An Inspector Calls - 6th February 2013

First things first, the more astute amongst you will notice that the date for tonight's film, is not a Tuesday, we are a day behind this week. Matters not.
We continue with our retrospective type season, with another black and white film, this time dating back to 1954. Tonight we see what happens when;

An Inspector Calls

As I say, a 1954 classic, based on the stage play of the same name by J.B. Priestly, An Inspector Calls is a drawing room drama, set in 1912, centred on the rich Birling family of Brumley. Sitting down to dinner one night, celebrating the engagement of their daughter Sheila, Inspector Poole pays them a visit and to impart the news, that a young girl has died, a young girl it seems that has touched the lives of each family member, unbeknown to each other.

Inspector Poole, calmly, carefully and in a laid back manner, cross examines each family member in turn, delving into their past and their involvement with the girl. Establishing the facts and making out each person to be, in some way responsible for the girls death.

The story is gripping, riveting even. And the fact that it is set, apart from the story establishing flashbacks, in almost one room, is most impressive. Obviously, plays of this ilk maintain the one location, but to do so well, rely on a marvellous story to keep the viewer enthralled and hanging on their every word and action.

Inspector Poole is played by the incomparable Alastair Sim, who is totally and utterly sublime in this role, holding court as he does, as he questions the Birling family in turn.
Obviously kudos must also go to J.B. Priestly for the marvellous story, which maintains it's hold on the viewer, right until the end, introducing twists and turns, all the way. I confess that the ending is slightly disappointing, as it leaves a few things unanswered, but then it wouldn't be the gripping classic that it is, without leaving certain elements open to interpretation by us, the humble viewer.

Look out for a young George Cole as the tram conductor. Also a young Norman Bird, a well known character actor who seems to have been in everything, pops up as the factory foreman.

Others to note are, Bryan Forbes (husband to Nanette Newman and father of Emma Forbes), plays the always squiffy Eric Birling and does it rather well too. And Brian Worth plays Gerald Croft, the business man getting engaged to young Sheila Berling. Worth has acted with Alastair Sim previously, playing his nephew Fred, in the classic A Christmas Carol, just 3 years previously, in 1951.

All in all An Inspector Calls is a must see piece of theatre. I think we should do more of these films on a Tuesday night or Wednesday for that matter.

And to the scores. An Inspector Calls ranks 8 out of 10.