Made In Dagenham – 3*
A film made in 2010 about the fight for equality in the workplace ought to appear a little dated and serve only as a reminder as to how far women have come. There is still a along way to go on this topic, but that’s a separate discussion altogether. What is concerning is the true story that Made In Dagenham is based on is not part of the public knowledge – until now. Directed by Calendar Girls’ Nigel Cole, it’s a story that instantly grabs your attention and makes you gun for it before it starts. It also helps that as a ‘Ford child’ growing up, you also have some understanding of the might of this corporation and its effect on your personal life. In 1968 Ford Dagenham’s 187 female sewing machinists walked out in protest, after being reclassified as ‘unskilled’ and paid less than the plant’s male workers. The outcome rocked the Cabinet and the unions and led to the Equal Pay Act of 1970. It’s of political significance and hence requires a certain sensitivity from Cole to bring it to our attention in a fun but sympathetic manner.
That said Made In Dagenham is really about the power of community and its struggle with local change outside of its control. Even though the strikers brought about a better standard of living, which is this film’s euphoria, the afterthought that you are left with is the knowledge that there are now vast swathes of barren industrial land in the area and the community is virtually no more. The poignant socio-political messages that this film flippantly deals with are almost sidelined in Cole’s determination to keep things light and comical, which isn’t a criticism as such. This is, after all, meant to be a dramedy along the lines of Calendar Girls, where a group finds itself in something bigger than it first anticipated.
Sally Hawkins as Rita O’Grady, leader of the strikers, and her band of merry ladies certainly bring an optimistic, feel-good and breezy factor to the screen. They are highly charming to watch as they dabble in ‘men’s stuff’ like striking, whilst babbling away like a bunch of excitable schoolgirls on a project. Hawkins is aptly cast as the shy and timid O’Grady who is frustrated with many elements in her life, leading her to find an inner strength and become the unlikely leader to rally the headstrong girls. Cole certainly gets the sisterhood spirit right as the girls bond and respect Rita. In fact this film should not be seen as a working class triumph because Rosamund Pike plays the Ford boss’s downtrodden, middle-class housewife, Lisa Hopkins, who encourages the cause because as a graduate she feels undervalued and trapped in her marriage. The scene where Rita comes to the Hopkins’ home is significant as Lisa ignores her husband and lends Rita her dress for her meeting with the government minister. It is an empowering moment that unites all women.
Surprisingly as an Essex boy himself, Cole hasn’t got his cast to quite clinch the ‘Essex whine’ in their accents – just watch the end credits that feature the real women involved. Dagenham used to be Essex. Most of the film dialect is mockney, or worse, with some accents veering away from the ‘sarf east’ entirely. At one point very early on in the film, Bob Hoskins’ character, union rep Albert jumps on the piano and starts singing ‘My Old Man’ in an unforgivable cliché that sends shudders down the spine. It’s not to say that the area did not attract many from the East End, but there ought to be some distinction. The Essex sarcasm doesn’t quite translate either. It’s a unique brand that gives the fabled county its cheeky charm and confidence. Cole does get it right with a couple of his characters, namely Rita’s hubby Eddie, played by Epping lad Daniel Mays, but it’s inconsistent with all, which is a shame for anyone in the know watching.
The laughs also come from another dimension entirely, as Miranda Richardson brilliantly brings to life the vitality of First Secretary of State at the time Barbara Castle, a fearsome redhead that Michael Foot once described as ‘the best socialist minister we’ve ever had’. Richardson is delightful, playful and as condescending to the men politicians and even Harold Wilson as they are with her. Although her job is to control the unions and appease the sly Ford management rep Robert Tooley (Richard Schiff with his The West Wing pedigree is perfectly cast), Castle sees the long-term benefits of meeting with the striking machinists in furthering all women’s working rights for the future. The end scenes are highly emotional and bring a lump to the throat because of their significance, intertwined with real newsreel footage.
This is undoubtedly a touching and moving story with a strong British heart pumping right through it. It needed to be told for its historical importance. Cole does well to bring it to our attention in a heart-warming and lively way with a stellar cast onboard. However, the film doesn’t quite capture the Essex soul and impact on the region, which is a shame. It’s like experiencing an appetizing frothy latte, only to find a lot of air and not much coffee kick to back it up. It brings a smile to the face for as long as it lasts.
3/5 stars
By L G-K
