JohnHowardReid Review of The Angry Silence

The Angry Silence (1960)

Not as good as contemporary critics claimed!

[6/10 · 6 October 2014]

Critically acclaimed in its day, this movie still carries a timely message, although many of its domestic scenes are a bore. In fact, the film is at its best in the factory rather than the home where domestic situations are stereotyped and Pier Angeli is allowed to run riot with routine tears and predictable recriminations. Attenborough is more effective, although he too is weighed down at times by the script's domestic burden. Craig's character is a cipher as written and directed, so no wonder he walks walks rather glumly through the part. Alfred Burke as an infiltrating agitator, Laurence Naismith as the harassed director, Bernard Lee as the shop steward, and surprisingly Geoffrey Keen as the works foreman, come off best. The director makes good use of his real factory town and factory locations. Other technical credits are well up to par.