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Vera Drake - Imelda Staunton, Phil Davis, Peter Wright, Mike Leigh

Threat advisory: High - High risk of entertaining activities

Movie propaganda

Wife. Mother. Criminal.

Vera Drake (Imelda Staunton) is a selfless woman who is completely devoted to, and loved by, her working class family. She spends her days doting on them and caring for her sick neighbour and elderly mother. However, she also secretly visits women and helps them induce miscarriages for unwanted pregnancies. While the practice itself was illegal in 1950s England, Vera sees herself as simply helping women in need and always does so with a smile and kind words of encouragement. When the authorities finally find her out, Vera's world and family life rapidly unravel.

Theatrical propaganda posters

Target demographic movie keyword propaganda

Film UK 1950s abortion pregnancy miscarriage scandal criminal shame cleaning lady

Persons of interest

Imelda Staunton .... Vera
Richard Graham .... George
Eddie Marsan .... Reg
Anna Keaveney .... Nellie
Alex Kelly .... Ethel
Daniel Mays .... Sid
Philip Davis .... Stan
Lesley Manville .... Mrs Wells
Sally Hawkins .... Susan
Simon Chandler .... Mr Wells
Sam Troughton .... David
Marion Bailey .... Mrs Fowler
Adrian Scarborough .... Frank
Heather Craney .... Joyce
Mike Leigh .... Screenwriter
Mike Leigh .... Director

Cinematic intelligence sources

Vera Drake official movie site
Vera Drake production notes
Vera Drake QuickTime movie trailers
Awards and film festivals:

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS - Oscars) 2005: Nominated: Best Directing, Best Screenplay - Original, Best Actress - Leading (Imelda Staunton)
Australian Film Critics Association Awards 2005: Nominated: Best Foreign Film - English Language (Mike Leigh - UK)
Bangkok International Film Festival 2005: International Competition
British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) 2004: Won: David Lean Award for Achievement in Direction (Mike Leigh), Best Actress (Imelda Staunton), Best Costume Design (Jacqueline Durran); Nominated: Best Film, Alexander Korda Award for Outstanding British Film of the Year, Best Supporting Actor (Philip Davis), Best Supporting Actress (Heather Craney), Best Screenplay - Original (Mike Leigh), Best Editing (Jim Clark), Best Production Design (Eve Stewart), Best Make Up/Hair (Christine Blundell)
Cinematic Intelligence Agency Trenchcoat Awards 2005: Nominated: Best cinematographer (Dick Pope), Best film (English language), Best actor - Female (Imelda Staunton as Vera Drake), Best criminal (Vera Drake - Imelda Staunton), Best director (Mike Leigh)
Hollywood Foreign Press Association (Golden Globes) 2004: Nominated: Best Performance By An Actress - Drama (Imelda Staunton)
International Press Academy Golden Satellite Awards 2004: Actress In A Motion Picture - Drama (Imelda Staunton), Motion Picture - Drama
New York Film Critics Circle Awards 2004: Won: Best Actress (Imelda Staunton)
Venice Film Festival 2004: Won: Golden Lion (Mike Leigh), Volpi Cup Best Actress (Imelda Staunton)

See also All or nothing, Career girls, Intimate relations, 4 months, 3 weeks & 2 days (4 luni, 3 saptamani si 2 zile)
Studios and distributors:

Icon Film Distribution

Intelligence analyst

Special Agent Matti

Theatrical report

Vera Drake is a quiet, slow-moving little English film about little English people leading little English lives, not so long after the end of the second World War. The characters are those little English people who held off the Nazi blitzkrieg ("We shall never surrender...") and overwhelmed the might of the Wermacht. These are the little English people who can fix anything with a nice cup of tea - and maybe a biscuit.

Imelda Staunton is marvellous, both as the doggedly cheery wife and mother and as the devastated, fallen woman. All the other actors feed themselves into the grist of her mill, supporting every shade, every height, every depth that she brings to the eponymous character. She's a class act. [Yes, we get the pun - Director of Intelligence.]

Whether or not you're in favour of abortion - and this is a great excuse to talk about it with your sons and daughters - you'll enjoy the tragic life of Vera Drake. Thank you Mike Leigh.