Mike Leigh films have been the subject of my daily pickings this week. Have you noticed?
He's one of my fave directors, so, in the lead up to the release of his new film Another Year on Friday, I'm looking at some of his work (and the films are showing on Film4 which helps).
If you've missed my musings so far, it was why Life is Sweet makes me gulp on Monday and how Secrets & Lies makes me gasp yesterday. And today I'm looking at the period drama Vera Drake - this one makes me grimace.
Set in 1950s England, this movie stars Imelda Staunton as working-class wife and mother Vera. She has a cleaning job, but secretly performs abortions for young girls for no charge. Vera's nearest and dearest are unaware of her covert sideline, until one of her patients almost dies and the full force of the law descends upon her.
It was Oscar nominated in three categories and also bagged three Baftas.
I suspect that it's Leigh's way of working that produces such powerful movies.
He builds his scripts in a very clever way - by working with his actors on lengthy improvisations developed over a number of weeks to build characters and storylines.
Apparently, he starts with some rough ideas of how he thinks things might grow, but holds off from revealing all his intentions with the cast. They discover their fates and act out their responses as their destinies are gradually revealed.
Here's Imelda Staunton http://youtube.com/v/pBnUi0uiM7Q Vera Drake is showing tonight (3rd November) on Film4 at 10.40pm
