Mad Little Island (1958) Poster

(1958)

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7/10
a slight but charming British comedy
graduatedan5 May 2007
The inhabitants of Todday are content to live their lives in peace and quiet, until, that is, the government decides their little corner of the world would be the perfect place for a rocket launch site. Squadron leader Hugh Manders (Donald Sinden) is sent to the island for a look-see and discovers a pastoral land peopled with quirky characters not at all willing to give up their homes or way of life for the sake of "progress".

Rockets Galore is a leisurely paced film that eschews broad slapstick for subtle humour, much of it found in the wry dialogue. There is a pronounced anti war sentiment in the film ,not to mention a more than passing nod to conservation (it figures prominently in the picture's "mcguffin"). The film makes much of the scenic locales, which were shot on the Island of Barra in the Hebrides. The surprisingly good looking Eastmancolour adds to the effect. There's something to be said for a film that is both charming and entertaining. For that reason I have no problem recommending Rockets Galore.
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7/10
You could do worse at 5 AM....
jdwayside30 June 2005
(Hey, we watch the ABC here in Bris-Vegas, too, ye know.)

This is a fairly pleasant film, a light comedy that's easy on the eyes and ears. Not a terribly deep or unusual plot; yet another variation on We'll Band Together and Preserve Our Little Rustic Paradise Against the Modernist Interlopers and of course, Let's Get The Kids Involved. Some quite nice scenery at times, and the singing isn't of a grating quality. (Okay, some it's actually pretty good.) Not a great movie, but it's agreeable enough. Technically, it's pretty good for something shot in the late 1950s.

There are some funny characters in it (I particularly liked the policeman for some reason) and it does have that folksy/Scottish flavour to it -- I guess I like hearing the accents.
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7/10
Not a great film, but mildly amusing
seánós25 April 2002
I can only assume that dj_kennett watched this film on the ABC, who usually show this film here in Australia in their last timeslot of the night, just before dawn. This may explain the falling asleep.

Though by no means a great film there are many little points of interest, including the scenery of the Isle of Barra that dj mentioned, the bits of Gàidhlig that appear here and there and some singing. See if you recognize Ronnie Corbett (listed as Ronald).

So, not something I'd go out of my way to see, but worth a look if it comes your way.

Slàinte!
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6/10
Rockets Galore
CinemaSerf19 October 2023
It's completely silly, and very "British", but I rather enjoyed this daft caper about the inhabitants of the tiny island of "Todday" who resist Government plans to militarise their homeland. It is clearly intended as a sequel to "Whisky Galore" with a few of the same characters rallying to the cause. Like many of Compton Mackenzie's stories, it is quirkily put together offering us loads of characters with idio(t)synchracies that raise a smile rather than a guffaw. Donald Sinden is completely lost here, though. His typically theatrical style of acting drags this down from an otherwise, gently entertaining base. The rest of the cast - Gordon Jackson, Noel Purcell and Duncan Macrae help to pepper the slightly dull script with some charismatic nostalgia for the first film, and demonstrate the feistiness and independence of these Scottish islanders who want no law but their own... It is fun, maybe not great, but still enjoyable.
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3/10
Rockets Galore AKA Mad Little Island
aburke538-516-5108369 May 2016
This seems to be an earlier version of "Local Hero" with only small changes to the plot outline. i.e. Englishman comes to survey a Scottish Island with a rocket launch site in mind, local objection and Scottish wits persuades the government otherwise. It's OK for the time it was made and I've sat through worse. I come from Scotland so I will watch anything that has been filmed there, within reason! It contains all the elements of that time, such as romance, wine, women and song. Donald Sinden is (as ever) very dashing and gives us ladies something to concentrate on other than the plot. The cast contains many famous Scottish actors and comedians that are probably not well known outside their home turf.
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3/10
A big disappointment
john_oneill4129 June 2006
Having seen the wonderful Whisky Galore shortly before I watched this, I turned the TV on expecting more of the same. Unfortunately this is not the case. I suppose taken on it's own merits it's not too bad, but for me it just had too many things wrong with it.

