The Whisperers (1967)

Abandoned by her husband many years earlier, an elderly woman (Edith Evans) lives in poverty and is supported by national assistance. She hears voices that harass her and no one seems to care about her. Based on the novel by Robert Nicolson and directed by Bryan Forbes (SEANCE ON A WET AFTERNOON). The power of this film rests on Edith Evans' sublime performance. During the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s, Edith Evans was one of the great actresses of the British stage. Except for a few brief parts in silent cinema, Evans didn't make her sound film debut until she was almost 60! I only bring this up because unlike most actresses who have their roots in the theater, there's absolutely no theatricality to Evans' performance here. It's a naturalistic and potently subtle piece of acting. You can read Evans' face like a map. There's almost a beauty about the film that alleviates the oppressive and depressing atmosphere of the film while still retaining its heartbreaking intent. Loneliness among and the marginalization of the elderly is still a relevant subject in today's culture so the film has lost none of its faculty. With Eric Portman, Nanette Newman, Leonard Rossiter, Avis Bunnage, Ronald Fraser and Margaret Tyzack.