Little Voice (film)

Infobox Film | name = Little Voice


image_size = 175px
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director = Mark Herman
producer = Elizabeth Karlsen
writer = Mark Herman
starring = Jane Horrocks
Brenda Blethyn
Michael Caine
Ewan McGregor
music = John Altman
cinematography = Andy Collins
editing = Michael Ellis
distributor = Miramax Films
released = December 4, 1998
runtime = 96 minutes
language =
rating =
budget =
preceded_by =
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imdb_id = 0147004

"Little Voice" is a 1998 British drama film with music written and directed by Mark Herman. The screenplay is adapted from the play "The Rise and Fall of Little Voice" by Jim Cartwright.

Plot synopsis

Set primarily in a lower-middle-class home where the fuses constantly blow and what little food there is in the refrigerator has turned rancid, the film tells the story of lonely, shy, agoraphobic young Laura, commonly known as Little Voice, who seems to display many of the symptoms of selective mutism, a rare anxiety disorder similar to social phobia. She spends her time obsessively listening to her deceased father's extensive collection of vintage recordings by such all-time singing greats as Edith Piaf, Judy Garland, and Shirley Bassey. Impersonating their performances is her only source of joy, life, and escape from her boozy, abusive mother Mari.

Her life of solitude is turned upside down when Ray Say, a manager of third-rate acts, becomes involved with her mother and, upon recognizing Little Voice's amazing talent, attempts to make her the star she doesn't want to be. He convinces Mr. Boo to showcase her at his seedy nightclub, where the girl, overcoming her fear by imagining her father is in the audience, presents a succession of show-stopping numbers that has the crowd clamoring for more. Complications ensue when the girl retreats into her private world and refuses to participate in a heavily-hyped second appearance.

Little Voice's soulmate, meek telephone installer and pigeon fancier Billy, ultimately saves her both literally and figuratively.

Production notes

Sam Mendes, who directed the original 1992 stage production of the play starring Jane Horrocks and Alison Steadman at the Royal National Theatre before it transferred to the Aldwych Theatre in London's West End [ [http://www.broadway.com/gen/Buzz_Star_File.aspx?ci=25953 Sam Mendes at Broadway.com] ] , was nominated for the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Director of a Play, and Horrocks was nominated Best Actress. The play itself was named Best Comedy, and Steadman was honored as Best Actress; it also won for Best Costume Design [ [http://www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk/awards/winners/display?contentId=72662 1993 Laurence Olivier Awards at OfficialLondonTheatre.co.uk] ] .

The 1993 Steppenwolf Theatre Company production starring Hynden Walch transferred to Broadway in April 1994 but closed after nineteen previews and nine performances.

The movie was filmed on location in the seaside town of Scarborough in North Yorkshire.

Jane Horrocks performed her own vocals.

Principal cast

*Brenda Blethyn ..... Mari Hoff
*Jane Horrocks ..... Little Voice
*Michael Caine ..... Ray Say
*Ewan McGregor ..... Billy
*Jim Broadbent ..... Mr. Boo
*Philip Jackson ..... George
*Annette Badland ..... Sadie

oundtrack

All of the following are performed by Horrocks:

*"The Man that Got Away" by Harold Arlen and Ira Gershwin
*"Lover Man (Oh Where Can You Be)" by Jimmy Davis, Jimmy Sherman, and Roger Ramirez
*"Over the Rainbow" by Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg
*"Chicago" by Fred Fisher
*"I Wanna Be Loved By You" by Harry Ruby, Herbert Stothart, and Bert Kalmar
*"Big Spender" by Cy Coleman and Dorothy Fields
*"Sing As We Go" by Harry Parr Davies
*"Falling in Love Again" by Frederick Hollander and Samuel Lerner
*"Get Happy" by Harold Arlen and Ted Koehler

Critical reception

In her review in the "New York Times", Janet Maslin said, "Horrocks's phenomenal mimicry of musical grande dames from Marlene Dietrich to Marilyn Monroe, lavishing special loving care on Judy Garland, makes a splendid centerpiece for the otherwise more ordinary film built around it." [ [http://www.nytimes.com/library/film/120498voice-film-review.html "New York Times" review] ]

Roger Ebert of the "Chicago Sun-Times" felt the story was "amusing but uneven" and the film "seems to have all the pieces in place for another one of those whimsical, comic British slices of life. But the movie doesn't quite deliver the way we think it will. One problem is that the Michael Caine character, sympathetic and funny in the opening and middle scenes, turns mean at the end for no good reason. Another is that the romance, and a manufactured crisis, distract from the true climax of the movie. That would be Jane Horrocks' vocal performance . . . she is amazing. Absolutely fabulous." [ [http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19981204/REVIEWS/812040302/1023 "Chicago Sun-Times" review] ]

In "Variety", Derek Elley called it "a small picture with a big heart" and added, "The film has almost everything going for it, with the exceptions of a somewhat lopsided structure in which the climax comes two-thirds of the way through and a romantic subplot that plays like an afterthought. Nevertheless, smooth direction by Mark Herman and juicy performances by a host of Brit character actors . . . ensure an entertaining ride . . . Horrocks, whose combo of gamin physique and big vocal talent make the title role seem unthinkable for any other actress, is a revelation, handling moments of solo emotion and onstage strutting with equal, moving panache." [ [http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117477939.html?categoryid=31&cs=1&p=0 "Variety" review] ]

Awards and nominations

*Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress (Brenda Blethyn, nominee)
*Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy (Michael Caine, winner)
*Golden Globe Award for Best Actress - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy (Jane Horrocks, nominee)
*Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress - Motion Picture (Brenda Blethyn, nominee)
*BAFTA Alexander Korda Award for Best British Film (nominee)
*BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role (Michael Caine, nominee)
*BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role (Jane Horrocks, nominee)
*BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Brenda Blethyn, nominee)
*BAFTA Award for Best Adapted Screenplay (nominee)
*BAFTA Award for Best Sound (nominee)
*Satellite Award for Best Picture - Musical or Comedy (nominee)
*Satellite Award for Best Adapted Screenplay (nominee)
*Satellite Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy (Michael Caine, nominee)
*Satellite Award for Best Actress - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy (Jane Horrocks, nominee)
*Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actress - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy (Brenda Blethyn, nominee)
*Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture (nominee)
*Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role - Motion Picture (Jane Horrocks, nominee)
*Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role - Motion Picture (Brenda Blethyn, nominee)
*London Film Critics Circle Award for British Supporting Actor of the Year (Michael Caine, winner)
*British Independent Film Award for Best Actor (Michael Caine, nominee)
*British Independent Film Award for Best Actress (Jane Horricks, nominee)

References

External links

# [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0147004/ "Little Voice" at the Internet Movie Database]
# [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANyUmowSDkM&feature=related A conversation about this film] on Charlie Rose with Michael Caine, Brenda Blethyn and Jane Horrocks (November 25, 1998)