Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

The Man in the White Suit Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov September 7, 2019

Alexander Mackendrick's "The Man in the White Suit" (1951) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber. The supplemental features on the disc include original trailer for the film; filmed discussion with director Stephen Frears, film historian Ian Christie and author and British film historian Richard Dacre; and audio commentary by film historian Dr. Dean Brandum. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".

The troublemaker

Sidney Stratton (Alec Guinness, The Lavender Hill Mob, The Ladykillers) is a man with a dream. For some time now he has been trying to invent the perfect fabric, but has not been able to come up with the right formula for it. He is also an ordinary worker in a giant lab full of people where running experiments without being authorized to do so is a rather complicated business.

Things get even more complicated when the top guy in the lab discovers that someone has been using its equipment and requesting expensive materials without his approval. When the news reaches Michael Corland (Michael Gough, The Go-Between, Batman), the owner of the mill, for which the lab runs experiments, Sidney is quickly identified and then promptly fired. He is warned to stay as far away from the mill as possible.

Sidney immediately gets a job at Alan Birnley's (Cecil Parker, The Lady Vanishes) mill and resumes his experiments - again without authorization. When he eventually creates the perfect fabric - a truly indestructible white material which never wears out and resists dirt - Birnley puts him in charge with his lab and gives him unlimited funds to continue his experiments. Then he asks Sidney to sign a contract with him which gives him the exclusive rights to promote and manufacture the new fabric.

The news about Sidney’s perfect fabric spreads like fire and soon other textile businessmen from all over the country gather in Birnley’s home to discuss the future -- all of them are seriously concerned that Sidney’s invention will destroy the business. The workers also unite and demand that the businessmen destroy Sidney’s fabric so that they could continue to have their jobs.

Meanwhile, while trying to figure out what to do Sidney befriends Birnley's handsome, surprisingly progressive daughter Daphne (Joan Greenwood, Kind Hearts and Coronets), who has been enormously impressed by his invention.

Based on Roger MacDougall’s play, Alexander Mackendrick’s The Man in the White Suit is easily the most pessimistic of all Ealing comedies. In fact, it is hard to even regard it as a comedy because it asks some very serious questions, the majority of which are in fact relevant today.

Consider this: How much progress is in fact beneficial for industrialized countries? And where is the tipping point after which the entire supply-and-demand system which is at the core of modern economies becomes irrelevant? There is a fascinating sequence in the film where business and labor come together, both absolutely terrified, because they have realized that Sidney’s indestructible fabric will put an end on their relationship.

Sidney’s behavior is also quite fascinating to behold. As a scientist, the only thing that matters to him is his invention. And he is always fixated on the future because this is where all the challenges are, this is where the personal satisfaction he lives for could come from. He is a very dangerous egoist but does not realize it.

There are no specific political references in the film, but it is very clear that Mackendrick was seriously concerned about Britain’s post-war identity. Would the country be as irresponsible as Sidney and become obsessed with success or would a different type of mentality prevail amongst its 'scientists'? The debates between the businessmen, the workers and Sidney offer plenty of food for thought. A truly fascinating film, indeed.

The Man in the White Suit Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.37:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Alexander Mackendrick's The Man in the White Suit arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber.

This release is sourced from another early 2K restoration that was initially introduced on Blu-ray in the United Kingdom, via StudioCanal's Vintage Classics line. (You can see our review of the Region-B release here).

The restoration is very nice, but it is arguably the one in the Ealing catalog that I think could benefit the most from some additional manual cleanup work. Just to be clear, there is no reason to be concerned about the overall quality of the technical presentation because the basics are very strong and the improvements that could be made would be cosmetic. I just think that with a larger budget and modern equipment some meaningful cleanup work and minor enhancements can make the film look even more attractive. So, depth, clarity, and even fluidity are quite nice, and on a larger screen the visuals hold up really, really well. Grain is exposed quite nicely as well, though ideally it can appear even more refined and stronger. As it is, I still like its appearance a lot. Stability is good, but this is another area where some meaningful optimizations/stabilizations can be introduced. (Note: This is a Region-A "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-A or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

The Man in the White Suit Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

Clarity, sharpness, and depth are very nice. The dialog is also easy to follow. Some of the chamber music that enhances the action occasionally sounds just a tad uneven, but virtually all of the unevenness is a limitation inherited from the original recording. (A good example can be heard around the 01.20.01 mark). There are no audio dropouts or distortions to report in our review.

The Man in the White Suit Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Trailer - original trailer for The Man in the White Suit. In English, not subtitled. (3 min, 480/60i).

• Revisiting The Man in the White Suit - in this featurette, director Stephen Frears (The Grifters, Dangerous Liaisons), film historian Ian Christie, and author and British film historian Richard Dacre discuss the unique qualities of The Man in the White Suit as well as the legacy of its director, Alexander Mackendrick. In English, not subtitled. (14 min, 1080p).

• Audio Commentary - in this audio commentary, film historian Dr. Dean Brandum, a big Australian fan of The Man in the White Suit and the Ealing catalog in general, remembers his first impressions of the film and discusses its style, themes, and contemporary relevance.

• Additional Trailers - additional trailers for the following releases from Kino Lorber's catalog:
  
  1. Kind Hearts and Coronets
  2. The Lavender Hill Mob
  3. The Captain's Paradise

The Man in the White Suit Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

One of Alec Guinness' best performances is in Alexander Mackendrick's The Man in the White Suit, a rather uncharacteristically pessimistic comedy that asks a number of intriguing questions that may actually be even more relevant today. (Consider these two: How much progress is in fact beneficial for industrialized countries? And where is the tipping point after which the entire supply-and-demand system which is at the core of modern economies becomes irrelevant?). For Ealing fans this is a must-own title, and I also think that it is one of the safest 'blind buys' that any film fan can make. Kino Lorber's new Blu-ray release is sourced from an old but strong 2K restoration that was initially introduced by StudioCanal in the United Kingdom. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.