The Man in the White Suit

The friction between commerce (read: capitalism) and scientific progress is the through line for The Man in the White Suit, a gentle ‘comedy’ from Ealing that’s more mildly charming than funny. If there’s another staple of the Ealing formula that emerged in watching these films back-to-back-to-back, it’s that these films are gentle, sophisticated, and too demure for my American sensibilities to wrap my arms around completely. I respect them from a polite distance.

Here, Ealing turns their satirical eye on a small British town that’s livelihood is codependent on the presence of the ever-billowing smokestacks of the factories. Our antihero is a chemist (Guinness) that creates a fabric that would seriously hobble the textile industry. While he sees his creation as a boon for mankind, the community sees it as a hinderance to their ability to make a living and keep their town going. Both sides have merits for their arguments, so their eventual combativeness is an understandable outgrowth.

In the film’s climax, the oppressive ruling class of factory owners join hands with the ruled class of workers to form a kangaroo court against Guinness. The great unifier is a threat to the economic bottom-line apparently, and yeah, that tracks with western society. The final moments reveal that perhaps this character hasn’t learned his lesson or been humbled by his journey as his towering ambition (and unbridled ego) remain untethered as the end credits rolled. That may be a fate worse than death in a way.