LITTLE VOICE
UK, 1998, 97 minutes, Colour.
Jane Horrocks, Brenda Blethyn, Ewan Mc Gregor, Michael Caine, Phil Jackson, Jim Broadbent.
Directed by Mark Herman.
Mark Herman made a successful and entertaining movie with Brassed Off. Here, he goes again to Yorkshire, to a small seaside town, with its collection of eccentrics who include a blousy and loud mother (Brenda Blethyn really playing in your face), her almost pathologically shy daughter, Laura - LV, Little Voice - (Jane Horrocks), shy phone technician (Ewan Mc Gregor), nightclub owner, Mr Boo (Jim Broadbent) and a desperate ageing agent (Michael Caine), and some assorted neighbours and club patrons.
As a slice of life, Little Voice, presents us with fairly familiar material. The acting, although Brenda Blethyn is meant to get on our nerves and does, gives it a great deal of strength. But, where it is different, is that Little Voice, also almost pathologically devoted to her dead father and his record collection, is able to mimic Garland, Dietrich, Piaf, Monroe, Bassey. And Jane Horrock's renditions, especially at her concert, bring the film alive.
Michael Caine does well with the agent, scenes of pathos as well as of opportunism and a drunken rendition of 'It's Over' which is literally his swansong. Ewan McGregor?, in a very gentle role as a carrier pigeon lover, provides the images of flight and freedom which bring the film to its quietly unexpected ending. It is a portrait of struggling human beings.
1.A slice of UK life? Yorkshire, small country seaside town?
2.The transition from stage to screen, the use of locations, real settings? The songs and their staging?
3.The songs of popular singers like Judy Garland, Marilyn Monroe, Shirley Bassey, Edith Piaf, Marlene Dietrich? The evergreen songs? Little Voice’s renditions at home, in concert? The popularity with audiences, especially at clubs like the one here?
4.The title, the reference to Lorna everyone calling her L.V., Little Voice? The character and her non-speaking? Almost pathological shyness? Her devotion to her dead father, his appearing to her? Her love for him, his records (and the memories that he took refuge with them when his wife was critical? Her continual clashes with her mother? Their inner angers? The visit of George and Billy? Looking out the window at Billy leaving? The phone, his visit, the phone call? Her timidity and silence with him? Ray’s visit with her mother? Her singing upstairs and Ray hearing it? The proposal to sing? Their going to the club, rehearsals, her gawkiness, hesitation and pauses? Her eventually singing, belting out the songs? Her popularity with the audience? Her not wanting to go again, staying in bed? Her mother’s desperation? Ray and his anger? The faulty electricity? The fire in the house and Billy coming to her rescue? Her going to him to feed the pigeons, the pigeons as an image for understanding Little Voice? Her anger with her mother and telling her off? Her having to let go of her father? A future with Billy?
5.Marie, her appearance and style, her manner, make-up and clothes, her incessant talking, bawdy, Always talking at Little Voice, the details of their life? Marie going out, friendship with Sadie across the street, always loud? George and Billy’s visit, the flirting? Meeting Ray? The dates, attraction, dancing with him, her dependence on him? Misunderstanding his attraction to her when he was interested in Little Voice? Her having to accept change and accept her daughter’s singing? Her disparaging remarks, at the club, with Mr Boo? Her response to the songs, applause? The next day, her inability to get Little Voice to go? Sadie and the ironing of the dress? Little Voice and her telling her mother about the truth of her life? Her talking, her husband? The fire and the destruction?
6.Ray, Michael Caine as the ageing agent, his ineffectiveness, with Mr Boo? His meeting Mari, flirting, the date, the style? Hearing Little Voice, his proposal, arranging everything? The night, success, Mr Boo hearing and being pleased? The audience response? Getting the London agent to come despite himself? His drinking, waiting, going on stage and his rendition of the song? Insulting the audience, insulting Mr Boo, insulting the agent? His collapse?
7.Mr Boo and the club? His presence on stage and off? The type of entertainment? His clientele? The old-fashioned acts? His friendship with Ray, his meeting Mari? His worry about LV’s not turning up and not singing? His acting as compere and keeping the show going with jokes? His being insulted by Ray?
8.The whims of the agent? In London? Responses, listening over the phone to LV’s voice, his coming to Yorkshire, his impatience and leaving?
9.Sadie, as a character, friends with Mari, living across the street, interest and advice, ironing the dress? At the club, applauding?
10.The electrician, flirting with Mari, taking the girl to the concert, making the mistake about his wife?
11.Billy, shy, his work, his pigeons, the loss and his search, his seeing Little Voice looking out the window, his return, the fire, talking with her, understanding her and her needs, the rescue, with her and the pigeons?
12.The ending and some optimism and hope?
