Rockets Galore (1958)

The residents of Todday – a small (fictional) island in the Outer Hebrides – attempt to stop the RAF building a missile base on their island.

Squadron leader Hugh Manders (Donald Sinden) is sent to the island to negotiate and discovers a pastoral land peopled with quirky characters not at all willing to give up their homes or way of life. He also falls in love with local redhead, Janet Macleod (Jeannie Carson).

When a missile is finally launched, the guidance system fails and the missile returns to the land, rather than out at sea. As it is technically on privately owned land, the islanders claim it and celebrate their victory by dancing around the site.

The RAF tries unsuccessfully to negotiate but eventually abandons the base when rare “pink” gulls are “discovered” on the island.

Location filming took place on the island of Barra.

This sequel to Whisky Galore (1949) was released in some markets as Mad Little Island and features a veritable who’s who of Scottish actors and comedians.

Janet Macleod
Jeannie Carson
Squadron Leader Hugh Mander
Donald Sinden
Captain Waggett
Roland Culver
Mrs Waggett
Catherine Lacey
Father James McAlister
Noel Purcell
Air Commodore Watchorn
Ian Hunter
Duncan Ban
Duncan Macrae
Mrs Campbell
Jean Cadell
George Campbell
Gordon Jackson
Joseph Macleod
Alex Mackenzie
Dr Hamburger
Carl Jaffe
Andrew Wishart
Nicholas Phipps
Constable Macrae
Jameson Clark
Drooby
Ronnie Corbett
Kenny McLeod
James Copeland
Reverend Angus
John Stevenson Lang

Director
Michael Relph

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