Made In Dagenham
Starring: Sally Hawkins, Bob Hoskins, Lorraine Stanley, Jamie Winstone,
Director: Nigel Cole
Rating: 5/5
Every year there is a British movie that stands up above the rest making us all laugh and cry, and in 2010 Made In Dagenham is that movie.
Directed by Nigel Cole the film brings together an impressive British cast, lead by Sally Hawkins; who should finally get the attention and praise that she so rightly deserves.
Sally Hawkins stars as Rita O’Grady who is the catalyst for the 1968 Ford Dagenham strike by 187 sewing machinists which led to the advent of the Equal Pay Act.
Working in extremely impoverished conditions and for long arduous hours, the women at the Ford Dagenham plant finally lay down their tools when they are reclassified as 'unskilled'.
With humour, common sense and courage they take on their corporate paymasters, an increasingly belligerent local community, and finally the government itself.
The leader of the women’s struggle is fast-talking, no nonsense Rita whose fiery temper and occasionally hilarious unpredictability proves to be a match for any of her male opponents, and is echoed by Barbara Castle’s struggle in the male-dominated House of Commons.
Hawkins, who won a Golden Globe for her role in Happy go Lucky, is simply brilliant as the large hearted, steely Rita who leads the women of Ford into a strike as she battles for equality.
It's a real and emotional performance from the British actress who puts her heart and soul into a story that changed the rights for women in the workplace.
And she is surrounded by a great supporting cast as Daniel Mays, Bob Hoskins and Rosamund Pike all bring great performances to the big screen.
Made In Dagenham is a great script that mixes the drama and the workplace and domestic politics of the time with some great moments of humour that just seems to make the story a little more real.
The movie is an inspirational tale and director Nigel Cole has delivered a movie that really does that story and those women justice.
Made In Dagenham is a feel good, heart warming movie and you can't help but back the fight of these women as well as admire their courage and strength to battle for what is right.
Made In Dagenham is out now
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw