Let me begin in axe-grinding mode. I am astonished that Bryan Forbes had to wait until he was practically at Death's door before receiving a BFI Fellowship and was even too frail to attend. Steve McQueen however has already received a Fellowship by virtue of nothing but political correctness.
Moving on, Forbes here has tackled a pretty bleak subject head on and has not pulled any punches. Rochefoucauld observed that 'old age is woman's hell'. It is even more hellish if she is isolated, short of funds and has, to put it bluntly, mislaid a few marbles.
This is a well-written and well-directed film in which you certainly won't catch any of the first-rate cast 'acting'. The excellent Eric Portman utilises his native Yorkshire accent. Edith Evans, astonishingly, did not make her first film until she was 61! She had been advised by Alec Guinness that on camera 'little is good, less is better' and director Thorold Dickinson had a hell of a job trying to get her to do more. It would not be long of course before she achieved the perfect balance and as Mrs. Ross she is simply stupendous. Many lament her losing out to Katherine Hepburn in the Oscar stakes but if there is one thing Hollywood cannot abide it is a 'feel bad' movie.
One should see this excellent but exceedingly grim film once but I wager that having done so, one will be in no great rush to see it again.
Review of The Whisperers
