Careful, He Might Hear You (1983)

This one is from Australia, and centers on an eight year old boy called P.S. (Nicholas Gledhill...this was his first role.) There's a tug of war for custody of P.S., between Aunt Lily and Vanessa. Right at the beginning, Lily tries to explain to the boy why he must go off with Vanessa, but he's only eight, after all. Quite a variation from the Auntie Mame story; here, its all serious education and proper behavior, pretty much the opposite of Mame. So much PINK! have you ever seen so much pink in one room? Large, imposing rooms. And not allowed to get out and play with others. Vanessa kept him all to herself. Not much fun for a youngster who had so much fun in Sydney. Here, he can't seem to do anything right. Vanessa thinks she is doing the right thing for him, but doesn't really know that a youngster wants to just play. Then, stuff happens... which might help turn things around for him.Story by Sumner Elliott. The novel was written when he was about 46... film done when he was about 66; wonder if its his own story. Elliott was born down Undah, and died in NYC. Directed by Carl Schultz, who did mostly television projects. Finally it's out on DVD. Good story.

Sorry but I cannot tolerate films about stupid people and all of the characters in this film are just that. The little boy is good enough but I suspect this was a much more interesting book. Were I this kid, I really can't say I'd want to be related to any of them.The absentee father, Logan, promises to fix things for the kid and then disappears. The rich aunt is conveniently killed in a tacky ferry boat accident. The one time the aunt whom he wanted to live with had her chance, she clams up in an asthmatic attack in court. And her husband, the kid's beloved uncle has a nervous breakdown when the kid colors in his "beloved book". Here in the States we have Lifetime Television Movies - for women. That sums this thing up for me. I guess women might like it. I sure didn't.

One of the best British movies that I've seen. This is certainly in the tradition of the 1946 heartbreak "Brief Encounter."This gem of a film deals with the ensuing custody battle between a couple and the wife's sister. The problem is that their third sister, the mother of the child, has died and the father, an alcoholic, is not capable of raising the child. We learn that at one time the father had a romantic interlude with his wealthy sister-in-law.The little boy, Nicholas Gledhill,gives the most phenomenal performance. Interesting to read that this young lad has never appeared in another film. The cruelty that this child has to go through when he stays with his wealthy aunt-from the children from the private school that he attends. The film demonstrates how mean other children can be.The film is so good because it shows two diverse sisters-one who is wealthy and the other, poverty stricken especially when her husband, a defeated candidate from the Labor Party, loses his job.The musical score is fabulous and absolutely haunting. The ending will tug at your heart with its Titanic like tragic occurrence.This is a memorable film, well told.

Nicholas Gledhill's portrayal of a child is one of the best I've ever seen. He was eight at the time, and the character seems more like five---and a really excellent capture of the body language and expression of a child of that age mystified by the odd grown-up world around him. The worst distraction in the film was the music, which never seemed appropriate, like it had been composed for a different film, in an earlier decade. A few acting performances were overbaked, but in general it was OK. Oddly, Nicholas never appeared in another film.