The general opinion has always been that The Maggie was one of Ealing's lesser comedies – but this means it was merely superb. It's a film by turns charming and gentle and nasty and ironic but always entertaining. It had a role for Paul Douglas as The American that when watching any other film he made I could never shake off – it's an intensely straight-faced farcical performance. Some serious people may regard him and all the other characters in it as cartoony stereotypes but thankfully I've always enjoyed it regardless: topically speaking aren't we all likely to be cartoony stereotypes to someone no matter how revered we may be to others?
Brash American businessman Douglas is keen to move his cargo of essential household items to help live on remote Scottish island and his wimpish English agent Hubert Gregg is fooled by the shrewd Scottish skipper of a little puffer boat into thinking that he can deliver it all. Not liking his being fooled involves the businessman in chasing after the boat to get his cargo back. Favourite bits : the quadruple bluff in hunting the boat from the air; the cartoon rage at the pier; after the birthday party Douglas's and Sheena's poignant conversation on her future marriage choices, being meaningful and gentle; the gradual development to the orgasmic conclusion – which was the only thing left that could happen – is beautiful to watch and re-watch. Douglas steals every scene he's in but especially with his lines in those scenes and with his final side-splitting warning to Captain MacTaggart and the laughing seagulls.
Imho because the moral of the story is more indistinct and the ending is slightly feeble even after all of the powerful irony that had gone before, this isn't quite in the same class as Whisky Galore or the best half dozen world class Ealing comedies, but it's a lovely journey all the same.
Brash American businessman Douglas is keen to move his cargo of essential household items to help live on remote Scottish island and his wimpish English agent Hubert Gregg is fooled by the shrewd Scottish skipper of a little puffer boat into thinking that he can deliver it all. Not liking his being fooled involves the businessman in chasing after the boat to get his cargo back. Favourite bits : the quadruple bluff in hunting the boat from the air; the cartoon rage at the pier; after the birthday party Douglas's and Sheena's poignant conversation on her future marriage choices, being meaningful and gentle; the gradual development to the orgasmic conclusion – which was the only thing left that could happen – is beautiful to watch and re-watch. Douglas steals every scene he's in but especially with his lines in those scenes and with his final side-splitting warning to Captain MacTaggart and the laughing seagulls.
Imho because the moral of the story is more indistinct and the ending is slightly feeble even after all of the powerful irony that had gone before, this isn't quite in the same class as Whisky Galore or the best half dozen world class Ealing comedies, but it's a lovely journey all the same.