The Small Voice [Hideout] *** (1948, James Donald, Valerie Hobson, Howard Keel) – Classic Movie Review 13,454

The 1948 British film noir thriller The Small Voice [Hideout] is based on a 1940 novel by Robert Westerby, and stars James Donald, Valerie Hobson and Howard Keel in his film debut.

Director Fergus McDonell’s 1948 British film noir thriller The Small Voice [Hideout] is based on a 1940 novel by Robert Westerby, and stars James Donald, Valerie Hobson and Howard Keel in his film debut.

Howard Keel leads a trio of ex-army men, escaped convicts on the run, who hide out at gunpoint in the Welsh countryside home of a playwright called Murray Byrne (James Donald) and his wife Eleanor (Valerie Hobson) after they have done a good deed by saving them on the road.

Even if the yarn is as old as the hills and very like The Desperate Hours, the script is good, and the film is still tensely made and well performed by the strong and notable cast. The escapees are Howard Keel as Boke, David Greene as Jim, and Michael Balfour as Frankie.

The screenplay is written by Derek Neame and Julian Orde, with additional scenes by George Barraud.

It is the film debut of Howard Keel (credited as Harold Keel), who made it while appearing in the original London production of Oklahoma!

It was BAFTA nominated as Best British Film in 1949.

The small voice of the title is the one in your head, of your conscience telling you not to do something bad. No wonder they changed the title in America to Hideout!

Producer Anthony Havelock-Allen said the film ‘got very good notices but it didn’t make any real money. Our director was Fergus McDonell. I nursed him through our film, and he obviously had talent, but he was so highly strung that he could very easily have had a nervous breakdown.’

It is made at Alliance Studios, Riverside, London.

Release date: 30 November 1948.

The cast

The cast are Valerie Hobson as Eleanor Byrne, James Donald as Murray Byrne, Howard Keel (credited as Harold Keel) as escapee Boke, David Greene as escapee Jim, Michael Balfour as escapee Frankie, ]Joan Young as housekeeper Mrs Potter, Angela Fouldes (credited as Angela Faulds) as Jenny Moss, Glyn Dearman as Ken Moss, Norman Claridge as Superintendent, Edward Evans as Police Inspector, Bill Shine as Maitland, Michael Hordern as Dr Mennell, Edward Palmer as Joe Wallis, Lyn Evans as ticket collector, Norman Claridge, Edward Judd, Hugh Owens, Grace Denbigh Russell, Alan Tilvern, Godfrey Barrie, Sidney Benson, Kathleen Michael, Edward Palmer, Frederic Steger, and Barry Wicks.

The Small Voice [Hideout] is directed by Fergus McDonell, runs 85 minutes, is made by Constellation Films, is released by British Lion Films, is written by Derek Neame and Julian Orde, with additional scenes by George Barraud, is shot in black and white by Stan Pavey, is produced by Anthony Havelock-Allan, is scored by Stanley Black, and is designed by Andrew Mazzei.

© Derek Winnert 2025 – Classic Movie Review 13,454

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