THE WHISPERERS
(1967, Forbes)
Radio: "The problem, the major problem of old age is undoubtedly loneliness. A great many old people live entirely alone, unvisited and unwanted, living day in and day out in small rooms without company or friends."
Margaret: "Poor old souls."
The above quote comes from a news article that Margaret Ross (Edith Evans) listens to. A report she dismisses a bit condescendingly while standing alone, unvisited, in her small apartment, as if it had nothing to do with her. Because, even though Ross lives impoverished and alone, in a rundown street of England, she lives mostly detached from her reality, either consciously or subconsciously. That is the focus of 1967's
The Whisperers.
I admit I walked into this more or less blind. Various plot synopsis made it sound as if the film was some sort of spooky drama because Ross seems to be haunted or bothered by "voices" she hears around her apartment, the so-called "whisperers". As a matter of fact, one of the first scenes of the film is her going to the police station to inquire about the police "investigation" on this "voices", an inquiry which the police officer dismisses by assuring her that they have a "brave" man "always on the job".
But I was surprised to see that the film was a more dramatic exploration at the life and mind of an elderly woman who has been essentially abandoned by everyone, from her no-good husband and her criminal son to maybe even God? (another early scene features Ross in a small church service for poor people where she's mistreated by other attendants that mock her and call her "dozy old cow").
But Ross carries on, somewhat oblivious to her surroundings, claiming that she'll eventually receive a substantial amount of money from some alleged businesses, while signing her letters to the National Assistance government office as "Countess of Erde, Dame of the Order of the Garter, Doctor of Law". It was initially hard to peg Ross cause she does behave somewhat obnoxiously and condescendingly during the first half. But as the plot progresses, and you see what she's actually been through, her life and situation becomes more heartbreaking.
The real highlight of the film is Evans' performance. A performance that, even before finishing the film, I felt was among the best female performances I've ever seen. The way Evans conveys the solitude and loneliness of Ross, hidden behind the facade of pretensions and false hopes was nothing short of impressive. The scene where she suddenly comes upon a money stash that was hidden by her son is a spectacle of emotions and non-verbal acting.
But her performance is not the only one that shines. Every performance is spot on; from the sleaziness of her husband (Eric Portman) and her son (Ronald Fraser) to the cunning of the woman that cons her (Avis Bunnage) or the genuine worry from Mr. Conrad (Gerald Sim), the employee at the National Assistance that seems to be the only one to actually care about Ross.
The film does seem to wander a bit in the last act, as we see Ross' husband get mixed up with the wrong crowd. But it serves the purpose of getting things back to the main theme, which is the abandonment and disregard of the elderly from pretty much everybody, and the effect it has in their mental health. As someone who usually finds himself affected by this kind of film, this one hit me in the right spot. Among the best I've seen recently.
Grade:
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I walked in more or less blind, but I should've prepared a bit. I don't respond well to films about the elderly, mostly because I get memories of my grandmother whose death still hurts me, even though it was 10-11 years ago. This was no exception. Anyway, proper review later, but I loved it.
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