Pride
Director: Matthew Warkhus
Starring: Bill Nighy, Imelda Staunton, Dominic West
120 mins; Class 15;
KRS Releasing Ltd
Some unions are borne of the most unusual alliances, but it is those very unions whose bonds are unbreakable.
One such unlikely union was that forged in 1984 between the miners of a tiny village in Wales and a small group of gays and lesbians, and Pride tells their remarkable story.
Many will recall scenes from the news in the mid-1980s when Margaret Thatcher’s government began to close coal mines around the country.
The UK’s National Union of Mineworkers took to the streets in nationwide protests and the police responded swiftly, often brutally, as the country looked on askance.
A little-known fact about the strikes was that among the members of society who rallied in support of the miners was a small group of gay and lesbians who felt a kindred spirit with the miners - they were, also, a minority treated scathingly by the establishment, the police and the conservative press.
Although the miner’s union looked upon their unorthodox benefactors with a modicum of suspicion, a remote mining village in Wales welcomed the Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners (LGSM) with semi-open arms.
Strange bedfellows indeed; but it proved a relationship that bore substantial fruit not only in the large sums of money raised.
Pride is a film that works on many levels, making it a delight to behold for myriad reasons. It is a fascinating snippet of history; a human interest story the likes of which sadly rarely makes the news these days.
A relationship that bore substantial fruit
Director Matthew Warchus keeps proceedings zipping along at a brisk pace. The script by playwright Stephen Beresford brings this amazing fact-based story effectively – and at moments hilariously as it is chock-full of zingers – with a cast of characters that are deeply drawn.
This results in a film that is funny, poignant, sentimental but never manipulative and ultimately uplifting.
Yet, beneath this feel-good film is a touch of gravity. The film throws a rainbow-coloured light on some of the darkest moments of recent UK history under Thatcher; while looming menacingly over proceedings is the threat of AIDS, at the time a new, debilitating and for the most part unknown disease
The cast is a lovely mix of veterans and relative newcomers. Bill Nighy stars as the affable secretary of the miners’ association who finds himself strangely at ease with the LGSM alliance. Imelda Staunton provides much of the humour as committee member Hefina, who staunchly defends her new friends from any whiff of homophobia.
Dominic West adds just the right touch of camp and drollness as the activist and actor Jonathan. Of the younger cast, Ben Schnetzer shines as Mark Ashton, the charismatic leader of the LGSM. George MacKay is a young man slowly coming to terms with his homosexuality, while Sherlock fans will recognise Andrew Scott as the timid and gentle book- shop owner Gethin.
The rest of the ensemble is equally strong, each member portraying his respective character with refreshing honesty.
No single character hits a bad note, allowing the proceedings to unfold convincingly, as these characters who couldn’t be more different to one another coming together at first tentatively and ultimately in unanimity to fight a common cause and make a little bit of difference in this mad, mad world we live in.
It is no spoiler to say that these events led to the Labour Party including gay rights in its manifesto for the first time, underscoring not only the importance of the work carried out by the LGSM, but the cementing of their deserved place in history.