The Next Voice You Hear... is a 1950 American drama film starring James Whitmore and Nancy Davis. It was based on a short story of the same name by George Sumner Albee, published in a 1948 issue of Hearst's International Cosmopolitan. An exhaustive description of the making of the film is the subject of producer Dore Schary's book Case History of a Movie.

Plot

Opening credits

MGM's Leo the Lion stares forward but does not move his head or roar "...neither was the Word of the Lord yet revealed unto him." First Book of Samuel Chapter III, Verse 7 ** THE NEXT VOICE YOU HEAR...** The voice of God is heard on the radio, preempting all programming throughout the world and causing widespread hope and alarm. The story is told through Joe and Nancy Smith, a typical American couple, and the positive and negative reactions of other people. The six messages (one for each day, Tuesday through Sunday, but "on the seventh day He rested.") that God speaks on the radio are read aloud, for the benefit of the film audience, by different characters in the film. The voice of God is never heard.

End credits

"In the beginning was the Word: and the Word was with God: and the Word was God." John Chapter I, Verse I MADE IN HOLLYWOOD, U.S.A. by MetroGoldwynMayer

Cast

Reception

The New York Times review called the film "a compound of humor, sentiment and romance—and that element of mysticism which the average person can seldom resist." The reviewer praised the performances of Whitmore, Davis and Gray, who played their young son, but criticized the film's "smug and easy clichés that are used to propel the plot." Variety called the film an "unusual picture experience" that was "beautifully handled in the understanding writing, direction and playing."

Box office

According to MGM records, the film earned $668,000 in the U.S. and Canada and $120,000 overseas, resulting in a profit to the studio of $367,000.

Music

The film's score was composed by David Raksin and conducted by Raksin and Johnny Green. The hymn-like theme used for the main and end titles would later be published as "Hasten the Day", with lyrics by Norman Corwin. Surviving portions of Raksin's score, excluding some source music, were released on compact disc in 2009 on the Film Score Monthly label.