Chance of a Lifetime

Basil Radford - Dickinson
Niall MacGinnis - Baxter
Bernard Miles - Stevens
Julien Mitchell - Morris
Kenneth More - Adam
Geoffrey Keen - Bolger
Josephine Wilson - Miss Cooper
John Harvey - Bland

Comedy drama, directed, co-written and starring Bernard Miles. The direction is composed and the ensemble cast act with conviction, however the fanciful collective concept looks even more nostalgic today. The film has a tendency to moralise and proved controversial on release being denied a circuit release.

Dickinson (Basil Radford), the frustrated owner of a small agricultural engineering firm is developing a new farm plough, and after gentle persuasion from his secretary begins to take his workers suggestions for improvements into account. Dickinson goes further and has a suggestion box installed, but after an insulting suggestion note and discord between the works manager Bland (John Harvey) and his staff a strike is called the sacking of an employee. Tired of his workers lack of understanding, Dickinson resolves to turn over all management duties to his employees Stevens (Bernard Miles) and Morris (Julien Mitchell), allowing them to run the factory. Initially the new bosses struggle but win a big foreign order until currency troubles cause it’s cancellation. Dickinson returns to bring his experience to their aid and all concerned look forward to their future with renewed confidence.