The Small Back Room 1949
Directed by
Emeric Pressburger
Made by
London Films Productions
The Small Back Room Plot Summary
Read the complete plot summary and ending explained for The Small Back Room (1949). From turning points to emotional moments, uncover what really happened and why it matters.
Sammy Rice is a British scientist in a London ‘back room’ team evaluating new weapons during the Second World War, a setting where progress is constantly hampered by bureaucracy and poor management.
Rice is disabled and in constant pain from his prosthetic foot, and he nurses a brittle self-pity that makes him doubt his worth to his girlfriend, Susan. A secretary in his department, she tolerates his temper and self-destructive streak in the hope that she can help him move past his woes, though staying away from whisky is key to keeping him on track.
Rice, who has a past background in bomb disposal, is drawn by Captain Stuart into a hush-hush assignment that probes the secrets of a new Nazi booby trap device. Progress is slow, bogged down by internal snags and the ever-shifting political climate of the section.
In the midst of this turmoil, Susan urges him to be more assertive at his job, a demand that lands heavy on him and sparks tension between them. He lashes out in a drunken rampage, smashing up his flat, and she leaves him to face the consequences alone.
Still under the influence, Rice receives a call informing him that two intact devices have been discovered on Britain’s Channel coast. On his arrival, he learns that Stuart has died while attempting to defuse the first device. Before tackling the second, Rice listens to a transcript of Stuart’s remarks from the disarming process, and in a gripping, harrowing moment he discovers that the device has two booby traps. He disarms both, a feat that restores his self-belief and his professional standing.
Rice returns to London with his reputation renewed and his confidence restored. Susan guides him toward an urgent meeting with Colonel Strang, the army officer he had previously backed during a heated dispute over an experimental artillery gun. The colonel’s stance had opposed the project, and yet the meeting culminates in Rice being offered the chance to head the Army’s own new scientific research unit, with a commission as a major. He accepts, embracing a new chapter in his life.
Back in his flat, the damage from his earlier stormy night has been repaired, and Susan awaits him, signaling a hopeful new balance between them as the story closes.
The Small Back Room Timeline
Follow the complete movie timeline of The Small Back Room (1949) with every major event in chronological order. Great for understanding complex plots and story progression.
Rice's wartime role in a London back room unit
Sammy Rice is a British scientist working in a London 'back room' weapons unit during the Second World War. He endures constant pain from a prosthetic foot and battles self-doubt that strains his relationship with his girlfriend Susan. Bureaucrats and poor management make progress slow and frustrating.
Past bomb disposal experience and bureaucratic pressure
Rice's background in bomb disposal is recalled as he tries to keep his nerves steady under mounting pressure. He grapples with feeling unworthy as bureaucrats and shifting politics hamper the weapon project. Susan tries to keep him focused despite the toxic work environment.
Stuart recruits Rice for a secret Nazi booby-trap investigation
Captain Stuart drags Rice into a hush-hush assignment to probe a new Nazi booby-trap device. The project remains secret and progress is slow due to bureaucratic obstacles.
Susan urges assertiveness amid bureaucratic turmoil
In the middle of bureaucratic and political turmoil, Susan urges Rice to be more assertive at his job, hoping to salvage his career. He interprets the push as interference and pushes back, deepening the rift. The conflict strains both his professional prospects and his relationship.
Drunken rampage and Susan leaves him
Propelled by alcohol and anger, Rice returns to his flat and smashes it up in a drunken rampage. Susan, fed up with his temper, leaves him. The personal fallout hits just as his work situation remains unstable.
Two Nazi devices found on Britain's Channel coast; a crisis call
Still drunk, Rice receives a call from Stuart reporting that two intact devices have been found on Britain's Channel coast. The discovery triggers a race to get there before disaster strikes. Rice prepares for a dangerous assignment that could influence the war.
Stuart dies attempting to defuse the first device
On arrival, Rice learns that Stuart has died while trying to defuse the first device. The mission exposes the human cost of the secret project and the stakes of the work. Rice steels himself for the remaining device.
Transcripts reveal booby-trap complexity; Rice disarms second device
Before tackling the second device, Rice listens to transcripts of Stuart's disarming attempts. He discovers the second device has two booby traps and must carefully navigate them. He succeeds in neutralizing both traps.
Return to London with reputation restored
Rice returns to London with his reputation enhanced and his self-esteem restored. The successful outcome rekindles his confidence and redefines his standing with colleagues. He seems ready to take on bigger responsibilities.
Urgent meeting with army colonel following Susan's lead
Susan directs him to an urgent meeting with an army colonel whom he had previously supported during a contentious hearing over an experimental artillery gun. The officer had opposed the project, but Rice's success earns a new chance. The meeting marks a turning point in his career.
Offer to head the Army's new scientific unit; Rice accepts
Rice is offered the opportunity to lead the Army's own new scientific research unit, with a commission as a major. He accepts the post, signaling a fresh start in his professional life. The move aligns with his personal growth after his Channel coast ordeal.
