ROCKETS GALORE

UK, 1958, 94 minutes, Colour.
Jeannie Carson, Donald Sinden, Roland Culver, Noel Purcell, Ian Hunter, Duncan Macrae, Jean Cadell, Carl Jaffe, Gordon Jackson, Catherine Lacey.
Directed by Michael Relph.

Rockets Galore is a pleasant British comedy of the mid-50s from the production-direction team of Michael Relph and Basil Dearden. Dearden usually directed (The Blue Lamp, Victim, Sapphire, Khartoum etc.); Relph usually produced. However, this time Relph is the director.

The film is a sequel to Alexander Mackendrick's very popular comedy Whisky Galore, based on a novel by Compton Mackenzie. This film is also based on a Mackenzie novel. it has a strong cast, Donald Sinden and Jeannie Carson as popular leads of the '50s supported by a number of strong character actors and actresses. A young Ronald Corbett can be seen as Drooby.

The film takes up the theme of the 20th century invading the outer Scottish islands and the response of the Scots - canny (and a touch of the greedy!). This theme was to be explored by Scottish director Bill Forsythe in the '80s in Local Hero.

1. An entertaining comedy? Scots comedy? Satire? Themes of the '50s?

2. Location photography? technology? The rocket base? Colour? Authentic atmosphere? 20th century? The special effects for the pink birds?

3. The title and the arms build-up of the '50s? The rocket base in Scotland? The reaction of the locals? The reaction of the bureaucracy? The locals using their ingenuity to thwart authority? Their reaction with the missile and preventing the authorities getting it? The humorous touch with the serious point?

4. The atmosphere of Toddy: the peaceful island, small? The way of life? The characters on the island? Fr James? The schoolteacher? Mrs.,Campbell and her son George? The Commander and the Captain? The authorities? Enjoyable Scots types?

5. The English administration? The government officials? Hugh and his mission? The intention of turning the island into a rocket base? The missile landing on the island? The officials and the scientists trying to get it back? The government becoming determined? The plans for the evacuation of the island? Hugh and his change of heart? Falling in love with Janet?

6. Hugh as the British hero? His dedication to his mission? The response of the locals? Their suspicion and thwarting his mission? Falling-in love-with Janet? Becoming part of the life of the island? His defeat as regards the missiles? The sketch of the British officials - with the touch of satire?


7. Janet as the schoolteacher? The reaction to Hugh? Faj1ing in love with him? Her relationship with the people on the island? Her decision to paint the gulls pink? The execution of the plan? Its making headlines? The heroine?

8. Father James and his role on the island, relationship with the islanders? The attack on the officials? The prevention of their access to the missile? The plan of painting the gulls pink? The humour of the finale - Father James finding that the gulls' eggs are pink?

9. The characters on the island? Duncan Bann and his dour Scots manner? Mrs Campbell and her over-strictness on George? George and his trying to break out from his mother? The problem of drink? Drooby? Colonel and Mrs Waggett? An enjoyable gallery of Scots characters?

10. The British sense of humour? The touch of irony? Verbal and visual? The touch of sentiment?

11. The '50s and the atmosphere about armaments, missiles, bases? The film's critical point of view?