Distant Voices, Still Lives (1988)

Director:

Terence Davies

Writer:

Terence Davies (writer)

Release Date:

17 February 1989 (Finland)

Genre:

Drama

Plot Keywords:

Independent Film

Awards:

9 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Lorraine Ashbourne	...	Maisie
Jean Boht	...	Aunty Nell
Carl Chase	...	Uncle Ted
Chris Darwin	...	Red
Sally Davies	...	Eileen as a child
Frances Dell	...	Margie
Freda Dowie	...	Mother
Anne Dyson	...	Granny
Susan Flanagan	...	Maisie as a child
Marie Jelliman
Debi Jones	...	Micky
Matthew Long	...	Mr. Spaull
Vincent Maguire	...	George
Antonia Mallen	...	Rose
Pete Postlethwaite	...	Father
Pauline Quirke	...	Doreen
Andrew Schofield	...	Les
Michael Starke	...	Dave
Angela Walsh	...	Eileen
Nathan Walsh	...	Tony as a child
Dean Williams	...	Tony

Runtime:

85 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Australia:M | Singapore:PG | Finland:K-12 | UK:15 | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Liverpool, Merseyside, England, UK

Company:

British Film Institute (BFI)

Movie Connections:

Followed by The Long Day Closes (1992)

Soundtrack:

Oh, Mein Papa

The "real truth", was far worse than the movie.

In an interview, Terence Davis has stated that he had to tone down the reality of the story because as depressing as the film is, the "real thing" would be unendurable for audiences. We have all seen rage on the screen. Brando, De Niro, and Pesci, have had their moments, but the two actors who truly frightened me, and left me literally trembling, were Temuera Morrison, as the Maori father in "Once Were Warriors", a film from New Zealand, and Peter Postlethwaite, as the father in "Distant Voices". These actors hit something visceral in me, that my therapists never even guessed at. Fear of the father? Living with a man (my dad, so consumed with anger at a world that never had a truly happy day for him) who could only vent his rage at his family? Who knows, and at the age of 68, who the hell cares. Besides, Postlethwaites (I'm sure this name kept him out of the "bigtime" for many years, a little shobiz humor folks) acting honors go to the mother, Freda Dowie. She's on Masterpiece Theatre a lot and she's either mentally ill, or like this woman, a battered housewife trying to keep her kids and herself alive. Happiness or even a nice day is not on her agenda. Just trying to get through poverty, and not having her jaw broken by her husband is a happy day to her. If you like exploding autos, and thong draped anorexic Barbie dolls, this movie is not for you. But if you want to see a work of art carved out of Davis' agony, see this movie. Oh yes, I remember he said in an interview on NPR, that he couldn't remember his father ever touching him, or saying a kind word to him.