousness of British industrial relations in the 1950s and it's a good example of satire that even now, almost sixty five years later, might still ring just a little bit true and certainly merits a watch.