The Small Back Room

OCOpen Caption screening
Additional program content
SFSensory Friendly. Details HERE

There are no showtimes currently scheduled for this film.

The Small Back Room

After the lavish Technicolor spectacle of The Red Shoes, British filmmakers Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger retreated into the inward, shadowy recesses of this moody, crackling character study. Based on the acclaimed novel by Nigel Balchin, The Small Back Room details the professional and personal travails of troubled, alcoholic research scientist and military bomb-disposal expert, Sammy Rice (David Farrar) who, while struggling with a complex relationship with secretary girlfriend Susan (Kathleen Byron), is hired by the government to advise on a dangerous new German weapon. Deftly mixing suspense and romance, The Small Back Room is an atmospheric, post–World War II gem.

Alongside the documentary Made in England, we will be playing classic films by the iconic filmmaking duo. Also check out: A Matter of Life and Death, The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp, I Know Where I’m Going!and Black Narcissus

"The strength and confidence in Powell and Pressburger’s film-making is a pleasure -- as is their distinctive love of adventure and romance."
Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian
"One of the periods most piercing, emotionally anguished romances."
Bill Weber, Slant Magazine


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