The Man in the White Suit (1951)

Alec Guinness: Sidney Stratton

Photos 

Quotes 

• [Daphne laughs at Sidney's suit] 

  Sidney Stratton : What's funny about it?

  Daphne Birnley, Alan Birnley's daughter : It's just the suit. It looks as if it's wearing you.

  Sidney Stratton : It's still a bit luminous. But it'll wear off.

  Daphne Birnley, Alan Birnley's daughter : Oh, no!

  Sidney Stratton : No?

  Daphne Birnley, Alan Birnley's daughter : No. It makes you look like a knight in shining armour. It's what you are.

  Sidney Stratton : Me?

  Daphne Birnley, Alan Birnley's daughter : Don't you understand what this means? Millions of people all over the world, living lives of drudgery, fighting an endless losing battle against shabbiness and dirt. You've won that battle for them. You've set them free. The whole world's going to bless you.

• Bertha, Birnley Mill worker : Sid, what's all this? Harry said you've quit.

  Sidney Stratton : Oh, yes, yes.

  Bertha, Birnley Mill worker : Why?

  Sidney Stratton : Well, you see, eh...

  Mrs. Watson, Sidney's landlady : You didn't get sacked?

  Sidney Stratton : Oh, no, no.

  Bertha, Birnley Mill worker : Then, what happened?

  Sidney Stratton : Well, I've got the chance of another job.

  Bertha, Birnley Mill worker : Where?

  Sidney Stratton : At Birnley's too, in a way.

  Mrs. Watson, Sidney's landlady : You haven't quit then?

  Sidney Stratton : Yes and no. I've got the chance of working in a laboratory.

  Bertha, Birnley Mill worker : Oh, it's a better job, then?

  Sidney Stratton : Oh yes, much.

  Bertha, Birnley Mill worker : And more money?

  Sidney Stratton : Well, I shan't actually get paid for it.

  Bertha, Birnley Mill worker : Whát? We'll see about that. Scab labour... huh! The Works Committee had better hear about this!

  Sidney Stratton : But I don't want to get paid!

  Mrs. Watson, Sidney's landlady : Not want to?

  Bertha, Birnley Mill worker : I don't care whether you want to get paid or not! You've got to get paid!

• Bertha, Birnley Mill worker : New, aren't you?

  Sidney Stratton : Uhh, yes.

  Bertha, Birnley Mill worker : Never worked in a mill before?

  Sidney Stratton : Oh yes, several.

  Bertha, Birnley Mill worker : I know. Leave school, into the first blind alley job that comes along. Too old for that. Into another and another. By the time you're thirty, what are you? Flotsam floating on the flood tide of profits. There's Capitalism for you.

  Sidney Stratton : It wasn't quite like that. I got a scholarship to Cambridge.

  Bertha, Birnley Mill worker : But you hadn't got the old school tie. Oh, you can't tell *me*. Discrimination. I've seen plenty. Where were you going with this lot?

  Sidney Stratton : The loading bay, I think they call it.

  Bertha, Birnley Mill worker : You were going the wrong way anyhow. It's down there.

  [Siren wails] 

  Bertha, Birnley Mill worker : Tea up! Better leave it.

  Sidney Stratton : Oh, tea? No thanks. I think I'd rather...

  Bertha, Birnley Mill worker : Tea Break! We had to *fight* for it.

• Sidney Stratton : [Seeing Mr. Corland's pen-lighter]  Oh! That's ingenious. May I?

  Michael Corland : Of course.

  Sidney Stratton : [Flicking the lighter on]  How much petrol as against how much ink?

  Michael Corland : I really don't know.

• Sidney Stratton : It shouldn't have done that.