''The Whisperers'' is a 1967 British

drama Drama is the specific Mode (literature), mode of fiction Mimesis, represented in performance: a Play (theatre), play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on Radio drama, radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a g ...

film directed by

Bryan Forbes Bryan Forbes Order of the British Empire, CBE (; born John Theobald Clarke; 22 July 1926 – 8 May 2013) was an English film director, screenwriter, film producer, actor and novelist described as a "Renaissance man"Falk Q. . BAFTA. 17 October 2 ...

and starring

Edith Evans Dame Edith Mary Evans (8 February 1888 – 14 October 1976) was an English actress. She was best known for Edith Evans – stage and film roles, her work on the West End theatre, West End stage, but also appeared in films at the beginning and t ...

. It is based on the 1961 novel by Robert Nicolson.

Plot

Mrs Margaret Ross, an impoverished, elderly, eccentric woman, is living in a ground floor flat, and hears voices of whom she asks "are you there" - the whisperers of the title, in an unnamed town in northern England. Aged 76, she is dependent on

National Assistance National Assistance was the main means-tested benefit in the United Kingdom from 1948 to 1966. It was established by the National Assistance Act 1948 ( 11 & 12 Geo. 6. c. 29) and abolished by the Ministry of Social Security Act 1966, which establ ...

from the British government. She is visited by her criminal son, who hides a package containing a large sum of money in her unused spare room. The son confesses to the police of his robbery, then is sent to jail. Meanwhile, Mrs Ross finds the money. Thinking the money is a windfall intended for her, Mrs Ross makes elaborate plans. She casually confides to a stranger, who befriends her in order to ply her with spirits, kidnap her, then rob her of the stolen money. Rendered drunk and abandoned to the elements by her captors, Mrs Ross contracts pneumonia. She is found by neighbours, then after almost dying, recovers in a hospital. It is the first time anyone has cared for her in years. Doctors, nurses, psychiatrists, and social workers all focus on her case. An agent at the National Assistance bureau traces down her husband, Archie (who deserted her decades ago). Motivated by the agent, who threatens him with legal pressure, informing him of his legal responsibility to her, the husband is strongly encouraged to move back in with her, which he does. Soon, he becomes involved with gamblers, then steals their money at a chance opportunity, which forces him to flee, so he deserts her again. Having been on the verge of a return to functional living, Mrs Ross resumes her life living by herself. Her voices went away during the middle of the film, but when she returns she asks the whisperers again, if they are there. This movie depicts these events as occurring during the year 1966, the year that British National Assistance was replaced by

Supplementary Benefit Supplementary Benefit was a means-tested benefit in the United Kingdom, paid to people on low incomes, whether or not they were classed as unemployed, such as pensioners, the sick and single parents. Introduced in November 1966, it replaced the ea ...

Cast

as Mrs Ross *

Eric Portman Eric Harold Portman (13 July 1901 – 7 December 1969) was an English stage and film actor. He is probably best remembered for his roles in three films for Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger during the 1940s. Early life Born in Halifax, ...

as Archie Ross * Nanette Newman as girl upstairs * Harry Baird as man upstairs * Jack Austin as Police Sergeant *

Gerald Sim Gerald Grant Sim (4 June 1925 – 11 December 2014) was an English television and film actor who is perhaps best known for having played the Rector in '' To the Manor Born''. Early life Sim was born in Liverpool, Lancashire. He was the younger ...

as Mr Conrad *

Lionel Gamlin Lionel James Gamlin (30 April 1903 – 16 October 1967)Lionel Gamlin at IMDb
Retrieved 29 October 2012. ...

as Mr Conrad's colleague * Glen Farmer as 1st redeemer * Oliver MacGreevy as 2nd redeemer * Ronald Fraser as Charlie Ross * Kenneth Griffith as Mr Weaver * Avis Bunnage as Mrs Noonan * John Orchard as Grogan * Peter Thompson as Publican * Sarah Forbes as Mrs Ross when young * Kaplan Kaye as Jimmie Noonan * Penny Spencer as Mavis Noonan * Robin Bailey as psychiatrist *

