The Small Back Room

Set in England, 1943, The Small Black Room features Powell favourite David Farrar as WW2 explosives expert Sammy Rice. As the Germans continue to drop deadly bombs on British soil, Rice has to battle with his ever burgeoning alcohol addiction in order to diffuse the bombs and discover how they work - all the while trying to save his relationship from coming to an end. Farrar is great in the role of the moody and troubled Rice, turning the character from a cantankerous and semi-permanent drunk into a man who faces his problems when staring death in the face. Not as cheery or breathtaking as previous Powell and Pressburger films A Matter of Life and Death and Black Narcissus , this is nonetheless an enjoyable piece of work, with special note being made of the scene in which Rice hallucinates while on a cocktail of dope and whisky. DVD extras include audio commentary, a video interview with the cinematographer, and audio excerpts from Powell’s biography.