Chance of a Lifetime (1950 film)

Plot

In the times of austerity after the Second World War, Dickinson works hard to try to keep his failing agricultural implements factory going. His disgruntled workers do not appreciate his efforts, however. He has a suggestion box installed as a safety valve, but the only response is an insult directed at him. When Dickinson sacks Bolger, the author of the suggestion, the rest of the workers go out on strike. Dickinson confronts them and, in the heat of the moment, tells them he works much harder than they think and dares them to run the business themselves. Baxter gets the others to take him up on his suggestion, and they elect Stevens and Morris to do just that. Dickinson is taken aback, but reluctantly agrees to let the factory on condition that they pay him annually 5% of the capital value of the business, £120 a week.

Bland, the despised works manager, Miss Cooper, Dickinson's secretary and a few others quit as well. That night, Dickinson's solicitor and doctor advise him to take a holiday and recommend Miss Cooper return to work.

A supplier changes its credit terms, causing a financial crisis. The local bank manager is unwilling to extend a temporary loan, so Baxter goes to see the manager's boss, Sir Robert Dysart, but has no luck. Finally, Stevens and Morris put up the deeds to their own homes, Palmer raises money on his insurance policy, and after some grumbling, some of the workers make up the remaining shortfall.

Meanwhile, the Xenobian trade delegation contact the factory to arrange a demonstration of the "one-way plough" that Dickinson had been working on. Miss Cooper invites Dickinson to attend, but he merely watches from a distance through binoculars. The Xenobians are impressed and order 800 ploughs for £50,000. After the contract is signed, Adam insists the only way to fulfill such a large order is to focus their efforts solely on the plough, to the exclusion of work they have already contracted for from longtime customers. Morris returns to the factory floor rather than be a party to abandoning their other customers. Adam takes his place.

Meanwhile, a few of the workers, led by Baxter, are unhappy with the new, lower pay rate. Two trades union men are called in to try to sort things out. Fortunately, Baxter eventually gives in.

Dickinson shows up at the factory late at night and is invited for a cup of cocoa by the watchman. He meets Miss Cooper and has a chat with her about how things are going. He learns that Stevens may have trouble with a steel supplier, so the next day he goes to see Garrett, its managing director. Garrett strongly disapproves of the experiment and refuses to help it along, but Dickinson suggests a newspaper article about its sabotaging, with a photograph of Garrett, would not be in his best interests. The steel is delivered.

Then the Xenobian Government announces that "in view of their foreign currency position, all outstanding import licences are suspended ... until the end of the year." Fortunately, Dickinson returns and is able to find other foreign customers for the ploughs. Disaster averted, he starts to leave, only to be offered his old job back. He accepts a lesser position, saying that Adam deserves to be the managing director (Stevens having had his fill of it and wanting to get back to real work).

Cast