Longford (2006) (TV)

User Rating:

7.8/10   

Director:

Tom Hooper

Writer:

Peter Morgan (written by)

Release Date:

17 February 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Tagline:

The only thing more shocking than her crime was his crusade to free her.

Plot:

A portrait of Lord Longford, a tireless British campaigner whose controversial beliefs often resulted in furious political debate and personal conflict.

Plot Keywords:

Prisoner | Murder | House Of Lords | Prime Minister | Prison

Awards:

Won 3 Golden Globes. Another 8 wins & 17 nominations

Cast

Lee Boardman	...	Talk Show Host
Jim Broadbent	...	Lord Longford
Tam Dean Burn	...	Roy
Lindsay Duncan	...	Lady Elizabeth Longford
Kate Miles	...	Rachel Pakenham
Sarah Crowden	...	Lady Tree
Robert Pugh	...	Harold Wilson
Caroline Clegg	...	Longford's Secretary
Samantha Morton	...	Myra Hindley
Alex Blake	...	Paddy Pakenham
Roy Barber	...	Father Kahle
Ian Connaughton	...	Reporter
Charlotte West-Oram	...	Downing Street Secretary (as Charlotte West Oram)
Roy Carruthers	...	Albany Prison Officer
Andy Serkis	...	Ian Brady

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Durham, County Durham, England, UK

Company:

Channel 4 Television Corporation

Trivia:

To look as much as possible like the real Lord Longford, Jim Broadbent wore a prosthetic nose and chin that took two hours to apply each day. A prison guard who had known the real Lord Longford was once very startled when Broadbent entered the prison door in costume. To make himself walk very slowly and lamely when Longford sees Myra Hindley for the last time in the movie (when the character is 92 years old), Broadbent put small, painful stones inside his shoes.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: When Lord Longford is riding the bus and watches two schoolboys looking at porn, he is on a refurbished Routemaster (RM) bus with fluorescent lighting. At this time the bus would have had light-bulbs as the refurbishment program did not begin until much later.

Quotes:

Lord Longford: [on a radio talk show to promote his new book about saints, is challenged by a caller to say whether he now regrets ever having aided Myra Hindley, or not] Not at all. As a matter of fact, I consider my visiting Myra Hindley, and indeed, all the other prisoners I've visited for over fifty years, to be one of the great blessings of my life. Now, perhaps, we could get back to the subject of saints.
Talk Show Host: But hasn't she destroyed you? She's... she's ruined your good name; she's taken all the hard work you did and thrown it back in your face.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 59th Primetime Emmy Awards (2007) (TV)

A Bravura Broadbent Portrayal

The Myra Hindley/Ian Brady Moors murders of 1963, one of the most heinous crimes in England since Jack the Ripper, has been beautifully transcribed to the screen by writer Peter Morgan and Director Tom Hooper. And though the story is basically about Longford's relationship with the incarcerated Myra Hindley, the film paints a rather complete portrait of a strange man who vacillated during his lifetime among religious beliefs and spoke out strongly for the rights of prisoners and 'unfortunates' who fall out of line with the law all the while riling against pornography and other vices.

Jim Broadbent creates a wholly credible Lord Longford in this amazing performance. Transformed physically to resemble Longford's bizarre appearance, Broadbent manages to convey the spectrum of trust, self-doubt, pity, outrage, compassion and blind religious belief in a manner few actors could match. The remainder of the cast is equally excellent: Samantha Morton finds every nook and cranny of the enigmatic murderess Myra while Andy Serkis gives a chilling depiction of Ian Brady, her accomplice who knew how to manipulate the government and people as well as the infamously wily Myra.

The story is in many ways grounded by the strong forces of Lady Longford (beautifully realized by Lindsay Duncan) and the Lady Tree of Sarah Crowden and Harold Wilson of Robert Pugh. Hooper knows how to magnify the class differences between the gentry and the working class and his choices of locations and pacing of confrontations both in the prison and in the home and in the court are spot on.

This is one of those films for television that teaches us what really fine films can still be. It is a tremendously moving piece of work and Jim Broadbent will long be remember for this classic role. Highly recommended for repeated viewing. Grady Harp