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DramaWarRomance

The Small Back Room

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At the height of World War II, the Germans begin dropping a new type of booby-trapped bomb on England. Highly skilled but haunted bomb disposal officer Sammy Rice must overcome his personal demons to defeat this new threat.

Release Date : 1949-02-21

Language :CzechEnglishFrenchNorwegianPolishWelsh

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : London Films ProductionsThe Archers

Production Country : United Kingdom

Alternative Titles : Hour of Glory

Cast

David Farrar

Character Name : Sammy Rice

Original Name : David Farrar

Gender : Male

Kathleen Byron

Character Name : Susan

Original Name : Kathleen Byron

Gender : Female

Jack Hawkins

Character Name : R.B. Waring

Original Name : Jack Hawkins

Gender : Male

Leslie Banks

Character Name : Col. A. K. Holland

Original Name : Leslie Banks

Gender : Male

Michael Gough

Character Name : Capt. Dick Stuart

Original Name : Michael Gough

Gender : Male

Cyril Cusack

Character Name : Cpl. Taylor

Original Name : Cyril Cusack

Gender : Male

Milton Rosmer

Character Name : Prof. Mair

Original Name : Milton Rosmer

Gender : Male

Walter Fitzgerald

Character Name : Brine

Original Name : Walter Fitzgerald

Gender : Male

Emrys Jones

Character Name : Joe

Original Name : Emrys Jones

Gender : Male

Michael Goodliffe

Character Name : Till

Original Name : Michael Goodliffe

Gender : Male

Renée Asherson

Character Name : A.T.S. corporal

Original Name : Renée Asherson

Gender : Female

Anthony Bushell

Character Name : Col. Strang

Original Name : Anthony Bushell

Gender : Male

Henry Caine

Character Name : Sgt. Maj. Rose

Original Name : Henry Caine

Gender : Male

James Dale

Character Name : Brigadier

Original Name : James Dale

Gender : Male

Robert Morley

Character Name : The Minister

Original Name : Robert Morley

Gender : Male

Sid James

Character Name : 'Knucksie' Moran

Original Name : Sid James

Gender : Male

Sam Kydd

Character Name : Crowhurst

Original Name : Sam Kydd

Gender : Male

Geoffrey Keen

Character Name : Pinker

Original Name : Geoffrey Keen

Gender : Male

June Elvin

Character Name :

Original Name : June Elvin

Gender : Female

Roddy Hughes

Character Name : Welsh Doctor

Original Name : Roddy Hughes

Gender : Male

Bryan Forbes

Character Name : Peterson

Original Name : Bryan Forbes

Gender : Male

Roderick Lovell

Character Name :

Original Name : Roderick Lovell

Gender : Male

Elwyn Brook-Jones

Character Name :

Original Name : Elwyn Brook-Jones

Gender : Male

James Carney

Character Name :

Original Name : James Carney

Gender : Male

John Stratton

Character Name : Young Army Officer

Original Name : John Stratton

Gender : Male

Reviews

J

John Chard

@John Chard

2024-05-16

I must have a drink. Ask me to have a drink woman. The Small Back Room (AKA: Hour of Glory) is directed by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, with both adapting the screenplay from the Nigel Balchin novel. It stars David Farrar, Kathleen Byron, Jack Hawkins, Leslie Banks and Michael Gough. Music is by Brian Easdale and cinematography by Christopher Challis. As the Germans drop explosive booby-traps across coastline England, Sammy Rice (Farrar) will be tasked with learning the secret to disarming the deadly devices. But first he must beat his private battle with alcohol, his form of self medication due to the loss of one of his feet. The Archers produce what is in essence a tale of redemption, it's a superbly mounted drama dripping with realism and infused with atmospheric black and white photography. It somewhat divided critics back on release, but that tended to be customary where Powell was concerned, who himself wasn't sure about the validity of this particular piece. Yet it finds Pressburger and himself on sure footings, returning to more grounded human dramatics, their willingness to explore the murky fallibility of mankind is a thing of bold and effective cinematic beauty. The by-play between Farrar and Byron is sexually charged, but heart achingly poignant as well. The pic is at its best when these pair share scenes, the back drops to their troubled courting veering from vibrant (hope) to dour (despair), the latter always staged at Sammy's gloomy flat and the scene of a brilliantly filmed expressionistic nightmare that he suffers. Elsewhere various military types either stand tall or sit behind desks speaking in correct literary tones, their collective problem being that the pesky Germans have come up with a vile bomb tactic that needs addressing ASAP. Can Sammy come through for not only the war effort, but also for his sanity? Watch and see, it's great film making across the board. 8/10