Review of Vera Drake

Introduction

Vera Drake is a helpful woman. In her flats where she lives with her husband and grown up children she is always visiting the sick and taking lonely souls under her wing. Vera cleans by day and looks after her ailing mother and on Fridays Vera `helps` young girls by getting rid of their problems. Vera is a social servant the sort of carer whom the country relies on to support the welfare state but Vera is also a criminal. The year is 1950 and abortion is illegal unless there are exceptional circumstances. It`s not for mothers with too many mouths to feed or for young girls who went `too far`.

In the early years of the 20th Century the only forms of contraception were fairly primitive. Indeed most of them had been in use for thousands of years in one form or another.

Marie Stopes campaigned in the 1920s for the use of contraception. She could see the damage that was caused to poor families when the woman continued to have children, year after year. The first clinic, for married women only, was opened in 1921.

Even by 1950 despite the post war sexual freedoms it was still a shameful thing to be an unmarried mother. Women were still having more babies than money and the shame fell on the woman if she got pregnant before she got the ring.
If the circumstances were right then, on the evidence of two psychiatrists a woman could get an abortion.

Although there were many back street abortionists the research for the film established that many of these women far from being interested in profit were wives and mothers themselves and many went to prison.

Video

This film has a wonderful look that really evokes the feeling of Britain in the post-war era. There is a sharp divide between the classes highlighted by the environmental changes. Vera`s house is tiny which emphasises not only the closeness of family but also a cloying claustrophobia felt by the impending revelation. The upper class that Vera serves keep their distance from her and from each other. Vera is always at ground level, crouching to clean the huge fireplace grate or imposing stairs.

The use of colour and costume combined with a thoughtful presentation of the background and environment give a sense of place and time. Even detail such as cans and packets usually seen in museums and the line of all black bicycles give texture and to the background. Even the teacosy and Vera`s overall are an integral part of the composition.

The environment is such a strong character that you can almost taste the strong black tea that is served out to all.

Audio

This music soundtrack is perfect because once heard it fits completely with the subject matter. It is expressive without being intrusive and helps round out the emotional impact of the images.

Features

There are very little by way of extras on this disc.

Making of featurette

This 15 minute featurette is informative but short. A lot could have been made of the historical context of the film.

Trailer

Covers most of the film-the Cliff notes!

Conclusion

This is a very moving and personal film. As a historical document it offers an alternative view of the "back- street" abortion than that generally held. The acting is superb with an affecting and involving performance by Imelda Staunton and a complementary supporting cast that makes the whole thing gel.

Mike Leigh is known for his intensive preparation, long rehearsal and improvisations before the camera starts to run and the result is a powerful and claustrophobic presentation in which the pressure that builds through the film is really felt by the viewer as well.

The subject matter will be distasteful to many and won`t appeal to everyone but it`s worthy of attention if it throws more light onto the subject of the history of contraception and abortion. Despite being legalised in the UK there are still illegal and unsafe abortions carried out around the world resulting in many deaths.

It is a disappointment that more has not been made of this by adding extras to the disc. However Leigh is not making a polemical film but an open historical essay that invites the viewer to draw their own conclusions.

Overall it`s a very watchable film that draws an aspect of human life into sharp focus and makes you think. It`s very enjoyable indeed and recommended.