Vera Drake (2004)

Abortionist Vera Drake finds her beliefs and practices clash with the mores of 1950s Britain--a conflict that leads to tragedy for her family.

Director:

Mike Leigh

Writer:

Mike Leigh

Stars:

Imelda Staunton, Jim Broadbent, Heather Craney

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 41 wins & 40 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Imelda Staunton	...	Vera
Richard Graham	...	George
Eddie Marsan	...	Reg
Anna Keaveney	...	Nellie
Alex Kelly	...	Ethel
Daniel Mays	...	Sid
Phil Davis	...	Stan
Lesley Manville	...	Mrs. Wells
Sally Hawkins	...	Susan
Simon Chandler	...	Mr. Wells
Sam Troughton	...	David
Marion Bailey	...	Mrs. Fowler
Sandra Voe	...	Vera's Mother
Chris O'Dowd	...	Sid's Customer
Adrian Scarborough	...	Frank

Storyline

Vera Drake 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 neighbor 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.

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Plot Keywords:

abortionist | female protagonist | nylon stockings | injustice | double standard | 

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Taglines:

Wife. Mother. Criminal.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for depiction of strong thematic material

Details

Official Sites:

New Line Cinema [United States]

Country:

UK France

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 February 2005 (USA)

Also Known As:

El secreto de Vera Drake

Filming Locations:

UK

Box Office

Budget:

$11,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£266,010 (United Kingdom), 9 January 2005, Limited Release

Opening Weekend USA:

$13,207, 10 October 2004, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$3,753,806, 27 March 2005

Company Credits

Production Co:

Les Films Alain Sarde,Film Council,Inside Track Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

125 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

During filming, all actors were forbidden to even tell their families what the film was about.

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Goofs

Vera's sister-in-law Joyce says she wants a washing machine which costs "25 pounds." Until decimalization in 1971, most luxury goods, like washing machines and men's suits, were priced in guineas, not pounds (one guinea = one pound one shilling, or one pound five pence in decimal). Some stores, particularly those wishing to appeal to the middle class or aspiring to a degree of 'poshness', priced items in pounds. Throughout the 1960s most domestic items were priced in pounds, shillings, and pence. Services and professions continued to charge in guineas until much later. In the film, an abortion costs two guineas.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Vera: Hello George, only me. How are you going today?

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Crazy Credits

After the end credits it says: "In loving memory of my parents, a doctor and a midwife."

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Connections

Referenced in Rick & Steve the Happiest Gay Couple in All the World: House of Race Cards (2009)

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Soundtracks

Calling All Workers
(1940)
Written by Eric Coates
(p) 1940 Chappell Recorded Music Library
(c) 1940 Chappell Recorded Music Library
A BMG Zomba Company

User Reviews

Wonderfully acting, developed and written even if the slow pace may put some off

In the early 1950's, Britain is still very much recovering from the war years and the working classes are very much held together by salt-of-the-earth types supporting their families and others. One such woman is Vera Drake; mother, wife, carer, cleaner and part-time back-street abortionist. Vera takes no money for her work and simply wishes to give them the help that they cannot afford to get through legitimate channels. However not everyone shares her view of abortion and it is only a matter of time before Vera's work comes to the attention of the authorities.

Bearing in mind that this film being mentioned in the Oscars, Baftas and general glowing support of critics, it is easy to forget that it raced through the UK's multiplexes so quickly that I had to wedge myself into a sold-out art-house cinema just to see it (sold out, that is, on an afternoon screening). It is even easier to forget that fewer than 1000 people have even voted for this title as I write this review. Certainly watching it yesterday it is easy to understand why it is feted by critics but not the choice of thousands of teenagers for a Saturday night at the movies, because it is a very slow, difficult film that is far from being a bundle of laughs. However it is still a fascinating film throughout even if it is not as strong as could have been expected. The story is basic and it can't quite fill the time, maybe down to the way it was written – that is, it was written as a frame and the dialogue was improvised and workshopped rather than scripted in the traditional fashion (hence Leigh's surprise at one of his Oscar nominations!).

While this weakens the story a little, it seems to have produced great performances from the cast that do more than cover for the slow pace. Staunton is superb and she stands out in the best actress category. She is a complex character that the film never easily pigeonholes and it shows how balanced the film is in the way we are not swayed in her favour by her character whenever her morals come under fire. The film is very much hers and she is totally convincing in her character. She is well supported by natural performances from Graham, Davis, Marsan and Mays among others. Leigh's direction is very intimate and, with sets and costumes, he has painted a convincingly downbeat view of post-war Britain that looks good and adds to the realistic feel of the film.

The film had a lot less debate than I had expected and it doesn't really come down on either side of the abortion issue; I guess that it is better that it leaves it to us to think over rather than preaching to us – how nice (and unusual) to be treated like adults by a film. Overall though, it is the story and Vera herself that make the film so involving, the story is well framed and the workshop approach has produced some very good performances, particularly from Staunton, who outshines all others nominated alongside her in the Oscars. Deserves to be seen by larger audiences than it has had thus far, but just don't expect it to be fast-paced, fun or gripping – it is much more than that.