Review: The Small Voice

Escaped convicts (Howard Keel, David Greene, and Michael Balfour) looking for a place to hide-out invade the home of a not-so happily married English couple (Valerie Hobson and James Donald). Donald is a playwright who has become embittered through life experiences and it’s affecting his marriage. Hobson was all set to leave the marriage when the criminals set upon them. Well this is rather awkward timing, isn’t it?

 

Before Humphrey Bogart played a fugitive in “The Desperate Hours”, Howard Keel made his screen debut (billed as Harold Keel) as a fugitive in this tautly-made 1948 British crime-thriller. Directed by veteran editor Fergus McDonell (who mostly directed shorts) and based on a Robert Westerby novel, it’s a rock-solid film deserving of greater status and reputation. Despite Valerie Hobson’s top-billing, the real lead here is the always good James Donald. As usual he’s perfectly solid as a mild-mannered Englishman, but this time he’s also an unhappy, insecure and embittered one. He’s a reticent man forced to defend his family from far more masculine types than he. It’s also happening at a time when his wife has just told him that she’s finally fed up with him and wants out of the marriage. It’s perfect casting in one of Donald’s earlier on-screen outings that I’ve seen (I mostly tend to associate him with his stiff upper lip, quietly defiant S.O. in 1963’s “The Great Escape”).

 

Howard Keel was the real surprise to me here. I normally find the cheesy musical star to be quite laughable, but as a no-nonsense, hulking menace he’s terrific. He reminded me a little of George Kennedy in his villainous turns. This guy’s just straight-up mean, and Keel’s imposing frame is wonderfully employed, aided by some choice camera angles to make him look even more of a physical threat. His physicality and unsettling dead-eyed stare are a great forceful counter to the very mild-mannered, polite Englishness of Donald and Valerie Hobson. I think it’s a real shame that he didn’t act more often outside of the musical genre, because he shows here he wasn’t just a lightweight (yet masculine) star of sudsy sing-a-longs with a wide grin you just want to punch. There’s no grinning here, I assure you. In support, David Greene and Michael Balfour lived long lives and had enduring careers (Greene more prolific as a director, including the landmark miniseries “Roots” and “Rich Man, Poor Man”), and are perfectly solid here. Balfour in particular is good as perhaps the most agreeable, genial of the crooks. If there’s a weak link in the cast, there isn’t but star Valerie Hobson is probably the least impressive of a good group. She’s actually fine as the wife. However, after getting a strong showing early on in the film she seems to blend in with the scenery a bit I think. That said, I rather liked how she and Donald’s characters aren’t shown to be particularly frightened in this situation. Stiff upper lip and all that, I guess. I’m not saying it’s necessarily plausible, but given the basic situation is a fairly standard one in cinema, I kinda liked this change from the norm. Given the couple are barely on speaking terms with each other, that also adds an interesting wrinkle too.

 

Somewhat of a British precursor to “The Desperate Hours”, this enjoyable B-level hostage drama boasts several fine performances, particularly a surprisingly seedy showing for Howard Keel in his film debut. It might be worth seeing it for his intimidating, no-BS performance alone. Here’s a damn good film that shouldn’t have fallen through the cracks like it has. The screenplay is by the trio of George Barraud, Derek Neame (who only has two other minor credits), and Julian Orde (ditto, pretty much).

 

Rating: B-