The Next Voice You Hear... is a 1950 American drama film starring James Whitmore and Nancy Davis.[2] It was based on a short story of the same name by George Sumner Albee, published in a 1948 issue of Hearst's International Cosmopolitan.[3][4] An exhaustive description of the making of the film is the subject of producer Dore Schary's book Case History of a Movie.
| The Next Voice You Hear... | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | William A. Wellman |
| Written by | Charles Schnee |
| Based on | suggested by s story by George Sumner Albee |
| Produced by | Dore Schary |
| Starring | James Whitmore Nancy Davis |
| Cinematography | William Mellor, A.S.C. |
| Edited by | John Dunning |
| Music by | David Raksin |
| Distributed by | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer |
Release date |
|
Running time | 83 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $421,000[1] |
| Box office | $788,000[1] |
Plot
editOpening credits
editMGM's Leo the Lion stares forward but does not move his head or roar
"...neither was the Word of the Lord yet revealed unto him." First Book of Samuel Chapter III, Verse 7
THE NEXT VOICE YOU HEAR... The voice of God is heard on the radio, preempting all programming throughout the world and causing widespread hope and alarm. The story is told through Joe and Nancy Smith, a typical American couple, and the positive and negative reactions of other people.
The six messages (one for each day, Tuesday through Sunday, but "on the seventh day He rested.") that God speaks on the radio are read aloud, for the benefit of the film audience, by different characters in the film. The voice of God is never heard.[5]
End credits
edit"In the beginning was the Word: and the Word was with God: and the Word was God." John Chapter I, Verse I
MADE IN HOLLYWOOD, U.S.A. by Metro~Goldwyn~Mayer
Cast
edit- James Whitmore as Joe Smith, American
- Nancy Davis as Mrs. Joe Smith
- Gary Gray as Johnny Smith, their son
- Lillian Bronson as Aunt Ethel
- Art Smith as Mr. Brannan
- Tom D'Andrea as Hap Magee
- Jeff Corey as Freddie
| Billy Bletcher | subscriber on Joe Smith's paper route who says, "Say, young man, ya mind if I read my own paper?" |
| George Chandler | police officer on motorcycle who gives Joe Smith a traffic ticket and, a minute later, another ticket |
| Frank Gerstle | Joe Smith's fellow worker at the plant who says in the locker room, "You really think they heard it in China?" |
| Frank Cady | Joe Smith's bald-headed fellow worker at the plant who says in the locker room, "I don't like that talk about miracles" |
| James Pierce | Joe Smith's fellow worker in the locker room at the plant |
| Frankie Darro | newspaper delivery boy |
| Wilson Wood [voice only] | radio announcer repeating God's message while Joe Smith, his wife and son are listening |
| Thomas Browne Henry | doctor at the hospital who tells Joe Smith regarding his wife's labor pains, "It was false labor, all right" |
| Chet Huntley [voice only] | radio newscaster describing the broadcast of the voice of God |
| Cecil Brown [voice only] | himself, radio commentator offering evaluation of the voice of God |
| Douglas Kennedy | Mitch, Joe Smith's old friend whom he runs into at a bar |
| Marjorie Hoshelle | bar girl whom Mitch calls "Sweetie" and motions to sit with him and Joe Smith |
| Lou Merrill [voice only] | radio announcer on the seventh day, as worshippers listen in church, expecting to hear God's voice |
| Rhea Mitchell | woman sitting in church, listening to the broadcast, expecting to hear God's voice |
| Sherry Jackson | little girl sitting in church, listening to the broadcast, expecting to hear God's voice |
| Howard M. Mitchell | church usher helping to escort Mrs. Joe Smith out of the church as she goes into labor |
Reception
editThe New York Times review called the film "a compound of humor, sentiment and romance—and that element of mysticism which the average person can seldom resist." The reviewer praised the performances of Whitmore, Davis and Gray, who played their young son, but criticized the film's "smug and easy clichés that are used to propel the plot."[5]
Variety called the film an "unusual picture experience" that was "beautifully handled in the understanding writing, direction and playing."[6]
Box office
editAccording to MGM records, the film earned $668,000 in the U.S. and Canada and $120,000 overseas, resulting in a profit to the studio of $367,000.[1]
Music
editThe film's score was composed by David Raksin and conducted by Raksin and Johnny Green. The hymn-like theme used for the main and end titles would later be published as "Hasten the Day", with lyrics by Norman Corwin.[7]
Surviving portions of Raksin's score, excluding some source music, were released on compact disc in 2009 on the Film Score Monthly label.
References
edit- ^ a b c The Eddie Mannix Ledger, Los Angeles: Margaret Herrick Library, Center for Motion Picture Study.
- ^ THOMAS F. BRADY (Feb 17, 1950). "METRO IS TESTING LOW-BUDGET PLAN: STUDIO ALLOWING $600,000 FOR NEW DORE SCHARY PICTURE, 'NEXT VOICE YOU HEAR' OF LOCAL ORIGIN ADMISSION TO PLAY: CAN OF FOOD". New York Times. p. 29.
- ^ "George Sumner Albee – Summary Bibliography". isfdb.org. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
- ^ Hughes, Scott (June 20, 2003). "God – The Hollywood Years". The Guardian (arts.guardian.co.uk). London. Retrieved 2008-06-02.
- ^ a b Crowther, Bosley (1950-06-30). "THE SCREEN IN REVIEW; 'The Next Voice You Hear ..., Dore Schary Production, Opens at Music Hall". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-05-13.
- ^ "The Next Voice You Hear …". Variety. 1950-01-01. Retrieved 2021-05-14.
- ^ Kaplan, Alexander (2009). "David Raksin at MGM (1950–1957)". Film Score Monthly (CD online notes). 12 (2). David Raksin. Los Angeles.