IMDb RATING
7.1/10
3.2K
YOUR RATING
As the Germans drop explosive booby-traps on Britain in 1943, the embittered expert who'll have to disarm them fights a private battle with alcohol.As the Germans drop explosive booby-traps on Britain in 1943, the embittered expert who'll have to disarm them fights a private battle with alcohol.As the Germans drop explosive booby-traps on Britain in 1943, the embittered expert who'll have to disarm them fights a private battle with alcohol.
- Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
- 1 nomination total
Robert Morley
- The Minister
- (as 'A Guest')
Bryan Forbes
- Peterson - Dying Gunner
- (as Brian Forbes)
- Directors
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaWhen Sammy and Susan are at the Hickory Tree nightclub, Susan spots Gillian, an old acquaintance, and asks Sammy to start talking, to avoid the meeting. Sammy starts, and then Susan joins in reciting the following lines: "I never nurs'd a dear gazelle / To glad me with its soft black eye / But when it came to know me well / And love me, it was sure to die." These lines are from the poem "Lalla Rookh" (in the section entitled "The Fire Worshipers") by the Irish poet Thomas Moore (1779-1852).
- GoofsThe ATS corporal mentions the Pavilion End at Wembley. There was no such end.
- Quotes
Susan: Wouldn't it be silly to break up something we both like doing, only because you think I don't like it.
Sammy Rice: Yes, you've got it all worked out in the way women always have. They don't worry about anything except being alive or dead.
- Crazy credits"It has been suggested that I should point out that the characters and incidents in this story are purely fictional. This I gladly do. They are." - N.B. N.B. is Nigel Balchin, the author of the original novel.
- ConnectionsFeatured in The Late Show: Michael Powell (1992)
- SoundtracksIf You Were the Only Girl in the World
(uncredited)
Music by Nat Ayer
Performed by Ted Heath's Kenny Baker Swing Group
Featured review
It's All A Bit Hush-Hush
Not really knowing what to expect from The Small Back Room, I'm glad to say that I found myself pleasantly surprised by this 1949, British production. It was one of the best character studies that I've seen (from that era) in quite a long time.
Set in 1943 (in war-torn London), this beautifully restored, b&w drama held my undivided attention from start to finish.
Featuring a good cast (headlined by David Farrar) and impressive camera-work (there's lots of great close-ups), The Small Back Room's story concerns the professional and personal conflicts of Sam Rice, a troubled research scientist and bomb-disposal expert with a "tin leg" and a weakness for whiskey.
This solid, intense (and somewhat depressing) story even contains a scene filmed at Stonehenge. As well, there's a rather strange & surreal sequence involving clocks and a distorted whiskey bottle that gets thrown into the mix which may puzzle some viewers.
All-in-all - This WW2 drama was well-worth a view.
Set in 1943 (in war-torn London), this beautifully restored, b&w drama held my undivided attention from start to finish.
Featuring a good cast (headlined by David Farrar) and impressive camera-work (there's lots of great close-ups), The Small Back Room's story concerns the professional and personal conflicts of Sam Rice, a troubled research scientist and bomb-disposal expert with a "tin leg" and a weakness for whiskey.
This solid, intense (and somewhat depressing) story even contains a scene filmed at Stonehenge. As well, there's a rather strange & surreal sequence involving clocks and a distorted whiskey bottle that gets thrown into the mix which may puzzle some viewers.
All-in-all - This WW2 drama was well-worth a view.
- strong-122-478885
- Jun 6, 2014
- Permalink
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Experten aus dem Hinterzimmer
- Filming locations
- Stonehenge, Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire, England, UK(Testing of the Reeve's Gun)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $25,091
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $6,561
- Jun 30, 2024
- Gross worldwide
- $25,091
- Runtime1 hour 46 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content