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The Shout
01/12/2007 . Source: Rod MacDonald 
DVD Region 2. Pub: Network 7952763. 85 minutes with audio commentary. Price: £ 9.99) stars: Alan Bates, Susannah York and John Hurt. Buy The Shout in the USA - or Buy The Shout in the UK  check out website: www.networkdvd.co.uk
You would think a film derived from a story written by Robert Graves and starring Alan Bates, Susannah York and John Hurt would be reasonably good. In fact, names are probably the main reason for the release of this 30-year-old piece of nonsense. The attraction of named celebrities? Must be worth a few quid? As for the story, well, it was emperor's clothes stuff.
This was low budget affair. One good aspect, however, was the Devon location, in particular the sand dunes which promoted a surreal effect to a rather lacklustre performance from the main actors. This was dreary British 1970s at its worst. I know lots of people out there think this was a really good arty-farty production with lots of hidden meaning, good directing and subtle nuances. I watched it many years ago and have just wasted another 90 minutes of my life by watching it again. The things I do for Crowsnest!
Following a sand dune scene and a visit to examine dead bodies, none being recognisable, we are taking to a cricket match between the staff and inmates of a lunatic asylum. It's okay to go on about lunatics and nutters because this was in the days before everything became politically correct and, as usual, it's difficult to distinguish between staff and patient in such circumstances.
This inability to discriminate continues. Tim Curry plays Robert Graves, someone coming to help out at the cricket match. By the date of this production, the real Robert Graves would have been a very old man. Alan Bates is Crossley. He is the scorer and, assisted by Graves, they make an attempt to follow the match. However, Crossley, intent on carving up bits of animal bone, insists on telling the story which is the main plot of the film.
Crossley, walking about in a long black coat, latches on to Anthony and Rachel Fielding, played by John Hurt and Susannah York, and invites himself to Sunday dinner and more besides. He soon becomes a menacing and disturbing influence. In fact, Crossley makes no pretence about anything and get straight to the point over dinner about his aboriginal experience. You see, Crossley has been with the Australian aborigines for 18 years and has learnt a thing or two. Strangely, many other people have been with aborigines for a lot longer and haven't developed the same way and even some aborigines who have been with aborigines all their life haven't picked up the same habits either. Perhaps they were talking about different aborigines.
Basically, this is aboriginal mumbo jumbo! Anthony Fielding doesn't believe in Crossley's abilities, the silly chap, and experiences the shout within the sand dunes. Basically, Crossley can shout very loud, even to extent of killing a shepherd and his sheep. (I didn't think sand dunes were the ideal environment for sheep.) Fortunately, Fielding had put wax in his ears so he wasn't killed. As if a little bit of wax could save him from a devastating blast of sound from only a couple of yards and yet, 100 yards distant men and sheep were dropping dead?
It gets worse! Crossley gets his hands on Rachel and she, by the process of aboriginal magic, becomes his captive sex slave. Anthony, who had already been having an affair, gets into the act when he picks up stones from the dunes, affecting people's behaviour by their manipulation. He finds the stone which represents Crossley and smashes it. To cut a tiresome story short, thank goodness, the police arrive and everyone ends up in the asylum and to the cricket match.
Of course, a cricket match at an asylum where everyone is batty just has to go wrong. A bowler has a tantrum which causes a chain reaction and everyone has a mad turn. If this isn't stereotypical claptrap and I don't know what is. A riot starts in the scorers' box, Crossley shouts and Graves manages to jump out before it is struck by lightning from a quickly erupting storm. We are then taken back to the three bodies laid out on tables in the asylum.
I've read reports on how this film was well-received in Cannes. This only confirms my suspicions that the film is nonsense. One curious fact emerges however. Jim Broadbent, who had a shitty part in the film as a fielder in cow dung, went on to be one of Britain's most versatile actors which shows you that even from these depths, it's possible to rise to stardom. Unless you're some sort of masochist then I would give it a miss.
Rod MacDonald
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