Moviola > Films > Made in Dagenham

Made in Dagenham  (15)   110 mins          Where can I see this film?

Director:  Nigel Cole        Screenplay:  William Ivory        Cinematography:  John de Borman        Original music:  David Arnold             "1968.  It's a man's world.  But not for long..."

From the team that made Calendar Girls comes this jaunty account of the 1968 strike at the Ford factory in Dagenham, when 187 women machinists walked out of their sweltering workshop in protest at a paycut after they had been downgraded to unskilled labour.  Sally Hawkins plays Rita O'Grady, the plucky ringleader who is inspired by Bob Hoskins's sympathetic union rep to take on both the chauvinist unions and the condescending bosses in her fight for equal pay for women.  She finds an unlikely ally in Lisa (Rosamund Pike), a Cambridge graduate who is wearying of her role as trophy wife to the managing director.  Rita's fight takes her right to the top: not only does she deliver an inspirational speech to the TUC conference, but she gets to meet (and compare notes on clothes with) Barbara Castle, wonderfully played by Miranda Richardson, a meeting which in real life led to the Equal Pay Act of 1970.

"Vivid, stirring and entirely predictable, Made in Dagenham is a grown-up feel-good movie plunked into a feel-bad age. Directed by Nigel Cole, whose 2003 film, Calendar Girls, told a similarly upbeat story of indomitable female pluck, Made in Dagenham is a feminist fairy tale based on actual events."  New York Times

"Fun, frothy, fantastic 1960s costumes and a pretty powerful message... Made In Dagenham is an entertaining delve back into a time of mini-skirts, hot summers and a ground-breaking struggle for equal pay, driven by terrific performances from Hawkins, Hoskins and Richardson.  The film offers up the perfect role for Sally Hawkins (so good in Mike Leigh's comedy Happy-Go-Lucky) as the mild-mannered factory worker who's reluctantly pushed into the role of union representative only to discover her inner firebrand. This is a classy comedy-drama, packed with great performances and delivering an important message. The final credits have footage of the real Dagenham women workers talking about their struggle - and fascinating it is too."  Sunday Mirror

For more information, and to see a trailer and stills, visit www.sonyclassics.com/madeindagenham

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