Whisky Galore!

Whisky Galore! (1948), directed by Alexander Mackendrick

The Scottish island of Todday has run out of whisky (known as the "water of life" in Gaelic), during World War II rationing. One night, however, a ship grounds offshore, loaded with 50,000 cases of the precious liquid. The rest of the film consists of the efforts by the Scotsmen to save the booze and escape detection of the English authorities.

A very funny Ealing comedy, well-written, acted, and directed. The film was re-edited by an unpaid and uncredited Charles Crichton (later the director of The Lavender Hill Mob and A Fish Called Wanda, zipping up the film's timing, and creating a pair of priceless montage sequences (see particularly the scene where all the Scotsmen hide their bottles of whisky).

This film is hard to find (it is also known as Tight Little Island), but if you get a chance to see it, do! It's a bright little gem of a movie