DramaMusic

Distant Voices, Still Lives

- In memory, everything happens to music.

Siblings Maisie and Tony, along with their mother, gather for their sister Eileen's wedding. It is a joyous occasion, but through flashbacks, it becomes clear that the family was not always happy. Their father was physically abusive to his wife and left the children emotionally traumatized. As a result, the children have grown into unhappy adults, looking for love they didn't receive when they were young.

Release Date : 1988-11-16

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : ZDFBFIFilm4 Productions

Production Country : GermanyUnited Kingdom

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : Mother

Original Name : Freda Dowie

Gender : Female

Character Name : Father

Original Name : Pete Postlethwaite

Gender : Male

Character Name : Eileen

Original Name : Angela Walsh

Gender : Female

Character Name : Maisie

Original Name : Lorraine Ashbourne

Gender : Female

Character Name : Tony

Original Name : Dean Williams

Gender : Male

Character Name : Eileen as a child

Original Name : Sally Davies

Gender : Male

Character Name : Maisie as a child

Original Name : Susan Flanagan

Gender : Male

Character Name : Tony as a child

Original Name : Nathan Walsh

Gender : Male

Character Name : Dave

Original Name : Michael Starke

Gender : Male

Character Name : Micky

Original Name : Debi Jones

Gender : Male

Character Name : George

Original Name : Vincent Maguire

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jingles

Original Name : Marie Jelliman

Gender : Female

Character Name : Rose

Original Name : Antonia Mallen

Gender : Male

Character Name : Granny

Original Name : Anne Dyson

Gender : Female

Character Name : Aunty Nell

Original Name : Jean Boht

Gender : Female

Character Name : Red

Original Name : Chris Darwin

Gender : Male

Character Name : Les

Original Name : Andrew Schofield

Gender : Male

Character Name : Doreen

Original Name : Pauline Quirke

Gender : Female

Character Name : Uncle Ted

Original Name : Carl Chase

Gender : Male

Character Name : Priest

Original Name : Alan Bird

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mr Spaull

Original Name : Matthew Long

Gender : Male

Character Name : Margie

Original Name : Frances Dell

Gender : Male

Character Name : Priest

Original Name : Roy Ford

Gender : Male

Character Name : Military Policeman

Original Name : Terry Melia

Gender : Male

Character Name : Military Policeman

Original Name : John Thomalla

Gender : Male

Character Name : Registrar

Original Name : John Carr

Gender : Male

Character Name : Soldier

Original Name : John Michie

Gender : Male

Character Name : Barmaid

Original Name : Jeanette Moseley

Gender : Male

Character Name : Licensee

Original Name : Ina Clough

Gender : Female

Character Name : Pubgoer (uncredited)

Original Name : Bill Moores

Gender : Male

Character Name : Pubgoer (uncredited)

Original Name : George Moss

Gender : Male

Reviews

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2023-09-05

This film is a little like an LP. It has two distinct sides. One "Distant Voices" focuses on just what makes the father of a small family tick. Two - "Still Lives" dwells more on the lives of the children. Unlike on the vinyl though, once we are on that side of the record there are no tracks. The story flits about with a non-consistent chronology to bring us the happy, the sad, the brutal and the gentle and it really does showcase well the acting talents of Pete Postlethwaite as the father. A man of the times, who treats women with scant regard. Not, perhaps, because he is inherently cruel or nasty, but because he knows no better? Even his wife (a strong, if sparing, contribution from Freda Dowie) has to tread on eggshells much of the time. There are three children - "Eileen" (Angela Walsh); "Maisie" (Lorraine Ashbourne) and "Tony" (Dean Williams) and their lives, loves and wartime experiences feature potently in the second stage of this drama that tells us much about the societal influences - and expectations - of families, of men, of soldiers and it's quite thought-provoking. It's about love, too, but not in much of a sentimental manner. Relationships have to have a gritty, pragmatic, aspect to them - and it falls to the youngsters to try and change these entrenchments from varying degrees of success and happiness themselves. There is very little dialogue, here. Most of the narrative relies on the glorious photography and the use of contemporaneous songs from the likes of Ella Fitzgerald, Johnny Mercer and some beautifully performed choral works that prove to be truly effective at setting and maintaining a sense of the struggles and joys of this working-class, sometimes unpromising, existence. It's certainly well worth a watch - a few times, I'd say.