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The Man in the White Suit

Play trailer Poster for The Man in the White Suit Released Mar 31, 1952 1h 25m Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
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100% Tomatometer 15 Reviews 81% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
Chemist Sidney Stratton (Alec Guinness) is at a crossroads in his career. He's been trying to invent a long-lasting clothing fiber, but his unreasonable demands for high-end equipment have gotten him fired from job after job. Finally, Sidney creates a white suit that is impervious to the elements -- it cannot stain or wrinkle. At first he is celebrated as a hero but, soon enough, the clothing manufacturers realize that the perfect suit is actually very bad for business.
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The Man in the White Suit

Critics Reviews

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Chris Bennion The Times (UK) A typically rambunctious Ealing affair with a serious satirical edge, and features excellent turns from Joan Greenwood... Dec 14, 2022 Full Review Joseph Jon Lanthier Slant Magazine That Stratton proves so unable to resist his hubris surely provides the film with a cautionary subtext, but this is beautifully complicated by an ending that denies the possibility of rehabilitation. Rated: 4/4 Nov 10, 2012 Full Review Alistair Lawrence Common Sense Media This celebrated black-and-white Ealing comedy classic has plenty of zip and smarts. Mar 4, 2025 Full Review Matt Brunson Film Frenzy Shows what the extraordinary Alec Guinness can bring to a role. Rated: 3/4 Sep 14, 2019 Full Review PJ Nabarro Patrick Nabarro The film is a paean to individualism, dreamers and pioneers, and seems to advocate that, fundamentally, society functions best on an equilibrium between capital and labour. Oct 30, 2018 Full Review MFB Critics Monthly Film Bulletin The picture is very enjoyable. Its observation of people, its carefully sustained tempo, its apt incidental thrusts. have real individuality and distinction. Feb 6, 2018 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Sam G A delightful comedy satire! Alec Guiness is not to be missed! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 09/29/24 Full Review Jim P Brilliant! Brilliant white 😆 Great story, great acting and the bubbly sound effects..! A truly remarkable piece of socio-political art from the 🇬🇧 Rated 4 out of 5 stars 09/16/24 Full Review Luca D A very simple and silly little film. Definitely easier to watch than most older films so I would recommend this to people with shorter attention spans. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 06/27/23 Full Review Shioka O British humour in here is all satire. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 02/27/23 Full Review Blobbo X Entertaining lesson in Capitalism. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/20/23 Full Review Martin B Love Alec Guinness but not in this one. The reason mainly is unlike in many of his movies where he's a step ahead in this on he's a step behind. Never gets what he's doing wrong and never got why so many were against what he had invented. Then the chase scene which was a was of time and an ending that had to come that was very predictable. I don't get the high rating he's done so much better. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 11/11/22 Full Review Read all reviews
The Man in the White Suit

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Cast & Crew

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Alexander Mackendrick

Director

Alec Guinness

Sidney Stratton

Joan Greenwood

Daphne Birnley

Cecil Parker

Alan Birnley

Michael Gough

Michael Corland

Ernest Thesiger

Sir John Kierlaw

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The Man in the White Suit

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Movie Info

Synopsis Chemist Sidney Stratton (Alec Guinness) is at a crossroads in his career. He's been trying to invent a long-lasting clothing fiber, but his unreasonable demands for high-end equipment have gotten him fired from job after job. Finally, Sidney creates a white suit that is impervious to the elements -- it cannot stain or wrinkle. At first he is celebrated as a hero but, soon enough, the clothing manufacturers realize that the perfect suit is actually very bad for business.
Director
Alexander Mackendrick
Producer
Michael Balcon, Sidney Cole
Screenwriter
Roger MacDougall, Roger MacDougall, John Dighton, Alexander Mackendrick
Distributor
Universal Pictures
Production Co
Ealing Studios
Genre
Comedy
Original Language
British English
Release Date (Theaters)
Mar 31, 1952, Original
Rerelease Date (Theaters)
Nov 16, 2012
Release Date (Streaming)
Aug 1, 2010
Box Office (Gross USA)
$8.3K
Runtime
1h 25m
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