 I'm All Right Jack (1959)
Stanley
Windrush (Carmichael) is an enthusiastic young man who has just
graduated from Oxford and now seeks a career in industry, much to
the consternation of his aunt Dolly (Rutherford) who is horrified
at the idea.
Windrush aims for a role in management but meets with
misfortune when he attempts gaining employment at a detergent
factory, and antagonises his employers by pointing out how the
customers are being ripped off!
After visiting his uncle Bertram Tracepurcel (Price) Stanley
gains employment lower down the ladder, as an unskilled labourer
at his uncle’s armaments factory (Missiles Ltd) but his uncle
has ulterior motives for giving Stanley a job.
The factory manager Major Hitchcock (Thomas) is trying to
undertake a time and motion study by hiding Water’s (Le
Mesurier) amongst the workforce to clock their productivity, but
the workforce are ever vigilant of a new face in their
midst.
The introduction of upper-class Stanley Windrush as a fork-lift
truck driver sets alarm bells ringing within the factory - even
more so when he admits to not being a union member.
Enter the union shop steward, the memorable Fred Kite
(Sellers), upon hearing the news of a non-union member working in
the factory Kite heads for the managers office in the belief
Windrush is a time and motion man, and to demand his sacking. But
Major Hitchcock points out that Windrush’s appointment was due
to a clerical error and agrees to terminate his employment.
Realising Windrush is an innocent individual, Kite has an
immediate U-turn – and threatens to strike if he is sacked.
Hitchcock and Kite then agree that Windrush will be kept on
despite his lack of union membership, and Fred goes even further
by offering Stanley lodgings in his home.
Stanley Windrush is unwittingly duped by Water’s into taking
part in a time and motion study, Windrush shows how many more
crates could be loaded and unloaded if the workforce were more
efficient. Using the evidence provided by Stanley a new schedule
is printed by the company, the workforce is outraged and a livid
Kite calls a strike.
Unknown to the workforce, Tracepurcel the factory owner has in
fact introduced the new schedule to instigate a strike so that
fellow missile manufacturer Sidney de Vere Cox’s (Attenborough)
factory can complete an Arabian arms contract at an inflated
price, and split the profits between the two factory owners and
the Arab delegate Mr. Mohammed (Maitland).
The plan seems perfect until Cox’s factory goes on strike in
sympathy, thus throwing Tracepurcel and Cox's plans awry. Soon
Windrush is the centre of everybody’s problems as he remains the
sole worker at the factory despite the strike, and the union wont
return while he’s still employed.
A meeting between Kite and Major Hitchcock brings forward a
solution, that Windrush is suffering from mental stress due to
working the new schedules, and all that remains is for Windrush to
be convinced to leave quietly.
A TV debate is held for all sides in the dispute to air their
views before the nation, before going live on-air Cox explains all
to Stanley and offers him his share of the profits. Stanley then
goes on live television to air his views on both the management
and the unions, during which he manages to throw the show into
chaos.
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