Eddie Izzard is a man on a mission in his new movie “Whisky Galore!” — and that mission involves an island full of Scots, 50,000 cases of whisky and copious cups of tea.
The stand-up comedian, actor and writer plays an uptight World War II commander investigating a missing freighter ship that ran aground, packed full of malt whisky in the middle of wartime rationing. And TheWrap has an exclusive clip of the alcohol-fueled maritime accident.
The comedy is based on the real-life story of the SS Politician that ran aground off the Island of Eriskay in the Outer Hebrides during gale force winds on Feb. 5 1941. The ensuing mayhem between the residents and the authorities was later turned into a book by Compton McKenzie and a film directed by Alexander Mackendrick in 1949.
The remake of the WWII caper also stars BAFTA winner Gregor Fisher (“Rab C. Nesbitt”), James Cosmo and Ellie Kendrick (“Game of Thrones”), Kevin Guthrie (“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”), Naomi Battrick (“Waterloo Road”), and Sean Biggerstaff (the “Harry Potter” series).
Along with starring opposite Minnie Driver on FX’s series “The Riches,” Izzard has starred in “Ocean’s Twelve,” “Ocean’s Thirteen,” “Mystery Men,” “Shadow of the Vampire,” “The Cat’s Meow,” “Across the Universe” and “Valkyrie.”
Gillies Mackinnon directed “Whisky Galore!” from a script by award-winning writer Peter McDougall.
It is set for release in select theaters in Los Angeles and New York on May 12.
Read the studio’s official description below and watch the video above.
In 1943, the people of the isolated Scottish island of Todday are largely unaffected by wartime rationing, until their supply of whisky runs out. In the midst of this catastrophe, Sergeant Odd (Biggerstaff) returns on leave to court Peggy Macroon (Battrick), the daughter of the local shopkeeper (Fisher). Meanwhile, her sister Catriona (Kendrick) has just become engaged to meek schoolteacher George Campbell (Guthrie), although his stern, domineering mother refuses to give her approval.
During a storm, the freighter S.S. Cabinet Minister runs aground near Todday and begins to sink. Two local inhabitants investigate and learn from its departing crew that the cargo consists of 50,000 cases of whisky.
A battle of wits ensues between the stuffy English commander Wagget (Izzard), who wants to confiscate the salvaged cargo, and the islanders.
