Little Voice (1998)

A shy reclusive lady is convinced by an invisible entity to sing. Subsequently, she finds herself noticed by a sleazy talent agent and her talent being showcased on-stage. She also meets a kind but nervous man who becomes her best friend.

Director:

Mark Herman

Writers:

Jim Cartwright (play), Mark Herman (screenplay)

Stars:

Brenda Blethyn, Jane Horrocks, Michael Caine

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 2 wins & 29 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Brenda Blethyn	...	Mari Hoff
Jane Horrocks	...	LV
Ewan McGregor	...	Billy
Philip Jackson	...	George
Annette Badland	...	Sadie
Michael Caine	...	Ray Say
Jim Broadbent	...	Mr. Boo
Adam Fogerty	...	Bouncer
James Welsh	...	Bouncer
Karen Gregory	...	Stripper
Fred Feast	...	Arthur
Graham Turner	...	LV's Dad
George Oliver	...	Pawnbroker
Virgil Tracy	...	Loan Advisor
Dick Van Winkle	...	Money Lender

Storyline

The pathetically shy LV lives the life of a recluse listening to her late father's old records in her room and in the process driving her abusive, loud-mouthed mother, Mari Hoff, to distraction. At night, however, when her father's ghost visits, LV sings the songs of the great divas such as Judy Garland, Marilyn Monroe, and Dame Shirley Bassey. One evening, LV is overheard by one of her mother's loathsome boyfriends, the disastrous dead-end talent scout Ray Say, who recognizes her innate talent and realizes this is his last big chance for the glittering prizes. Gambling everything, Ray Say forces LV to appear at a local run-down, seedy nightclub run by Mr. Boo. As preparations for the big event proceed apace LV meets the equally shy Billy, a pigeon-racing telephone engineer and they form a tentative, gentle friendship. The big night finally arrives and everything is in readiness, the band, the club, and even a big agent from London, but what about LV?

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Plot Keywords:

character name as title | ewan mcgregor character | jane horrocks character | michael caine character | talent | 

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Taglines:

Finding your own voice can be magic.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Music | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language and brief nudity

Did You Know?

Trivia

The male strippers in this movie perform to the song "Tubthumping" by Chumbawamba. The full version of this song opens with some sampled dialogue "Truth is, I thought it mattered. I thought that music mattered. But does it bollocks! Not compared to how people matter", which comes from the closing scene of writer and director Mark Herman's earlier hit Brassed Off (1996).

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Goofs

The character played by Michael Caine during a conversation with Jane Horrocks' character, when naming the famous people he had met in the past, called Matt Monro the singing bus "conductor", when in fact it is well known that Matt Monro was a bus "driver" before he became famous.

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Quotes

Mari Hoff: Come on, knock out a bit, make way for a woman in lust.

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Crazy Credits

Special Thanks to ... Jason Wheeler and Team, ... Staff at St. Nicholas Hotel, Wreahead Hotel and East Ayton Lodge, ... The People of Scarborough ... North Yorkshire Police (Scarborough Department), Scarborough Borough Council, South Bay Traders Association, Haven Holidays (Cayton Bay), Stephen Joseph Theatre.

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Connections

Featured in The Many Faces of...: Michael Caine (2011)

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Soundtracks

Disco Inferno
Written by Ron Kersey and Leroy Green
Courtesy of Ensign Music Corp./Six Strings Music
Administered by BMG Music Publishing Ltd.
Performed by The Trammps
Courtesy of Atlantic Recording Corp.
By arrangement with Warner Special Products

User Reviews

A film to make you feel

Summary:

This is the story of a painfully shy girl who takes comfort escaping the harsh world of her overbearing mother by enclosing herself in a world of music. The peace she finds while playing her late father's records is the only world she's at home in. She sings the songs to her father's memory with an unbelievable ability to capture not just the voices of artists such as Judy Garland, Shirley Bassey, and Marilyn Monroe but also the tone, the passion and the quality that made them legends. This ability is overheard by a talent agent who sees fortune in her voice. He tries to rip her out of her private world and force her into the terrifying spot light.

My Opinion:

I watched this film and was amazed. The characters of LV (Jane Horrocks) and Billy (Ewan McGregor) are just so adorable that you love them from the moment they are on screen. The performances of all the supporting players are good but the performance of Jane Horrocks is amazing. It's the kind of performance awards were created to celebrate, but got no where near the kind of recognition it deserved. Hardly saying anything throughout the first part of the film she communicates so much through her eyes and expressions. Then when she sings she does not just 'mimic' the voices of legends but proves she is a legend in her own right.

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 December 1998 (USA)

Also Known As:

Little Voice

Filming Locations:

Barwick Terrace - building now demolished, Scarborough, North Yorkshire, England, UK

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$93,722, 6 December 1998

Gross USA:

$4,611,784

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$4,611,784

Company Credits

Production Co:

Miramax, Scala Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1