Le silence de la colère

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.

"The Angry Silence" can be read in two ways: one, it is a pretty accurate depiction of the way union relations were run in the late 1950s and the shadow of the far left; or, it is a propaganda piece for the far right and nothing like the truth. There are strong arguments for both camps to be correct.

What struck me about the film was the central performance from Richard Attenborough as the lone worker standing up against bullying and blackmail from his trade union colleagues. One scene in particular which takes place in the canteen is a masterclass in screen acting of its type, and there are also good scenes between Attenborough and his screen wife, played by Pier Angeli, and his work colleague and lodger, played by Michael Craig.

Bryan Forbes always seemed to be veering off in different directions with the various movies on his CV, and this is an odd one. Whatever your politics, it is a good film and provokes a reaction. Whether the reaction is one which matches the reality has to remain open to question.

to anyone who lived through these times and these types of factory settings this film resonates.

The Burke character of the communist agitator invokes criticism of left bashing but anyone who had experience of the British motor/engineering industry in these times knows that it is much closer to the truth than many people want to believe.

However to those that think the film has right wing bias you only have to look at how the useless fat cat directors are portrayed (having no knowledge of the business they are taking large salaries from), hardly an advertisement of capitalism. Plus even the "sympathetic" management end up not supporting the worker who supported them, as bad as the agitator in their own way.

Good performances all round, outstanding from Richard Attenborough, Pier Angeli, an unusually good turn by Michael Craig and dependable Bernard Lee as the dim union man manipulated easily by the agitator.

A style of film-making gone now but interesting social commentary of the times. Recommended for social historians and affectionados of good acting.

This brilliant, deeply contentious film has largely been ignored over the years. It came out just as 'the kitchen sink' was kicking in and, although dealing with the working class, was very much an establishment film. It's right-wing and anti-Union and it quickly became very unfashionable to think highly of it. But dramatically, it's first-rate; it has the feel of those good BBC 'Plays for today' that came out in the sixties even if does leave a very bad taste in the mouth.

It's about a man sent to coventry for not supporting an unofficial strike. He's played by Richard Attenborough and it's a great piece of acting. As written, the character isn't developed in dramatic terms but Attenborough is wonderfully naturalistic. It's an intuitive performance; he gets inside the character's skin and thought processes. He's very moving.

There is very fine work, too, from Pier Angeli as his Italian wife. (Angeli was probably brought in to sell the film in America, and there's an easy-going, unforced quality to her acting that is very 'un-British'). And Bernard Lee is excellent as the dictatorial shop steward. The film also has an unfortunate Mephistopolean character in the form of an infiltrator. He's evil and cowardly and used in such a blatantly metaphorical way you can't be sure exactly what his purpose is. And being a political, Union bashing film you may feel uneasy watching it. But there are very fine. sustained dramatic sequences, too and it is utterly unsentimental.

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