So, I rented 'The Winslow Boy' because it was written and directed by David 
Mamet.  It was one of three such movies I hadn't yet seen (the other two are 
'Homicide' and 'Things Change').  Having been thoroughly enchanted by his other 
filmmaking projects, I had high hopes for this flick. Perhaps that was my great 
mistake.

The adolescent son of a prewar aristocratic family, The Winslows, is expelled 
from The Royal Naval Academy for petty theft.  Convinced of his son's innocence, 
Arthur Winslow (Nigel Hawthorne) sets out to exonerate his progeny.  In suit 
with her father, suffragette Catherine Winslow (Rebecca Pidgeon - no surprise to 
see her in a Mamet film) joins her brother's cause with equal zeal.  As the 
expelling institution is The Royal Naval Academy, its findings have the power of 
the crown behind them.  Unfortunately for the Winslows, even bringing an issue 
of redress to the crown is no small feat, to say nothing of the task of proving 
the boy's innocence.  This David versus Goliath story captures the nations 
attention, and quickly reaches enormous proportions.  Despite the sacrifices 
made and yet to be made by the family, there is no turning back now.

Compared to what I see as signature Mamet work (e.g., 'Oleanna', 'House of 
Games'), 'The Winslow Boy' is decidedly weak.  While Mamet's direction elicits 
great work from Nigel Hawthorne, Rebecca Pidgeon and Jeremy Northam (playing the 
Winslows solicitor), his dialog is less sharp and punchy than in his other 
forays.  Perhaps this is due to the fact that while the script is based on a 
play, it's a play that was written by Terrence Rattigan, not David Mamet.  
Perhaps this is due to the fact that this movie was first made fifty years 
earlier.  Were he to shake the baggage of the past tellings of this mildly 
engaging story, I believe his wry wit could have shone brighter.  As it is, 
however, 'The Winslow Boy' is a mediocre period piece with a very linear, 
unexciting plot.