The Man in the White Suit

Sidney Stratton, a genius inventor, develops a fabric that never gets dirty or wears out. Thinking that his invention will be welcomed with open arms by the garment industry, he is shocked when both Northern mill owners and unions alike try to suppress it. Nevertheless, Sidney is determined to put his invention on the market, forcing the clothing factory bosses to resort to desperate measures. 

Alexander Mackendrick directed five films at Ealing Studios, including other classic comedies Whisky Galore! and The Ladykillers, as well as the Manchester-set drama Mandy. In true Ealing style, Mackendrick’s films often followed a naive hero struggling against orthodoxy and improbable odds – Sidney Stratton in The Man in the White Suit is perhaps the studio’s most successful realisation of this loveable archetype.