The Small Back Room
Performance & Direction: The Small Back Room Review
Last updated: January 25, 2026
Quick Verdict: Hit or Flop?
Is The Small Back Room (1949) worth watching? According to our cinematic analysis, the film stands as a HIT with a verified audience rating of 6.7/10. Whether you're looking for the box office collection, ending explained, or parents guide, our review covers everything you need to know about this Drama.
Cast Performances: A Masterclass
The success of any Drama is often anchored by its ensemble, and The Small Back Room features a noteworthy lineup led by David Farrar . Supported by the likes of Kathleen Byron and Jack Hawkins , the performances bring a palpable realism to the scripted words.
Performance Analysis: While the cast delivers competent and professional performances, they are occasionally hampered by a script that leans into familiar archetypes.
Final Verdict: Is it Worth Watching?
In summary, our editorial assessment of The Small Back Room (1949) is generally positive. With an audience rating of 6.7/10, it stands as a highly recommended experience for genre enthusiasts.
Story & Plot Summary: The Small Back Room
Quick Plot Summary: The Small Back Room is a Drama, War, Romance film that explores complex human emotions and relationships through detailed character development. This summary provides a scannable look at the movie's central conflict and narrative structure.
Ending Explained: The Small Back Room
Ending Breakdown: The Small Back Room concludes its story with a mix of closure and open interpretation. The finale presents its approach to drama resolution.
The emotional climax centers on character transformation, offering viewers material for post-viewing discussion.
Ending Analysis:
- Narrative Resolution: The story concludes by addressing its primary narrative threads, providing closure while maintaining some ambiguity.
- Character Arcs: Character journeys reach their narrative endpoints, reflecting the film's thematic priorities.
- Thematic Payoff: The ending reinforces the drama themes established throughout the runtime.
The final moments of The Small Back Room reflect the filmmakers' creative choices, offering an ending that aligns with the film's tone and style.
The Small Back Room Real vs. Reel: Is it Based on a True Story?
The Small Back Room uses real-world events as narrative inspiration. As a drama, war, romance film, it navigates the space between factual accuracy and narrative engagement.
Historical Context
The film takes creative liberties to enhance dramatic impact. Core events maintain connection to source material while adapting for theatrical presentation.
Creative interpretation shapes the final narrative, with attention to period detail and historical context.
Accuracy Assessment: The Small Back Room adapts its source material for dramatic purposes. The film prioritizes thematic resonance over documentary precision.
Who Should Watch The Small Back Room?
Worth Watching If You:
- Enjoy Drama films and don't mind familiar tropes
- Are a fan of the cast or director
- Want a character-driven story with emotional moments
Box Office Collection: The Small Back Room
| Metric / Region | Collection (Approx) |
|---|---|
| Production Budget | $240.0K |
| Worldwide Gross | $135.0K |
| Trade Verdict | CLEAN HIT |
The Small Back Room Budget
The estimated production budget for The Small Back Room is $240.0K. This figure covers principal photography, talent acquisitions, and visual effects. When accounting for global marketing and distribution, the break-even point is typically 2x the base production cost.
Top Cast: The Small Back Room
All Cast & Crew →
Where to Watch The Small Back Room Online?
Streaming Hub📺 Stream on
Criterion Channel🎟️ Rent on
Fandango At Home🏷️ Buy on
Fandango At HomeThe Small Back Room Parents Guide & Age Rating
1949 AdvisoryWondering about The Small Back Room age rating or if it's safe for kids? Here is our cinematic advisory:
⏱️ Runtime & Duration
The total runtime of The Small Back Room is 106 minutes (1h 46m). Ensuring you have enough time for the full cinematic experience.
Verdict Summary
Analyzing the overall audience sentiment, verified rating of 6.7/10, and global performance metrics, The Small Back Room is classified as a HIT. It remains an essential part of the 1949 cinematic calendar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Small Back Room worth watching?
The Small Back Room is definitely worth watching if you enjoy Drama movies. It has a verified rating of 6.7/10 and stands as a HIT in our box office analysis.
Where can I find The Small Back Room parents guide and age rating?
The official parents guide for The Small Back Room identifies it as Not Rated. Our detailed advisory section above covers all content warnings for families.
What is the total runtime of The Small Back Room?
The total duration of The Small Back Room is 106 minutes, which is approximately 1h 46m long.
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How The Small Back Room Compares & Where it Ranks
Critic Reviews for The Small Back Room
I must have a drink. Ask me to have a drink woman. The Small Back Room (AKA: Hour of Glory) is directed by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, with both adapting the screenplay from the Nigel Balchin novel. It stars David Farrar, Kathleen Byron, Jack Hawkins, Leslie Banks and Michael Gough. Music is by Brian Easdale and cinematography by Christopher Challis. As the Germans drop explosive booby-traps across coastline England, Sammy Rice (Farrar) will be tasked with learning the secret to disarming the deadly devices. But first he must beat his private battle with alcohol, his form of self medication due to the loss of one of his feet. The Archers produce what is in essence a tale of redemption, it's a superbly mounted drama dripping with realism and infused with atmospheric black and white photography. It somewhat divided critics back on release, but that tended to be customary where Powell was concerned, who himself wasn't sure about the validity of this particular piece. Yet it finds Pressburger and himself on sure footings, returning to more grounded human dramatics, their willingness to explore the murky fallibility of mankind is a thing of bold and effective cinematic beauty. The by-play between Farrar and Byron is sexually charged, but heart achingly poignant as well. The pic is at its best when these pair share scenes, the back drops to their troubled courting veering from vibrant (hope) to dour (despair), the latter always staged at Sammy's gloomy flat and the scene of a brilliantly filmed expressionistic nightmare that he suffers. Elsewhere various military types either stand tall or sit behind desks speaking in correct literary tones, their collective problem being that the pesky Germans have come up with a vile bomb tactic that needs addressing ASAP. Can Sammy come through for not only the war effort, but also for his sanity? Watch and see, it's great film making across the board. 8/10
movieMx Verified
This review has been verified for accuracy and editorial quality by our senior cinematic analysts.
This analysis is compiled by our editorial experts using multi-source verification and audience sentiment data for maximum accuracy.
