The Whisperers
- Edith Evans: Mrs. Ross
- Ronald Fraser: Charlie
- Eric Portman: Archie
- Jack Austin: Police Sergeant
- Avis Bunnage: Mrs. Noonan
- Nanette Newman: neighbor
- Harry Baird: neighbor
- Robert Russell: Andy
- Kenneth Griffith: Mr. Weaver
Whisperers is a British drama film from the year 1967. The screenplay is based on the novel by Robert Nicolson Mrs. Ross.
Action
Mrs. Ross is an elderly woman who was left by her husband Archie years ago. Now she lives on her state pension, which it views as a reward and not as charity, in a small dingy two- room apartment. If it is not in the library or in the soup kitchen of the welfare, she sits her cluttered apartment with newspapers and listening to the whispering walls - water drops, noise from other apartments and the heating pipes.
One day she is visited by her son Charlie. Charlie is a thief and secretly deposited a packet in her closet. Later Mrs. Ross takes the package and opens it. You will find notes, a total of 800 pounds. In her confusion she believes the money was a long-awaited inheritance. She rushes to the welfare and recounts her lucky find. The seedy Mrs. Noonan invites Mrs. Ross to his home. There, Mrs. Ross is drugged, robbed and left in an alley. A neighbor girl finds her and brings her to a hospital. Mrs. Ross is suffering through the cold to pneumonia. The city administration is trying to figure out what is best for the woman. It makes Archie identify which is convinced to reconcile with his wife. But trying to build on the previous life fails. Archie makes off with a bit of stolen money. Mrs. Ross is now alone again, listening to the whispering walls.
Reviews
The lexicon of the International film about the film: " In parts very haunting portrayal of abandonment of old people in a low-contact environment, formally conventional, acting excellent. "
Roger Ebert of the " Chicago Sun-Times " keeps the film for a " superb film, which is ruined by unfortunate melodramas. ".
The Variety, however, praises the subtlety, discretion and unsentimental style of production.
The " TimeOut Film Guide " emphasizes the spirited portrayal of Edith Evans, at the same time criticized Forbes energetic style of directing, which can be seem obvious social criticism.
Awards
- Golden Globe Award for Best Actress ( Drama ) for Edith Evans
- British Film Academy Award in the category Best Actress for Edith Evans
- British Film Academy Award in the category Best camera for Gerry Turpin
- Silver Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival for Edith Evans
- OCIC Prize ( Prize of the Ecumenical Jury today ) and Inter Film Award at the International Film Festival in Berlin for Bryan Forbes
- NBR Award from the National Board of Review in the category Best Actress for Edith Evans
- NYFCC Award of the New York Film Critics Circle in the category Best Actress for Edith Evans
- Oscar in the category Best Actress for Edith Evans
- Golden Globe for Best Foreign Film in English
- Golden Bear at the International Film Festival Berlin
Background
The film premiered at the International Film Festival in Berlin in June 1967. It was shot mostly in Manchester. Nanette Newman is the wife of director Bryan Forbes. Her daughter, Sarah, now a fashion journalist, also occurs in the film. Anthony Harvey worked for the last time as an editor. After this film, he moved into directing.