14A- Advisory: Coarse Language.

MADE IN DAGENHAM is the true story of 187 infamous women sewing machinists who stubbornly fought for equal pay amongst their dominant male counterparts—and in doing so, sparked the 1968 Ford Dagenham strike in Britain. Full of humour, no-nonsense logic and resolve, these fabled women became symbols for a cause by resisting their label as “unskilled” labour. This gutsy and dramatic stance against not only their own management but Ford America ultimately led to the Equal Pay Act and galvanized a nation of women.

Sally Hawkins plays Rita, the de facto leader of the upstart workers, with zest, will and fallibility. She never loses sight of her goals as she single-handedly rallies the doubtful, including her now unemployed husband, through her courage to overcome oppressive odds.

Rita’s struggle hardens firecracker politician Barbara Castle’s resolve to continue fighting her battles in the male-dominated House of Commons. Together, worker and politician alike find a common liberating bond in this formative piece of history.

Full of robust and fiery performances by some of Britain’s finest (Miranda Richardson, Bob Hoskins and Sally Hawkins), this enjoyable period piece swings to the sounds of the ‘60s and captures that perfect moment in time when sexual revolutions began to stir, and the world provided liberal thinking a moment to shine.

TS