Le silence de la colère

Filmed in Ipswich, this screenplay, challenging in its time, gives a clear portrayal of British Industrial relations during the time 'We never had it so good.' Alfred Burke's agent provocateur with his sinister telephone calls does just enough to suggest that the cold war was blowing through British engineering. Attenborough's innocent at the power lathe is nicely offset by the underrated Michael Craig as his friend and lodger forced to go along with the Union's decision to send the strikebreaker to Coventry. Good location shooting and the knowledge that things were not so very different in reality makes this a handy movie from several perspectives. Viewed with 'I'm Alright Jack' you can gain a fair impression of Britain in the days of Black and White Television

Though Richard Attenborough takes top billing in this drama, I think Bernard Lee actually delivers the more potent performance as the shop steward "Bert". He calls for an unofficial strike of the workers at an engineering plant. Out they go, well most of them do - and it is soon clear to the audience that there is an agitator amongst the workforce intent on using this dispute for a greater purpose. We also encounter a few local hoodlums who have few scruples when it comes to persecuting - violently at times - those few workers who cross their picket line and continue to work. "Curtis" (Attenborough) is one such man. He already has a young son, and his wife is expecting his second child - so money is too tight for him not to get a wage. Pretty soon he is the victim of a vendetta from his erstwhile colleagues as they ostracise him completely. Director Bryan Forbes and co-star Michael Craig ("Wallace") had a hand in the writing and that is powerful. It generates a genuine sense of menace as those daring to break the strike find their property and their physical safety compromised whilst their erstwhile friends struggle with their consciences. Brian Bedford also stands out as the thuggish "Barrett" and there is also a potent, if sparing, contribution from Pier Angeli as the young man's wife "Anna". Ordinarily, one might expect this story to be about the abuse of power by an employer; here, though, the abuses are clearly coming from those with a broader agenda quite capable of mobilising a workforce of political sheep. The ending is rather rushed - almost incomplete, unfortunately but the ensemble and the toic work really well here to create a thought-provoking piece of cinema that packs a lot into ninety minutes.

How did I never see this? Another Talking Pictures TV gem. Preceded the year before by the excellent and similarly themed comedic classic, I'm Alright Jack, this hard-hitting drama is an ideal counterpart. A strong cast, headed by Richard Attenborough, with his wife very well played by Pier Angeli. I particularly liked Alfred Burke's scheming, Marxist, union activist, book-ending the film with his arrival and departure - on public transport, of course. It also features Bond regulars, Bernard Lee and Geoffrey Keen, an early role for Oliver Reed, and playing himself, Alan Whicker. It's not quite Kitchen Sink, which had more of a fashionable, if usually grim theme, but is in a similar vein.

Ignore comments about it being 'far-right', they are ridiculous. The film is a well-balanced, politically centrist take that in no way demonises unions or strikes, although occasionally feels a bit heavy handed with some of its messages. Clearly, pre-1970s, there was still a battle going on for the hearts and minds of the working class. A prophetic warning of the far-left politics that was to come over the next decade. By the time 1971's very silly and misjudged, but better known, Carry On At Your Convenience arrived, the battle was lost. Beyond politics, this is essentially a universal story about bullying, group think and the individual, and reminded me a lot of my school days. It deserves to be better recognised and watched.

A film which shows how Britains factories worked in the 50s,a place which employs thousands of people,usually on low wages.The workers only protection is their union which of course is only fair.Then the union is taken over by a few dedicated socialists who then are manipulated by the far lft. .Everything that happens in this film is true to life,and shows that adults soon behave like spoilt children when they don't get there own way.The rights of the individual are soon gone,violence and bullying follows,the film ask questions and leaves you asking your self questions at the end.Well worth a watch 8/10

This film doesn't seem to be very well known but it has a lot to offer.

I've seen 50s/60s comedies based around factories but I can't remember many serious dramas like this. The plot holds few surprises but that leaves plenty of room for us to judge the acting, and I'd say it's consistently good. Richard Attenborough and Pier Angeli are a great combination as the young married couple - it's a shame Pier made so few films in English.

A lot of scriptwriters could do worse than watch this film and learn its lessons about how to tell a story in 90 minutes. And this is a good film for classroom use - leads nicely into a discussion of peer pressure and bullying.