Normally I
don't like feel good movies but this one is a bit special in the same way that Made
in Dagenham (2010) and Brassed
Off (1996) were a bit special. It's the serious subject matter that these
film’s tackle that makes them interesting with an added sense of British humour, something none of us could get through
life without, not these days anyway! Nigel Cole's film dramatises the Ford
sewing machine strike of 1968 that finally lead to Equal Pay Act 1970 for
women. Where as Pride (2014) directed by Matthew Warchus (who is soon to
replace Kevin Spacey as creative director at London's Old Vic Theatre) deal's
with two important subjects that could easily become a neglected part of our
social history. Firstly lesbian and gay men's rights at a time when AIDS was becoming
a key political issue, with little appetite from the authorities to fight the
decease and secondly the UK miners
strike which took place in 1984/85 which was the most significant and far
reaching strike in the twentieth century, one which still has repercussions to
this day and not just in the impoverished and run down mining community's that
were left to rot but the far-reaching effects it is still having on the British
working class, entirely imposed by rich elitist Westminster and their rich
elitist backers in the City of London, incidentally this was the reason why a
lot of people living in Scotland voted YES in the independence referendum – a
fairer and more equal society.
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| LGSM get ready to join the march. |
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| The benefit concert. |
This amazing
story is based on true events that happened 30 years ago. It gives us an
account of the alliance between the pioneering London fundraising group Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners
(LGSM), and the people of a mining village in the Dulais valley in Wales who
like the rest of the brave mining community were mainly reliant on outside help
to enable them to continue with the strike and not starve! LGSM raised £11000
by December 1984 and also enough money to provide a much needed mini-bus for
the miners to use. We witness the last gasp of popular socialism and the unfortunate
rise of AIDS but what is really significant about this story is the coming
together of two groups of people that one would think, on the surface would not
be possible. An inspiring film that makes you feel that mankind could sort out
their differences and then you read the newspaper and realise that perhaps this
is just wishful thinking?
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| Jonathan Blake survives AIDs for 30 years! |
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| But Mark Aston died at 26!! |
This film
continues the long line of great British films that used to be called ‘social
problem’ movies. As well as being entertaining it’s a political film about
solidarity as the Welsh miners Union leader Dai Donovan (Paddy Considine who
gives a commendable performance) meets Gay activist Mark Ashton[1] (Ben Schneter) and they realise
how much each of these different groups had in common. Both groups had a common
enemy, both groups had been demonised by the right wing press and both groups had
engaged in a fight with the political establishment to support what should be
their rights, whether it is be your sexual preferences or to live and work in a
community that should be safeguarded against outside interests, importing coal
and now fracking to keep an austerity hit country warm. To be honest the gays
seem to have done better over the years[2] although amongst certain sections
of an ignorant public and certain right wing political party's homophobia is
still rife.
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| Without LGSM and other support groups.... |
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| ....the miners would have been starved out by the authorities. |
Along with its
great 80's soundtrack, which includes tracks by Billy Bragg, The Smiths,
Frankie, Bronski Beat and The Pet Shop Boys reminding you that this period
produced some great pop music, we have a terrific screenplay by actor turned
playwright Stephen Beresford. Both 'sides' are well supported by some very well
known actors. Besides Considine we have great performances from the magnificent
Imelda Staunton, who played Hefina who died during the making of the film, and
the magically understated Bill Nighy, along with Jessica Gunning, who plays
Sian James who is now Labour MP for Swansea East, as well as Ben Schneter we
have a wonderfully camp Dominic West who plays Jonathan Blake who was one of
the first to be diagnosed with AIDS in the UK but has recently celebrated his
65th birthday, George MacKay, Joseph Gilgun and Andrew Scot supporting gay
rights. Anyone with a social conscience and enjoys a dam good, well made film,
will find Pride irresistible – but take
a hanky!
[1]The co-founder of
LGSM Mark Aston died in 1987 of an AIDS related illness. He was 26 years old.
[2] In1985 the Labour Party conference there was a motion
to support equal rights for gay men and lesbians. It was carried due to a block
vote from the miners Union that ultimately lead to civil partnerships and marriages. From being a
criminal offence to legitimacy in a relative short time – for the UK!
