source: The Winslow Boy

In pre-WWI Edwardian England, Ronnie Winslow is expelled from the Osborne Naval College for stealing a 5 shilling postal order from a fellow cadet. It's a blow to the father who believes in Ronnie after he claims to be innocent. The father wants a proper trial and the family takes the case all the way to the House of Commons where it becomes a cause celeb and a case of constitutional law. Adapted from the Terence Rattigan play based on a true story, it is a very compelling story. It's a thrilling drama despite its old fashion nature. That's because the characters are so well drawn, and the nature of the drama is so human. It is about what is right and wrong. It is also a tale of David versus Goliath. The acting is quite natural. The only disappointment is that the trial is somewhat anti-climatic. The House of Commons debate is where the story climaxes. However that can't be helped by the movie.

The Winslow Boy is, without doubt, a great film; in my humble opinion it is one of the greatest films ever made. The story of Cadet Ronnie Winslow is a true one although the real name of the cadet was George Archer-Shee; Terence Rattigan, a playwright of the greatest quality, no doubt changed the name for reasons of propriety. Archer-Shee was accused of stealing a postal order while a cadet at Osborne Naval College and dismissed from his post; his father decided to challenge the dismissal and a battle royal ensued. While the real case had differences to the film, the essence was the same and Rattigan's play and the associated film tell the story in a way that fully demonstrates the drama, pathos and prejudices of the times. The casting is impeccable and the performances outstanding. Sir Cedric Hardwicke as Ronnie's father is superb and Robert Donat as the great counsel, named as Sir Robert Morton in the film but actually Sir Edward Carson, could not have been bettered; his admittedly theatrical exmination of the boy before he accepts the case is sensational. That Donat is now largely forgotten is a tragedy, as is his early death. Margaret Leighton, another who died tragically young, is beautiful, strong-willed and brilliant as Ronnie's older sister who gives up her romance for the cause and eventually falls for Donat. The supporting cast is, without exception, wonderful if slightly elderly for some of their roles. Marie Lohr, Jack Watling, Francis L Sullivan and the rest are all superb. The atmosphere of the day, created by music hall interludes as well as by the overall surroundings, is perfect. I've watched this film more times than I can remember but it never palls. The casting, script and acting are all of the highest quality; it is a perfect 10 out of 10

This is one of those pictures that sacrifices cheap thrills for a subtle, meaningful drama of ideas, which guarantees that it will never be made with quite this quality again. One example: Terrence Rattigan intentionally eliminates what would certainly have been the most exiting scene--showing the outcome of the trial--just so he could maintain focus on how each character reacts to the verdict and how personal sacrifices paid off in pursuit of what is right. While on that subject, I should note what was even more oblique in the plot was the failure to show (either to the characters or to the audience watching the movie) any evidence proving Winslow's guilt or innocence! And yet the movie still satisfies. The real hero, as this picture shows, believe it or not, is the English rule of law, as established by the Magna Carta, that allows any citizen who is charged with a crime to defend himself in a court of law. Something you would never expect that a mere movie could do so well. RonLev Philly

With all due respect to David Mamet, this is THE definitive version of this story. Based on an excellent stage drama by Terence Rattigan - itself based on an actual, (now) obscure British trial from a century ago - the film is unfortunately unavailable on DVD in the United States at this time. Watch for it to occasionally turn up on TCM, however. I agree with the rave review left by "the old roman" - it's worth staying up for. BTW, Robert Donat (of "The 39 Steps" fame) easily steals the film as the barrister Sir Robert Morton. After watching his performance, it's easy to see why he won the Best Actor Oscar in 1939 (for "Goodbye Mr. Chips") against such stiff competition as Clark Gable ("Gone With The Wind"), James Stewart ("Mr. Smith Goes To Washington") and Laurence Olivier ("Wuthering Heights")!

Arthur Winslow is the head of a respectable London family; however this threatens to change when his young son is expelled from military school for stealing a postal order worth 5 shillings. Winslow risks his wealth and his family to pursue justice for his son. However when the military court of appeal rejects him he has to appeal to the highest court in the land through MP Sir Morton. Having seen a recent version of this play I was curious to see another and was glad when I spotted it coming onto television. The play itself is pretty stagy and because of this it doesn't suffer from being dated – the 1948 production values are easily the equal of the 1998 version. The film here differs from the recent version in that it has much more of the legal wrangling onscreen and not off. This makes the film much better as it encompasses both the social battle of the Winslow's and the legal one. Both are involving and gripping but I must admit that I wasn't as caught up in the social drama as much as I wanted to be, because I felt that any family who's main worry in life was that there son had been excluded from school needn't worry about much! The fact that the Winslow's were able to get the ear of an MP just made it more difficult for me to get into – few people live in such high circles (even if they work in a bank!). The cast are good. Hardwicke is good as Winslow but the real star of the piece is Donat as Sir Morton. He is very stiff but also has layers that he reveals as he goes – as well as carrying the weight of the legal thrills. The majority of the cast are good in roles of varying sizes and no-one does a noticeably bad job. Some are slight stereotypes but not to the film's detriment. Overall this is a very good film and is better than the modern version. It mixes drama with wit and romance to good effect and puts the legal drama and the social drama on the same level rather than letting one suffer to the other. It had the potential to feel slow but the drama keeps it interesting throughout.

