Movie Type: Psychological Drama, Social Problem Film
Themes: Labor Unions
Main Cast: Richard Attenborough, Anna Maria Pier Angeli, Michael Craig, Bernard Lee, Alfred Burke
Release Year: 1960
Country: UK
Run Time: 95 minutes
Plot
Richard Attenborough stars in this British drama as Tom Curtis, an ordinary man with a job in a factory. A new employee, Travers (Alfred Burke), begins complaining about conditions at the plant and stirs up disharmony among his fellow workers. Tom thinks that there's something fishy about Travers and his methods, and when Travers decides to call a wildcat strike, Tom refuses to participate and makes a point of standing his ground. However, Travers and his ideas have attracted a groundswell of support in the factory, and Tom soon finds himself on the outs with his fellow employees as Travers drifts off to make trouble at another factory. Tom, however, still has to deal with the angry reprisals of the men, and his wife Anna (Pier Angeli) doesn't understand why he continues to hold so unpopular an opinion at the expense of his safety and well-being. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Review
Controversial upon its release and still likely to cause a good bit of discussion, The Angry Silence is a small gem of a film. It's not a great film; it is at times a bit sloppy in its construction, it wears its heart on its sleeve at times when it should be focusing on dramatic intent, and there's more than a hint of manipulation to it. But there's also a real power to it, the kind of power that seems to come more from the determination and commitment of the filmmakers than from anything else; it spills forth from within them and onto the screen in a way that's hard to identify and even harder to peg. At its best, Silence is a grim, gripping tale of individuality, and even if one disagrees with its message or with its depiction of trade unions and workers, it still packs a punch. Guy Green directs with admirable economy and skill, and there's little fat on the picture's bones. Richard Attenborough turns in a nicely fleshed out lead performance, and there's solid work from the rest of the cast, including Michael Craig, Alfred Burke, Brian Murray and Brian Bedford. In all, a haunting and laudable effort. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
