The Man in the White Suit

An ingenious lab technician (Guinness) who lives in a mill town and works for one of the cloth manufacturers produces a revolutionary new material which resists dirt and never wears out. Unsurprisingly, however all sides of the garment trade conspire to prevent its success. This black comedy casts a satirical eye over the confrontation between altruism and the commercial world. This Ealing Comedy isn't as lighthearted as The Lavender Hill Mob or The Ladykillers, which is perhaps why it's not so well known. It is a wonderful film, well worth watching even if you've seen it before, if only to savour Guinness' perfect performance as the bewildered inventor at the centre of the uproar.

Review by Katherine Edge
Taken from EUFS Programme 1994-95