Gone Girl.

The Terrence Malick 'To The Wonder' type poster.

I’ve always had problems with the American director David Fincher, having never really liking any of his movies other than perhaps Seven (1995) a film which starred Brad Pit and Morgan Freeman who played two detectives tracking down a serial killer who centres his dreadful crimes on the seven deadly sins. I could never get to grips with Fight Club (1999), which again starred Brad Pit but this time alongside Edward Norton, which I believe is now classed as a cult movie, but on release never did good box office and was panned by the critics. My next film from the director was Zodiac (2007) a very long film, with another good cast that included Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo and Robert Downey Jr based on a real life serial killer and a movie I should probably have another look at? Then there was another long-winded affair, 2008 fantasy drama The Curious Case of Benjamin Button that again starred Brad Pit and was about a man who ages in reverse where as his love interest, Cate Blanchett aged in the normal way! Then came two films that I particular disliked. The first was The Social Network (2010) that tells us about the privileges of having rich parents. Even worse was his next movie which in fact was a complete waste of time and money as the original version of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (2011) could not be bettered even with Hollywood showering oodles money on the project, don’t waste your time viewers watch the original.

 

Amazing Amy goes missing!

So the Robert Burns Centre Film Theatre Film Club screening of Fincher’s latest offering was viewed with some trepidation. But you will be pleased to hear that I wasn’t disappointed! Overly long, with the best part of the first hour spent trying to stay awake and retain your patience. With characters that grind on your nerves Gone Girl (2014) certainly was not the best film I’ve seen this year? Still I stuck with it and to be fair it did get a little better as time went on and on and on. 

 

Nasty Nick Dunne pleads for her safe return.

Described by a colleague as “a holiday read” which I took to mean lightweight and easily forgettable the movie is based on a best selling American thriller by the same person that provided the screenplay, Gillian Flynn. This rather unexciting movie has been described as a story about modern marriage (one can only hope that’s not true!) but it’s more to do with murder, betrayal and deception. Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck) has been married to the ‘Amazing Amy’  (Rosamund Pike) for five years. On the very day of his fifth wedding anniversary she goes missing and the authorities, along with all the local residents, her family and all there so called friends; think that nasty Nick has done her in.

 

Has Nick really murdered his wife?

With not a spare seat in the house I’m sure that the mostly female audience enjoyed the film, but it was hard to confirm as none of our visitors returned for the discussion. It was Julie McMorran’s turn to be host but an impossible task unless she was prepared to give away the films twists and turns but she did say that it was well received critically and commercially and was thought of as a modern film noir – well it did have an competently acted femme fatal in the form of Rosemund Pike!  Don’t think I’ll be reading the book?

and what was the significance of Amazing Amy's pussy ???

An Education

Jenny and her friends.

If Nick Hornby is responsible for a screenplay then you can bet that the script will include some great lines, some of the best are reserved for Rosamund Pike as the dippy Helen and Emma Thompson as the Headmistress in An Education (2009). Directed by the Dane Lone Scherfig this movie on a second viewing is still a joy from beginning to end. Set in 1961/62 and based on journalist Lynn Barbers autobiographical article about her schooldays. This coming of age drama stars Carey Mulligan, who is a breath of fresh air as Jenny a very bright 16-year-old in her final year at school studying for a place at Oxford. One a wet afternoon on her way home from orchestra practice she is picked up by the suave David Goldman (Peter Sarsgaard) in his rare Bristol 405 sports car. What follows is her seduction, not only by the ‘charming’ David, but also by the seemingly carefree lifestyle that he and his friends Helen and Danny (Dominic Cooper) enjoy. Jenny must decide where her future lies and does not get a lot of helpful advice from her lower middle class parents played by Alfred Molina in his best East Cheam manner and Cara Seymour as the rather more astute parent. This British movie was nominated for three Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Actress (Carey Mulligan) and Best Adapted Screenplay.

Made in Dagenham

The Equal Pay Act is an act of Parliament, which prohibits any less favourable treatment between men and women in terms of pay and conditions of employment. It was passed in the aftermath of the Ford sewing machinist’s strike of 1968, a real landmark in labour-relations disputes in the UK.

The Ford Plant Dagenham.

The strike began on 7 June, 1968, when women sewing machinists at the Ford Motor Company assembly plant in Dagenham Essex walked out, followed later by the machinists at Ford's Halewood Body & Assembly plant in Liverpool. The women made car seat covers and as stock ran out the strike eventually resulted in a halt to all car production. The Dagenham sewing machinists walked out when, as part of a regrading exercise, they were informed that their jobs were graded in Category B (less skilled production jobs), instead of Category C (more skilled production jobs), and that they would be paid 15% less than the full B rate received by men. At the time it was common practice for companies to pay women less than men, irrespective of the skills involved. Following the intervention of Barbara Castle, the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity in Harold Wilson's Labour government, the strike ended, three weeks after it began, as a result of a deal that immediately increased their rate of pay to 8% below that of men, rising to the full category B rate the following year. A court of inquiry was also set up to consider their regrading, although this failed to find in their favour. (The women were only regraded into Category C in 1984 following a further 6-week strike.)

The idea for the movie dramatisation came when Stephen Woolley, one of the films producers, heard an interview with the actual women who took part in this historical event on a BBC radio programme. Made in Dagenham (2010) is a brave attempt to put a serious subject across to its audience knowing that many will not accept a serious subject matter unless it’s dumbed down! To place the actions of Dagenham and Halewood in their time frame one has to remember that 1968 was a great period of protest. For example eleven million workers were on strike in France with students demonstrating on the streets of Paris, actions that changed French society forever. Worldwide protests were also taking place against America’s involvement in Vietnam including our very own anti-war demonstration in Grosvenor Square, London 86 people were injured and 200 demonstrators arrested. Following the assassination of Martin Luther King the same year violent protests took place in Chicago supporting civil rights and against racialism.

One out all out.

The film is honest in its approach holding up the Union bosses to scrutiny when they refused to support their working class membership and giving a truthful portrayal of the people involved. Emotional and touching at times it’s both funny and entertaining. Nigel Cole who was responsible for the frothy rural middle class drama Calendar Girls (2003) directed this social comedy. Great acting from all involved especially Sally Hawkins as strike leader Rita O’Grady and Miranda Richardson as Barbara Castle. A very enjoyable British movie, keeping alive our great cinematic traditions.