Leonard Rossiter Leonard Rossiter (21 October 1926 – 5 October 1984) was an English actor. He had a long career in the theatre but achieved his highest profile for his television comedy roles starring as Rupert Rigsby in the ITV series '' Rising Damp'' from 19 ...

as Assistance Board officer * Margaret Tyzack as Hospital

Almoner An almoner () is a chaplain or church officer who originally was in charge of distributing money to the deserving poor. The title ''almoner'' has to some extent fallen out of use in English, but its equivalents in other languages are often used f ...

* Frank Singuineau as doctor * Michael Robbins as Mr Noonan

Production

Forbes was approached by two American producers, Ronald Shedlo and Michael Laughlin, to adapt the novel. He felt it could be a vehicle for Edith Evans. Forbes wrote the script in two weeks. He said it was the one film in his career where he had complete creative control.

Filming location

Although the fictional setting of the film is not named, it was mainly shot on location in the Lancashire town of

Oldham Oldham is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies amongst the Pennines on elevated ground between the rivers River Irk, Irk and River Medlock, Medlock, southeast of Rochdale, and northeast of Manchester. It is the administrative cent ...

, (now in

Greater Manchester Greater Manchester is a ceremonial county in North West England. It borders Lancashire to the north, Derbyshire and West Yorkshire to the east, Cheshire to the south, and Merseyside to the west. Its largest settlement is the city of Manchester. ...

), a once-thriving textile centre near

Manchester Manchester () is a city and the metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It had an estimated population of in . Greater Manchester is the third-most populous metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, with a population of 2.92&nbs ...

which, by 1967, had fallen into decline.

Release

Awards

Edith Evans was nominated for the

Academy Award for Best Actress The Academy Award for Best Actress is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It has been awarded since the 1st Academy Awards to an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance in a lead ...

, and won the

BAFTA Award The British Academy Film Awards, more commonly known as the BAFTAs or BAFTA Awards, is an annual film award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) to honour the best British and international contributions to f ...

, the

Silver Bear for Best Actress The Silver Bear for Best Actress () was an award presented at the Berlin International Film Festival from 1956 to 2020. It was given to an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance and was chosen by the International Jury from the fil ...

award at the 17th Berlin International Film Festival, the

National Board of Review The National Board of Review of Motion Pictures is a non-profit organization of New York City area film enthusiasts. Its awards, which are announced in early December, are considered the first major harbinger of the film awards season that ...

award, the

New York Film Critics Circle The New York Film Critics Circle (NYFCC) is an American film critic Film criticism is the analysis and evaluation of films and the film medium. In general, film criticism can be divided into two categories: Academic criticism by film scho ...

award, and the

Golden Globe Award The Golden Globe Awards are awards presented for excellence in both international film and television. It is an annual award ceremony held since 1944 to honor artists and professionals and their work. The ceremony is normally held every Janua ...

all for Best Actress.

Home media

Announced by Kino Lorber Studio Classics on Facebook on 14 March 2019 that a new 2K scan would be coming soon.

References

External links

*
''The Whisperers''
at the

British Film Institute The British Film Institute (BFI) is a film and television charitable organisation which promotes and preserves filmmaking and television in the United Kingdom. The BFI uses funds provided by the National Lottery to encourage film production, ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Whisperers, The 1967 films 1967 drama films Films featuring a Best Drama Actress Golden Globe–winning performance Films based on British novels Films directed by Bryan Forbes Films with screenplays by Bryan Forbes British black-and-white films Films shot at Pinewood Studios Films scored by John Barry (composer) British drama films Films produced by Michael Laughlin Films about social realism Films shot in Greater Manchester 1960s English-language films 1960s British films