By comparison with today's more pacey films, Anthony Asquith's version of the Terence Rattigan classic might seem somewhat slow, with long shots focused on the protagonists' faces and frequent use of the shot/reverse shot technique. As a piece of character-focused drama, however, the film could not be bettered. Set just before the outbreak of World War I, the film concentrates on the trial of a thirteen-year- old boy (Neil North), wrongly accused of stealing a postal order. His father (Cedric Hardwicke) is determined to fight the case, and engages top prosecuting counsel Sir Robert Morton (Robert Donat) to plead the case. While the film works as a courtroom drama, its main focus is on characterization; those small facial gestures that appear to say so little but actually say a whole lot about the protagonists' preoccupations. The Winslow family are concerned to maintain their English sang-froid, but that becomes very difficult as the case wears on. Hardwicke is quite brilliant at showing how the case affects Mr. Winslow; his tired expression as the film unfolds is rapidly superseded by a small smile as he discovers the result and staggers outside to talk to the press. Initially Donat appears as something of a cold fish, but he admits to Winslow's daughter Kate (Margaret Leighton) by the end that this is a facade constructed purely for public consumption. The ending is quite unexpected for both of them. For lovers of British variety of the mid-twentieth century, the film contains the added bonus of two performances by Cyril Ritchard and Stanley Holloway.

"The Winslow Boy" has an interesting pedigree. The story is based on a real case involving a young cadet who was dismissed from his school without any sort of trial or due process. It seems in the early part of the twentieth century in Britain, there was a petty theft and the boy was punished even though it was not clear he'd committed the crime. Not surprisingly, the boy's father insisted there was a miscarriage of justice...but what makes it interesting is that the case didn't drop there but made its way all the way up to sessions of Parliament....where the case was championed by an MP. Some time later, the playwright and screenwriter, Terrence Rattigan, resurrected the story and wrote a play about it...and changed the names in the process. Now, some time after the play, the story finally made its way to film and Rattigan teamed up with one of his favorite directors for this well made movie. It certainly helps the story that two very distinguished English actors appeared in two of the leading roles, Robert Donat and Sir Cedric Hardwicke. Oddly, Donat was given top billing...even though he doesn't appear in the film until about the 40 minute mark! But both are mesmerizingly good...and the well crafted story really makes an impact on the viewer, as they, too, are outraged by the school's high-handed and unfair handling of the case...especially when the accused was a mere boy. Well worth your time.

This film adaption of Terrence Rattigan's play The Winslow Boy is highlighted by Robert Donat's performance of celebrated English barrister, Sir Robert Morton. It's one of Donat's best performances although he's more Donat that Edward Carson on whom the character is actually based. If you want to see a more accurate portrayal of Carson and by name than the Oscar Wilde film starring Peter Finch is what you have to look at. In that one James Mason plays Carson who was by all accounts one mean man to cross, but a brilliant advocate. In that film Carson is appearing for the prosecution and he's relentless. In his own elegant way Donat is relentless also, but he's also one cold blooded fish. As he plays Morton, the part is perfect for one of Donat's antiseptic portrayals. The story concerns young Ronald Winslow played by Neil North who is expelled from the Naval Academy for the theft of a postal money order of five shillings. I'm sure even back in the Edwardian days this would go down as a petty theft, but it involves the military, His Majesty's military which does not make mistakes as we know. Half the film is devoted to just letting young Mr. North have his day in court. This isn't America, he has to get permission from the government just to be allowed to defend himself. That is something that North's father Cedric Hardwicke is determined to see he gets. It costs the Winslow family considerable. Older brother Jack Watling is not allowed to finish Oxford, sister Margaret Leighton's fiancé Frank Lawton breaks up with her because of the notoriety and Hardwicke's health goes down hill. The Winslow Boy is based on a true incident from back in the beginning of the last century and it has good performances all around. Cyril Ritchard and Stanley Holloway do a couple of music hall numbers to capture the spirit of the time and are welcome indeed. Still The Winslow Boy is Robert Donat's show and a good show it is.

One of my favorite movies, "The Winslow Boy" is a perfect showcase for the talents of that great doomed actor, Robert Donat. The actor's lovely melancholy and the character's passion shine through the glacial composure of the upper class barrister, and Donat is beautifully matched by Margaret Leighton. Recognizing in each other their own integrity and passion for the point of social justice involved in the case, Donat and Leighton ever so delicately find their way to an unspoken understanding. It is the British banked-fires school at its best, spoiled in the 1999 version by Rebecca Pidgeon's snotty performance. Here, though, as good as Leighton and Cedric Hardwicke are, the star is clearly Robert Donat, bringing his own exhausted pallor and haunting voice to a number of impassioned speeches and deliciously witty one-liners.