Made in Dagenham

Directed by: Nigel Cole

Written by: William Ivory

It's hard to believe that as recently as the 1960s (and, in many ways, still today) that there was a major differential in pay between men and women. Although this discrepancy still exists, the formal legal structures that legitimized it have been destroyed. And some of that change began with the women who worked in the Ford factory in Dagenham.

When, as part of a new collective bargaining agreement, the Ford car company attempts to classify women's work as "unskilled labor," Rita O'Grady (Hawkins) and the other women at her factory go on strike. At first it is slow going, and as missed paychecks begin to add up, the solidarity of the union begins to break down. There is pressure from almost every side to give in - from the factory managers to husbands and children. But, when they get the attention of Britain's Employment Secretary, things begin to turn their way.

It's hard for me to separate my personal feelings and my analytical thoughts on this film. Suffice to say that the movie is well-made, but falls short of great.

On the positive side, it exposed a very real problem that still lingers in our society. It also showed the effects of a labor strike on the lives of those involved, not just in terms of work but also in terms of family life. The acting was solid, especially from the leads.

On the negative side, the film struggled to maintain a solid tone. At points there are moments of lightness and humor, at others moments of deadly seriousness. The film also built up too large of a cast to maintain, and so many characters remained static in the background, leading to character-story references that went unexplored.

I enjoyed the film, but I wouldn't say that anyone should go very far out of their way to see it.