Reunion at home: repair complete and Susan waiting
Back at his flat, the previous damage is repaired. Susan awaits him there, signaling a hopeful reconciliation and a new chapter in their relationship. The day closes with a sense of renewal.
The Small Back Room Characters
Explore all characters from The Small Back Room (1949). Get detailed profiles with their roles, arcs, and key relationships explained.
Sammy Rice (David Farrar)
A disabled, self-critical scientist with a background in bomb disposal. He starts in a state of frustration, but his technical skill and stubborn resolve push him toward a crucial wartime mission. His journey combines personal pain with professional growth as he confronts fear and bureaucratic obstacles.
Captain Dick Stuart (Michael Gough)
A captain who recruits Rice for a hush-hush assignment about a new Nazi booby-trap device. He dies defusing the first device, becoming a catalyst for Rice’s transformation and the mission’s stakes.
Susan (Kathleen Byron)
Rice’s secretary and love interest. She encourages him to be more assertive at work, for better or worse, and her absence after a drunken breakdown triggers Rice’s darkest moment and eventual resolve.
Col. Strang (Anthony Bushell)
A senior officer who had opposed an experimental artillery gun but later offers Rice a commission to head the Army’s new scientific unit. He embodies the military’s support-reacting shift toward science-led defense.
Col. A. K. Holland (Leslie Banks)
An army colonel involved in the broader debate over weapons development. His stance represents the institutional guardrails around wartime innovation and policy.
Brigadier (James Dale)
A high-ranking officer who embodies wartime command and offers the broader support system for Rice’s eventual appointment to lead the new research unit.
The Small Back Room Settings
Learn where and when The Small Back Room (1949) takes place. Explore the film’s settings, era, and how they shape the narrative.
Time period
Second World War (1939-1945)
Set during World War II, the period features rationing, air raids, and intense wartime bureaucracy. The story highlights a society mobilized for total war, where scientific work must navigate political constraints. The plot’s stakes are heightened by the danger of undiscovered weapons and the clash between innovation and red tape.
Location
London, Britain's Channel coast
The primary action takes place in wartime London, where a back-room weapons research unit operates under pressure. The story also shifts to Britain’s Channel coast, where two intact Nazi booby-traps are discovered and must be defused. The settings emphasize secrecy, urgency, and the blend of dense bureaucratic offices with dangerous fieldwork.
The Small Back Room Themes
Discover the main themes in The Small Back Room (1949). Analyze the deeper meanings, emotional layers, and social commentary behind the film.
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Science under Pressure
A core thread follows Sammy Rice’s struggle to apply his expertise under cramped schedules and political interference. The narrative shows how crucial research and practical skills are in wartime, even as personal pain and doubt threaten progress.
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Bureaucracy vs Innovation
The secret weapons program is hampered by red tape and cautious management. The tension between the need for rapid, decisive action and institutional caution drives much of the drama, shaping Rice’s arc from frustration to breakthrough.
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Resilience and Redemption
Rice’s self-doubt and reckless spiral after Susan leaves him give way to a turning point when he proves his worth. The story frames courage, recovery of self-esteem, and commitment to duty as a path back to personal and professional stability.
The Small Back Room Spoiler-Free Summary
Discover the spoiler-free summary of The Small Back Room (1949). Get a concise overview without any spoilers.
In the waning days of World II, the British war effort is as much a battle of ideas as it is of armies. Deep beneath the soot‑caked streets of London, a cramped “back‑room” of scientists, engineers and military officials wrestles with the relentless churn of bureaucracy while trying to keep the country one step ahead of a terrifying new German weapon. The city itself hums with an uneasy mix of resilience and dread, its civilians oblivious to the invisible menace that could turn ordinary neighborhoods into disaster zones at any moment.
Sammy Rice is the enclave’s reluctant hero—a bomb‑disposal specialist whose precise skill is shadowed by a lingering injury and a phantom of past failures. His prosthetic foot reminds him constantly of the price of war, and a brittle self‑pity fuels a volatile temperament that threatens both his work and his love life. Susan, his steadfast girlfriend and department secretary, is the only voice urging him toward steadier ground, insisting that sobriety might be the key to reclaiming his confidence. Their uneasy partnership underscores a larger theme: the battle between personal demons and the collective fight for survival.
When a covert directive lands on his desk, Sammy is thrust into a desperate race against time to neutralize the mysterious, booby‑trapped device that the Nazis are dropping along the English coast. The assignment is cloaked in secrecy, its success hinging not only on technical brilliance but also on the fragile resolve of a man teetering on the edge of his own limits. Amid the ticking clocks of war and the oppressive weight of bureaucracy, the film unfolds as a tense, atmospheric study of courage under fire, where every whispered conversation and strained breath hints at a larger, unseen showdown.
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