The casting for example. Apart from Gordon Jackson and maybe one or two others none of the cast from Whisky Galore makes a return appearance even though many of the characters are the same. One almost suspects the producers of just not trying hard enough to get the old cast back together.

However, the actor Duncan Macrae did come back but the producers committed the cardinal sin by casting him in a different role to the one he played in Whisky Galore. If you're going to have the same actor at least have him play the same part, otherwise just get someone else. This holds especially true for this film, which to be honest was made solely on the back of it's predecessor being so successful.

A major disappointment all round.
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5/10
Creaks and groans to a predictable conclusion
dj_kennett9 July 2001
Based on one of the stories by the famous Compton Mackenzie, this is a feeble film about the residents of a small island in the Hebredies and their attempts to prevent the RAF building a rocket base on their island.

I fell asleep (which is unusual).

The main benefit it that it is in colour. Enjoy the scenery and ignore the plot.
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8/10
"How are you spelling Hamburger, is it the same as in the police service canteen?"
ygwerin17 April 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Seeing the films title I was reminded of another film Whiskey Galore, also set in a similar Scottish location. And at the start is an audio commentary about the island of Todday, which mentions the 'Rescue' of whiskey on the island. We are then shown a pile of bottles, that I would imagine are the empties.

Both films were originally books by the Scottish author Compton Mackenzie, and he intended them to be sequals.

I like the film for its quirkiness there are precious few films made in Britain, and even less in Scotland.

I particularly liked the use of the islanders, speaking in Scots Gaelic.

It features a veritable who's who of Scottish actors, it is really nice to see them all looking so incredibly young. I have never seen most of them in any feature films especially Ronnie Corbett.

Duncan Macrae used to appear on British TV, at New Years eve from Scotland. In a programme called the White Heather Club, I don't recall him speaking in Scots Gaelic. I simply remember him reading, what sounded like a dirge on innumerable occasions.

Dr. Hamburger is I assume meant to be German an ex Nazis scientist one of those smuggled out of Germany, after World War II to start the yanks nuclear war effort.
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4/10
Lacklustre
Leofwine_draca20 February 2020
Warning: Spoilers
ROCKETS GALORE is a sequel to WHISKY GALORE!, and a film that I suppose most of us will never have heard of before watching. Having finished viewing it, I can see why; this is very much a lacklustre sequel with little of the wit, wisdom and energy of the first film. The locals are up in arms when the government allows a new rocket testing base to be built on their remote island, but the shenanigans that ensue are anything but involved or interesting. As ever with films of this era, the most fun to come from a viewing is seeing seasoned character actors like Noel Purcell and Gordon Jackson doing their bit, and there's also the novelty of a very young Ronnie Corbett in the cast.
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5/10
One rocket and few laughs
malcolmgsw7 April 2020
Not having read the original novel I can only assume that this film utilised the basic storyline but gave it a bit of a twist.Sadly failing to repeat the success of the original film.Donald Sinden gives a very theatrical performance and the romance is unlikely.In any event difficult to repeat the era of austerity in a time of rising affluence.
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8/10
Not exactly a sequel to "Whiskey Galore!"...but a sweet film nevertheless.
planktonrules12 September 2023
"Rockets Galore" is supposed to be a sequel, of sorts, to "Whiskey Galore!"...which was made about a decade earlier. However, most of the people in the film are different actors and characters, though the setting (a tiny Scottish island) is the same.

When the film begins, you learn that the British government is planning on building a missile base on tiny Toddaya island. And, this will also mean displacing many people from their homes! Considering how isolated the place is, clearly moving many families will cause a HUGE disruption in their lives. Much of the film is about how the locals do their best to discourage the government...and some of these schemes are rather funny.

This movie is funny but its main strength is in the sweetness of the characters and community. It also helps that unlike the earlier film, this one is in vivid color...and it looks lovely. Overall, a highly creative and fun film...one that is well worth your time.
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