The Bespoke Overcoat (1955)

This short won the Academy Award for Live Action Short, Two-Reeler, over two shorts from Disney, which was no small feat back then. There will be spoilers ahead:The title of this short refers to the practice of custom-tailoring clothing to fit an individual, with such apparel referred to as "bespoke" and thus not to be sold to anyone else. The short begins with a funeral and a tailor dropping a coat in a grave. The story is related by the ghost of the dead man visiting the tailor that night.The tailor, named Morrie, is friends with Fender, a clerk for Ranting and Co., a clothing manufacturer. When Fender asks the current owner of Ranting if he can buy a sheepskin coat on time, he is callously refused, even though he's worked for the firm for more than 40 years and knew the current Ranting when he was a child.Fender pleads with Morrie to mend his current coat, but it's too old and can no longer be repaired, it's too far gone to be mended. They strike a bargain on a custom coat at cost. Morrie begins making the coat and gets a down payment.Fender gets sacked by Ranting and tearfully tells Morrie he cannot pay for the coat. Fender gets sick and dies of pneumonia. He is the ghost who visits Morrie and asks for his help in settling a debt of honor with Ranting. They go to the warehouse, where the ghost of Fender gets them in the warehouse and Fender helps himself to a sheepskin coat. Fender then asks Morrie to say a prayer for him and the short ends back at Morrie's with Morrie praying for Fender.The three principal roles are all well done by the actors, but Alfie Bass stands out as Fender. It's a wonderful short and richly deserved its Oscar.This is available on a region 2 DVD release of The Innocents and I saw it online. Most highly recommended.

I saw this film tonight December 2008 on TV and it was a grainy black and white. That is the worst thing I can say about it. I have in the past seen David Kossoff and Alfie Bass in many films but none ever had the impact that this film had on me. David Kossoff has always been regarded as a very good actor and so he was in this film. But I know Alfie Bass more for the comedy roles that he has played. His performance in this film was outstanding. I see that he was nominated for a Best Actor Award and I think his performance was Oscar standard. This film has made more of an impression on me than any of the more recent films made with big stars and big budgets. I would recommend this film to anybody who enjoys a good story, great acting and older films. I give it 9 out of 10 only because I don't believe that it is possible for human beings to be perfect.

Those who have written eloquently of their love for this picture may by now have found it.If they have not, they should know that it is available as a splendid extra on the BFI DVD of Jack Clayton's The Innocents. Worth going multi-region if not in Region-2!Both films look very good and The Bespoke Overcoat seems to have gained a few minutes since its original release: it does not begin with the deathbed scene described by a previous poster but with a pre-title sequence in a graveyard.I hope this is helpful.

First, Wolf Mankowitz could write. Just about the worst thing he ever wrote was "a kid for two farthings" and that was pretty good. This was the best thing he ever wrote.Second, both Alfie Bass and David Kossoff acted brilliantly and must have been cast by a genius.Third, the Director also knew what he was about. He shot the film straight down the middle and didn't waste a frame. I suppose I must have seen it for the one and only time getting on for fifty years ago. I still remember some of the lines - "Flying jackets? In these jackets you can fly?" - and the ghost of Fender refusing to walk through the wall because he "felt silly". Didn't somebody get nominated for an Oscar?