Chance of a Lifetime

Made in 1950, the film revolves around the worker's decision to take over the management of an agricultural machine factory from their benign but traditional minded boss played by Basil Radford. Strong acting performances from Bernard Miles, Kenneth More, Neil Macginnis, Basil Radford and Geoffrey Keen, as well as the realistic scenes played out on the factory floor, make this a thought provoking and enjoyable film. What makes this film convincing is that the characters are not one dimensional and the dialogue between the workers, as they struggle to come to terms with their responsibilities, feels and sounds genuine. This is film which intends to show what life was really like on the shop floor as well as portray factory workers, not as mere pawns or victims in the world of work, but rather as working men who could display initiative, courage and determination to save their jobs.

Jack of all trades Bernard Miles manages to write, direct, and produce this movie while taking one of the lead roles. Basil Radford is ideal casting as the slightly pompous, yet kind hearted boss who decides to let this employees run his agricultural implement company when they express disapproval at his employee relations.

The film shows the point trade unionism and the co-operative movement had reached in 1950, a few years after the reforming Labour government got in and just before they were replaced by Winston Churchill, showing that the country was oscillating between socialism and conservatism. Miles's intelligent script is even-handed in its approach to these issued and also gives insights into the class system of the time.

This is also worth watching for early performances from Patrick Troughton, Hattie Jacques, and Peter Jones. The direction is slightly flat at times, but Miles must have had his hands full. There are few scenes outside the well-made factory set, and this is all for the better as it gives us more of a feel of the lives of the people who work there.

This was clearly a contentious film when it was first released.Originally this film was rejected by the circuits.It was championed by the producer and was imposed on the Odeon circuit by the Board of Trade.It was received enthusiastically by the critics..The Rank card was unimpressed stating "Unspectacular production,but one of general interest".However audiences stayed away.For example in Leeds where Up In Arms obtained 42 days of screening,this film obtained just 6.In southeast Essex The Royal Wedding obtained 88 and this film 13.Initially the producer claimed that Ranks marketing would kill the film but was subsequently forced to admit that the film had done badly notwithstanding the genuine efforts of the Odeon people to boost it.

Basil Radford ""Dickinson" runs a small foundry that makes farming implements in post-war Britain that has it's fair share of disgruntled employees. When they threaten a walk out after the stroppy "Bolger" (Geoffrey Keen) gets the push, he offers to let them try their hand at running the business instead. What ensues is a depiction of their valiant attempt to make a go of it, and what makes it interesting - aside from some characterful performances from Radford, Niall MacGinnis, Kenneth More and a smartly paced dialogue - is that Bernard Miles doesn't present us with a rose-coloured "co-op" success story. They have plenty of glitches, contretemps and the ending is clever and fulfilling, without being cloyingly sentimental. It's emblematic of the start of a new era of industrial relations peppered with some good comedic lines and a genuinely plausible, collaborative, perspective. Definitely worth watching.

This is fascinating as a time document of workers' conditions after the war, competing with impossible circumstances, here trying to save a factory from going to the dogs by taking it over themselves, and ultimately, when difficulties and adversities threaten to overwhelm them, get some well needed help from the catcher in the rye, the old boss himself. One of many curiosities here is the appearance of Comptom MacKenzie himself in the role of Sir Robert Dysart, but generally the acting here is superb all the way, especially by the young Kenneth More, the director and producer Bernard Miles himself, Basil Radford and actually every one. Although you don't understand much of the details and the working circumstances of 1950, the film is extremely vivid, everyone putting his heart in it, even the Xenobians make a very convincing impression, and the film gives a thrilling insight into working men's lives and conditions after the war.