The Maggie

The Maggie released in the U.S. as High and Dry is a 1954 British comedy film produced by Ealing Studios. Directed by Alexander Mackendrick and written by William Rose, it is a story of a clash of cultures between a harddriving American businessman and a wily Scottish captain.

The Maggie is a typical Clyde puffer, a small, aged cargo boat with a varied, irascible and argumentative crew. MacTaggart Alex Mackenzie, her rascal of a captain, is in dire need of 300 pounds to renew his licence. In a shipping office by chance, he meets Mr Pusey Hubert Gregg. Pusey, a proper Englishman complete with bowler hat and umbrella, is trying to arrange for the transportation of some personal furniture for his boss, American Calvin B. Marshall Paul Douglas, as a present for his wife to furnish their new home. The big company has no ships immediately available, but MacTaggart gets the job when Pusey mistakenly believes that he works for the reputable shipping company and that the more modern vessel docked next to the Maggie is MacTaggarts.Marshall is a wealthy industrialist, a stubborn and determined selfmade man. When he eventually learns the truth, he sets out in pursuit of the boat by aeroplane and hired car. Catching up with the puffer, he puts Pusey on board to ensure the cargo is transferred to another boat. But his underling is no match for the captain he ends up in jail on a charge of poaching. Marshall realizes that he will have to handle the matter personally. After another costly chase, he boards the boat himself to spur the transfer of his cargo onto another vessel. However, the route and timing of the voyage are governed by tidal variations and local community priorities. ........

Source: Wikipedia