one of the thing that make this ealing comedy so outrageously funny be the clever editing . shot that would be consider absolutely essential to most modern comedy be deliberately leave out . ( this be what be know a british understatement . ) three instance represent a comic fight be edit like this . alec guiness have invent a new cloth that will ruin the industry . half a dozen businessmen invite him to their office to try to get him to sign a contract relinquish his control of the cloth so that production can be suppress . when he catch on to this and guiness stand up and turn to walk to the door . two men block his way . excuse me and he say quietly and take a step forward . the two men move between guiness and the camera . cut . a secretary be sit outside at her desk . there be silence until the buzzer begin signal her frantically . she take up her notebook and open the door to the inner office where a full fledge noisy donnybrook be in progress and the room be half wrecked . guiness dash out the open door . the following example would be unthinkable today . during the research phase of his invention guiness set up an elaborate chemical apparatus but instead of convert the experimental liquid into the new cloth and the device explodes . again and again it explode . the laboratory be clear of all other work . the blast continue . ceiling fall down . window be blow out . the director of research be seat at his desk in a tiny office clutter with debris and a bandage on his head . when the door behind him open he jump a foot in the air . sit down and he tell his visitor and there another one due at any moment . it be excruciatingly amusing and there be not a single shot of any explosion . this would be unimaginable now without a fireball and and maybe a building collapse in slow motion . last example and consisting of a series of quick and relentless cut and put together precisely . guiness be be pursue and be corner in the lobby of an office building by people who want him to sign the contract . face with two men about to grapple with him and guiness back up with a determined expression . he bump against a pedestal with an iron bust on it . the bust topple backward and bump against the wall . there be a shot lasting about one second of the bust hit the wall . another brief shot of a metal shield hung above the bust be jar loose and fall down . quick cut to guiness head rise into the frame . cut to the two men star into the camera while horrible brass banging and thud sound be hear off screen . cut to guiness flat on his back . nobody today would have the cojones to not show guiness be crown by that shield . i would not go on with this . it a comedy alright but a pretty bitter one underneath all the hilarity . in solve one set of problem and guiness have create dozen of others . he be oppose both by management and labor and neither of which be show to much advantage . and of course the economic implication have to do with more than cloth . what about that car that run on water with a pinch of something or other in it . one of the worker asks . vested interest and comment another worker and a thorstein veblen nod in his grave . what would happen if our problem with energy be solve overnight . if i own share of exxon and i think i do i would shudder at the thought . where would the oil industry be if there be no more need for oil . for that matter and where would the police force and the fbi be if crime be to suddenly disappear . this be a thoughtful and very amusing movie and superbly direct and edit . the roster of performer be peerless . joanne greenwood with that husky voice . the blithering cecil parker . the wheeze mummified ernest thesiger . a first rate job all around .