I'm All Right Jack is directed and produced by John and Roy Boulting from a script by Frank Harvey, John Boulting and Alan Hackney. It's based on the novel Private Life by Hackney and is a sequel to the Boulting's 1956 film Private's Progress. Returning from the first film are Ian Carmichael, Dennis Price, Richard Attenborough, Terry-Thomas, Victor Madden & Miles Malleson. While Peter Sellers (BAFTA for Best Actor) and a ream of British comedy actors of the time make up the rest of the cast.

Looking to force a crooked deal, Bertram Tracepurcel (Price) and his cohort Sydney de Vere Cox (Attenborough) convince Major Hitchcock (Thomas),the personnel manager at the local missile factory, to hire Tracepurcel's nephew, Stanley Windrush (Carmichael),knowing full well that his earnest and wet behind the ears approach to work will cause fractions within the work force. Then it's expected that Bolshoi shop steward Fred Kite (Sellers) will call a strike that will see the crooked plan to fruition.

Between 1956 and 1963 the Boulting brothers produced a number of satirical movies, I'm All Right Jack is arguably the finest of the bunch. Given that it's now admittedly a dated time capsule, for some of the dialogue would simply be shot down in this day and age, one has to judge and value it for the time it was made. The first and most striking thing about the film is that nobody escapes the firing line, this is not merely a device to kick the trade unions with {and a kicking they do get}, but also the government, the media, big industries and the good old chestnut of the old school brigade. All are in the sights of the Boulting's and the team. The overriding message being that all of them are out for themselves, self-interest and feathering of ones nest is the order of the times.

Also winning a BAFTA was the screenplay, with that you still need the cast to do do it justice. Ian Carmichael was an undervalued performer in that he was an unselfish actor feeding set ups to his costars. That is never more evident than it is here where the likes of Margaret Rutherford, Irene Handl, John Le Mesurier, Liz Fraser & Victor Madden benefit greatly playing off of Carmichael's toff twit twittering. But it's Sellers movie all the way. Which considering he didn't want to do the movie originally, saying he couldn't see the role of Kite being funny, makes his turn all the more special. Studying for weeks labour leaders and politico types, Sellers, with suit too tight, cropped hair and a Hitler moustache, nails the pompous militancy of the shop steward leader. It doesn't stop there, couple it with the contrast of Kite's home life, where the Boulting's are slyly digging away at facades, and you get a two side of the coin performance that's a joy from start to finish.

Very much like Ealing's sharp 51 piece, The Man In The White Suit, this is cynical, but classy, British cinema across the board. Throwing punches and with cheek unbound, I'm All Right Jack has razor sharp teeth from which to take a bite of the comedy pie with. 9/10

If it hadn't been for the fact that a similar (though less cynical) film had been made just a few years earlier (THE MAN IN THE WHITE SUIT),I might have scored this parody a bit higher. Despite obviously being a comedy, the film is an amazingly insightful attack on the floundering state of British labor following the Second World War. While Britain used to be the most productive country on the planet, during this era they were torn apart by strikes and work slowdowns. Yet the film doesn't just attack labor unions with their unreasonable demands and poor work ethic. It also attacks factory owners who actually exploit this to their own interests. This film is obviously a loud declaration that the British Empire is in fact dead.

The film begins with an upper class twit named 'Windrush' going to work for the first time. However, he really isn't cut out for management despite his Oxford education--and he seems better suited to manual labor. The problem is that after failing again and again in management, he is simply too good as a blue collar worker. This is because he works way too hard and makes all his extremely lazy co-workers look bad! And, when management documents how much work one motivated man CAN do, this ultimately results in a strike, as management wants the workers output to increase--or at least that's what they claimed. All this set in motion by a slow-witted but very decent upper class gent working as a forklift driver!!

The film is very well written and clever. While younger audience members might not appreciate the film's insights, it is funny in a droll sort of way. Additionally, having wonderful actors such as Peter Sellers and Terry-Thomas sure didn't hurt! Overall, sharp social and political satire that does a great job of attacking labor and management and giving insights into the decline of the British economy.

Seeing Terry-Thomas, Peter Sellers, Richard Attenborough, Ian Carmichael and Dennis Price together in the same film is a recipe for a treasure of a film, comedy and in general. With a solid director and a great subject matter, satirising industrial manners, class differences and politics, 'I'm All Right Jack's' promise was further heightened. It struck me on paper as one of those films where it would take a lot for the execution to go wrong and one does think it would be difficult to mess it up.

Mess it up and execute wrongly 'I'm All Right Jack' does not. It is also much more than an alright film, it is a brilliant film where you're enjoying yourself so much and thinking about what is being said to search for anything to criticise. Generally am a very generous reviewer but also do watch films to pick out what can be done better while still loving the film. Likewise with trying to see the good in bad films. The title is a curious one and it took me time to get the significance of it, that aside 'I'm All Right Jack' really is one of the most enjoyable and thought-provoking films seen recently and when it comes to the subject matter it is also one of the best films on it. For the main reason of it managing to be so much fun while being very thoughtful, providing insight and there is relevance to be had in what is said.

A big part of 'I'm All Right Jack's success is the cast. Ian Carmichael is likeable in the lead, his naive character's lack of competence not being annoying, though to me the rest of the cast had stronger material and seemed to have more fun. Terry-Thomas is very funny, middle class management and two-faced personality have seldom been more entertainingly if somewhat savagely portrayed. But the jewel in the crown is the brilliant Peter Sellers, whose performance of the by-the-book union official is nothing short of genius.

'I'm All Right Jack' also is beautifully directed by Boulting who really allows the comedy, satire and cast to sparkle. Furthermore it is slickly shot and designed and goes at a lively pace, dullness not once creeps in. The increasing complexity of the story never becomes confusing and the climax is a riot. Plus that theme song will be embedded in the brain for a long time, the good news though is that it is a catchy one and not one that will drive one insane.

Other than the cast, the other main merit is the sparkling delight that is the script, with most of the best lines belonging to Sellers. There are so many hilarious and memorable lines that are easy enough to quote, and the satire is razor sharp and witty with plenty of bite. As indicated before, did find it very thought-provoking and was both shocked and impressed by how daringly on the nose and honest it was.

Summarising, a wonderful film. 10/10 Bethany Cox