The Small Voice

Three ex-army men escape from Dartmoor Prison and kill a man to steal his car. This brutal theft marks the start of their dangerous escape.

Mr and Mrs Byrne bicker on a train, arguing over divorce and the state of their marriage. He bears a bitter stamp from the war, and she works as an actress, adding tension to their relationship.

They arrive at Llanbach in Wales, near their home, bringing their fragile marriage into a familiar setting. The sense of strain remains as they begin to settle in.

On a country road at night, police block their route as they pursue the escaped convicts. The couple's nerves tighten as the danger closes in around them.

A man emerges from the embankment and claims there is another man in the car. The Byrnes take the injured stranger to their house to phone for medical assistance.

While the injured man is being treated in the kitchen, the first convict disappears and steals the Byrnes' car. The sudden betrayal turns a rescue into a dangerous turn of events.

Back at the crash site, the first convict locates the third man; they discover they hit another car, with the chauffeur dead and two children in the back seat. The criminals bring the frightened children back to the Byrnes' house.

Mr and Mrs Byrne are locked in one room together, while the two children are locked in a room with Mrs Potter, the housekeeper. The missing parents are at a police station trying to locate the missing car and the children.

The next day, the Sunday newspaper arrives and reports that the escaped convicts have killed a policeman. The revelation confirms the danger facing everyone inside the house.

The well-educated children begin correcting the convicts on grammar, undermining their confidence. Their linguistic corrections provide a small, defiant form of resistance within the tense household.

Mrs Byrne tries to escape by an upper window but is caught by Boke, the gang leader. Boke then explains to Mr Byrne his background—born in Liverpool, raised in Chicago, and imprisoned for killing an officer—revealing the ruthlessness of the gang.

Mr Byrne finds an unattended gun and goes to shoot Boke, but leaves the safety catch on. Boke points out the error, allowing Mr Byrne to kill him and end the immediate threat.