An excellent Scottish story revealed in 1946, Compton MacKenzie’s Whisky Galore was impressed by real-life occasions surrounding the grounding of a cargo ship off the Western Isles.
Three years later, the SS Politician and the Highland Nectar whisky she carried had been additional immortalised on display screen. On the anniversary of the movie’s launch and as a part of Scotland’s Yr of Tales, we use our Scran archives to discover a traditional of Scottish storytelling
Catastrophe for SS Politician
James Morrison from Smerclate in South Uist, with one of many bottles of whisky from the SS Politician which sank off the coast of Eriskay in 1941 (© The Scotsman Publications Ltd, licensed by way of Scran)
The SS Politician launched in 1921 beneath her unique identify SS London Service provider. Offered in 1935, she was renamed and have become affectionally known as Polly by her crew. Then throughout the World Warfare Two, she participated within the Atlantic convoys supplying items between Britain and the USA.
On the morning of 5 February 1941 she set sail from Liverpool sure for New York, carrying many hundreds of bottles of Scotch whisky amongst a combined cargo. Her consignment additionally included vital quantities of Jamaican forex.
The Politician turned stranded on submerged rocks alongside the jap coast of Eriskay by Calvay, although there may be some dispute over the exact location.
John Gregson, Morland Graham, and Duncan Macrae in a scene from the unique movie ‘Whisky Galore!’ (© Hulton Getty, licensed by way of Scran)
S.O.S and salvage
The hull was breached, and S.O.S. messages had been despatched from the ship. As soon as the crew had been safely on shore, the Hebridean locals set about attempting to “get well” the whisky. About 24,000 bottles had been salvaged.
Within the ensuing days, police and customs officers from the mainland searched your entire island with the outcome that a number of islanders had been jailed for theft. These occasions would go on to be immortalised within the guide and movie, Whisky Galore.
Donald MacNeil (© The Scotsman Publications Ltd, licensed by way of Scran)
Pictured above is South Uist resident Donald MacNeil (Dòmhnall Ban Eachainn). He was simply one of many many islanders who liberated bottles from the SS Politician.
Compton MacKenzie
Though born in Hartlepool, England in 1883, Compton MacKenzie discovered a lot inspiration in his adopted Scotland.
Sir Compton Mackenzie in 1933 (© Hulton Getty, licensed by way of Scran)
His love of Scotland prolonged past his writing. Greatest often called an creator, he additionally labored as a soldier, secret service chief, actor, broadcaster and editor. He additionally made his mark on Scottish politics. He turned deeply concerned with nationalist politics and was a founding member of the Scottish Nationwide Occasion.
The latter years of Mackenzie’s life had been spent residing on Drummond Place in Edinburgh’s New City. However when he died on St Andrew’s Day 1972, he was taken for burial at Eoligarry on Barra.
The grave of Sir Compton MacKenzie (© Newsquest (Herald & Instances), licensed by way of Scran)
Whisky Galore
MacKenzie was significantly nicely positioned to broaden upon the occasions of the SS Politician, as from 1934 he had lived at Suidheachan, Northbay on the island of Barra.
He used this because the background to the image of island life offered not solely in Whisky Galore, but in addition in his second such comedian novel, Rockets Galore.
‘Suidheachan’, the home constructed by MacKenzie beside the Cockle Strand on Barra (© Newsquest (Herald & Instances), licensed by way of Scran)
The guts-warming movie model of Whisky Galore! was launched into UK cinemas on 16 June 1949.
Directed by Alexander MacKendrick, this Ealing Studios traditional had a star-studded, mostly-Scottish forged together with James Robertson Justice, John Duncan Macrae, Basil Radford, Bruce Seton, Joan Greenwood and the a lot cherished Gordon Jackson, to call a couple of.
A poster for ‘Whisky Galore!’ (© Scottish Life Archive, licensed by way of Scran)
Mackenzie himself appeared in a movie, within the position of Captain Buncher, the grasp of SS Cupboard Minister.
The movie model of occasions considerations the fictional Hebridean islands of Nice and Little Todday, the place a cargo of fifty,000 bottles of whisky is salvaged from a shipwrecked freighter, the SS Cupboard Minister, by the islanders, whose personal provides have tragically run dry.
Mackenzie enjoying Captain Buncher (© Hulton Getty, licensed by way of Scran)
It then follows the escapades of locals attempting to cover the whisky from the customs and excise males despatched to search out it.
The situation for filming was the island of Barra, clearly near Mackenzie’s coronary heart with its beautiful coastal line. Many islanders had been used as extras.
Wylie Watson and Basil Radford starring in ‘Whisky Galore!’ (© Hulton Getty, licensed by way of Scran)
Neighborhood spirit
Like different Ealing Studio comedies of the submit battle period, Whisky Galore! lures the viewers into rooting for the underdogs. All through the movie there’s an excellent sense of group, because the islanders rally collectively to outwit the authorities.
The movie manages to include native traditions, folks music and Gaelic language into the ultimate minimize. In doing so it employs one thing often called the “Kailyard impact” from Scottish literature.
Joan Greenwood, Bruce Seton and Mary McNeil in ‘Whisky Galore!’ (© Hulton Getty, licensed by way of Scran)
For instance, in a scene after bottles have been liberated, the lads of the island rejoice the return of whisky. They drink and sing collectively in puirt à beul, or mouth music. All-in-all it’s a joyous occasion with the illicit whisky being the set off.
By means of such use of nostalgia and sure stereotypes, the movie elicits a respect for the islanders and sympathy to their response to the difficult scenario which has arisen. Virtually making the viewer complicit of their violation of the principles and laws.
A scene with Gordon Jackson and James Robertson Justice (© Hulton Getty, licensed by way of Scran)
Worldwide fame and a neighborhood legacy
When launched, the movie was embraced by cinema goers and critics alike. In France it is named Whisky à Gogo, nonetheless when launched within the USA in December 1949 it needed to drop the whisky reference. There have been restrictions on using the names of alcohol in titles so the movie was rebranded Tight Little Island.
John McInnes toasts Am Politician, January 1988 (© The Scotsman Publications Ltd, licensed by way of Scran)
In 1988, the primary pub on the island of Eriskay was constructed, it was named Am Politician in honour of the stricken cargo ship. At present it nonetheless homes a few of the artefacts retrieved from the ship, value a go to for a wee dram when you’re within the neighborhood.
Slàinte Mhath!
John MacIsaac, nickname ‘An t-Saighdear’ (The Soldier), having fun with a dram of Highland Nectar (© The Scotsman Publications Ltd, licensed by way of Scran)
Discover extra Whisky Galore!
There’s extra iconic Getty Photographs stills from Whisky Galore! within the Scran archives, plus way more materials regarding the SS Politician, Compton MacKenzie and the celebrities of the movie.
Different journeys into the Scran archives on the weblog inlclude a celebration of 100 years of Leith and a have a look at the Queen’s Silver Jubilee go to to Edinburgh.
