William Horatio Ambrose, a seasick sea captain (Alec Guinness) from a long line of sea captains, purchases a ramshackle “resort pier” where he holds dances. When the greedy town council attempts to take the dock, Ambrose registers the stationary structure as a ship, which puts it beyond the control of locals, and sells “cruises” to seasick patrons who want the fun of a voyage without actually going to sea.
By the time Barnacle Bill was released, Ealing Studios had already sold off its physical studio and was about to shut down altogether. After so many great films in the late ’40s and early ’50s, Ealing couldn’t adapt to changing times. But it went out doing what it did best. Barnacle Bill is a typical Ealing film. There’s a group of very British, eccentric characters in an outlandish situation and they take it all with superhuman control. Mainstay Alec Guinness is the lead, as he’d been so many times before, and plays a variation on a character that is familiar to any fan of Post-War British Comedies.
Sure, it’s all been done before, and done before by Ealing, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a lot of fun. Guinness puts in another top notch performance, with a bit more gusto than normal. There’s real joy to be seen as the captain wildly dances with the babes on his pier. The supporting cast is excellent (when has an Ealing film had a weak supporting cast?), the characters, particularly Ambrose, are engaging, and the story presents plenty of opportunity for witty banter and mild laughs. There’s no sour notes.
I’d have given Barnacle Bill a higher rating, but originality does count. If you aren’t familiar with Post War British Comedies, then this is a four star laugh riot. But for those of us who are, it is too predictable, and a touch too comfortable. There are no surprises, no shocks, and nothing to get you thinking. If you are in the mood to watch an Ealing comedy, this is an excellent alternative to re-watching one of the classics.
Released in the U.S. with the title All at Sea.
Guinness also appeared in the Post War British Comedies, Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949), Last Holiday (1950), The Lavender Hill Mob (1951), The Man in the White Suit (1951), The Card (1952), The Captain’s Paradise (1953), The Ladykillers (1955), To Paris with Love (1955), The Horse’s Mouth (1958), Our Man in Havana (1959).