Whispering Tongues: A Grim Little Revenge Tale

Is this worth your Tuesday night?

If you like your movies dripping with 1930s gloom and people wearing too many layers of wool, then yes, Whispering Tongues is worth a look. It’s for the folks who don't mind a bit of stage-bound acting and a plot that moves at the speed of a dusty carriage. If you need explosions or someone to explain the plot every five minutes, stay far away.

The story kicks off with a suicide, which is a real mood-setter right from the jump. It’s not exactly a barrel of laughs, but there’s a certain grit to the way the whole thing unfolds. You watch the hero go from grieving son to a man on a mission, and honestly, he’s not always the most likable guy in the room. I like that.

The pacing is a bit of a mess, if I'm being honest. One minute we are deep in a tense standoff in a dim office, and the next, we’re cutting to someone walking down a hallway for way too long. It feels like they had a lot of film and weren't quite sure when to say 'cut'.

Oddly Specific Notes:

• There is a scene in the library that feels like it lasts for an eternity. I’m pretty sure I could have made a sandwich before anyone moved.
• The lighting is either 'dramatic shadows' or 'someone turned on a single, harsh lamp' with no middle ground.
• I spent about ten minutes trying to figure out if the wallpaper in the study was actually moving or if I was just tired. It was probably just the film grain, but it added a weird vibe.

It reminded me a little of the slow-burn intensity you find in The Man Who Forgot. Both films have that same sense of a past that just won't leave the characters alone. Though, I’d argue this one is a bit more bitter.

The acting is fine, I guess. It’s very proper. Everyone speaks like they are reciting poetry at a funeral. It’s not quite as stiff as some of the stuff in Bonnie Prince Charlie, but it definitely isn't trying to be naturalistic either. You just kind of roll with it after twenty minutes.

I found myself zoning out during the dialogue-heavy scenes, only to be snapped back by a look someone gave or a door slamming shut. The sound design is surprisingly sharp. You can hear every creak of the floorboards.

Is it a masterpiece? No. Is it a good way to spend a rainy afternoon when you don't want to think too hard? Sure. It’s a bit messy, a bit dated, and definitely not perfect, but it feels like a movie made by people who really cared about the mood. That’s enough for me. 🎥