PRIDE
UK, 2014, 120 minutes, Colour.
Bill Nighy, Imelda Staunton, Paddy Considine, Dominic West, Ben Schnetzer, George Mc Kay, Andrew Scott, Jessica Gunning.
The title, Pride, might immediately suggest Gay Pride Marches. And the suggestion is not wrong. However, this is a much more complex film in its themes: support for the miners in the 1984 British strikes as well as themes of Gay Pride and, eventually, because of the times, raising the issue of AIDS.
This film may well marginalise different groups from the outset.
With a glimpse of a television interview with Arthur Scargill, the leader of the striking miners, those not in favour of Scargill, of the strike, of the miners and of the labour movement, may not be fans of the film. On the other hand, there is also an initial television interview sequence with Margaret Thatcher speaking, the speech where she emphasised the strength of her leadership and assured everybody that she was not a softie. Those who remember the Thatcher era or who do not approve of her and her policies, may not be fans of the film either.
And then there is the gay and lesbian issue. A fellow-reviewer told me that when he went to see another film, there was a trailer for Pride, and a man near him growled loudly, ‘effing faggots’, and walked out of the cinema until the trailer was over. Anybody sharing that homophobic comment will not like this film at all.
While the strike was in 1984 (and we remember Billy Elliot was set in the same time and context), this was 30 years ago. The portrayal of the gay and lesbian group echoes that of 1984 rather than of the present. There is far more understanding these days, despite homophobic outbursts, and despite communities, especially those Bible-based, but not exclusively, who are still repelled by homosexuality. (As Pride is being released, some of these issues were raised by the Vatican Synod during October 2014, with discussions and struggles to find outreach pastoral language that gives priority to compassion rather than to judgement.
This theme is very much to the fore in Pride. At the Gay Pride March in London, 1984, a small group of enthusiasts collect money to support the miners, feeling that because they understand oppression and hostility, media criticism, dislike and misunderstanding from the community, that they decide to collect the money, calling themselves Lesbians and Gays in Support of the Miners. Further, they want to find a community to give the money to and decide on Wales. They stick a pin in a phone book page, ring the number and the old lady at the other end doesn’t quite understand what she heard but welcomes them.
It is often said that if we don’t understand an issue, we should meet and be with someone who represents that issue so that it has a human face, a human character, and, even if there is disapproval, there is the possibility for understanding and respect. As might be anticipated, this is to the fore in the film when the group go down to Wales and are initially received with hostility by the miners and the community. But, as the weeks go by, as the individuals share with the locals, especially when a rather flamboyant actor, portrayed with zest by Dominic West, shows them how to dance, modern-style, they gradually win over most of the locals.
One particular member of the Miners’ Council disapproves completely of the miners taking supportive money from the group. Her character is very bitter. We realise that while she is entitled to have her views, and express them, we also realise that her hostility and righteousness come from deep anger and judgmental attitudes to life. We are shown that hostile attitudes like outbursts of homophobia can lead to malicious behaviour and cause mischief in a community. Perhaps this is one of the main messages of the film, that holding opinions is one thing, acting out with malice, or hatred, is quite another thing.
While there is a cheerful mood overall in the village which accepts not only the charity but also the different persons and unfamiliar types, there are some very serious undertones to many of the characters.
There is a gallery of characters from the village, including a very serious Bill Nighy and bubbly Imelda Staunton. Paddy Considine is the most sympathetic character, the member of the local council who was commissioned to meet the group, speaks in a gay bar, and begins to understand men and women who are different by being and working with them. The other standout character in the Welsh village is Sian, a housewife who is not afraid to speak her convictions (and who, we are told in the credits, became a parliamentarian after being encouraged to do studies).
Ben Schnetzer is Mark Ashton, very serious about social concern who gets the group going, is behind it in begging for money, keeping up morale, putting on a music concert event to counter the adverse headlines caused by the malicious woman in the village phoning journalists. Others in the group include Adam Scott (Moriarty in the Benedict Cumberbatch Sherlock series), Dominic West as his partner, and George MacKay? as a 20-year-old, struggling with his sexual orientation, his very respectable home and parents, the welcome that he receives in Wales, the support from the group, and his eventually confronting reality with his parents.
The film ends with the Gay Pride Mark March 1985, the end of the year-long strike which included this story of collaboration between gay and lesbians and miners (with final credits information about the Labor Party’s incorporation of gay and lesbian rights into their platform because of the mutual support during the strike and the beginnings of mutual understanding).
20 years ago, an American Archbishop visited Australia and in his conference with the Catholic media explained that he took a year to write any pastoral letter in his diocese, consulting all those with connections to the particular theme so that while he was writing in the Catholic tradition of teaching, he was also writing with the gospel mentality and pastoral outreach. Any person doing something equivalent these days could well have a look at Pride, whether they agree with everything or not.
1. A film of England and Wales? In the 1980s? The lesser-known events about the miners and Gay Pride? A film of exuberance and optimism?
2. London, Gay Pride March, life in the inner city, shops and streets, recording studios, auditorium? Bromley in the suburbs? The musical score and songs? The feel of London?
3. The comparison with Wales, the countryside, the village, homes, the hall? The feel of Wales at the time? The Welsh style score?
4. Arthur Scargill, his role in the miners’ strike in 1984, audience reaction to him, to his cause, leadership? Seeing him on television, his words about the strike? The strike going for so long, the issues, industry, the effect on the country? The closing of the mines? The need for help and support, especially for families and communities? The hardships and experience?
5. The contrast with Margaret Thatcher, her leadership at the time, against the miners, her television clip, her comment about leadership and not being soft? Hard stances on the miners? Her not believing in society but individuals? Crushing the miners, the year-long strike, the end, the feeling, the miners and some sense of betrayal?
6. The status of gay and lesbian men and women at the time? a feeling of oppression? Some sympathy? The decision to collect for the miners, at the March, establishing the committee, Mark and his leadership and inspiration?
7. The committee, the members, Mike and Mark, Jonathan and Gethin, their choices, Steph? The choice of Wales, the phonebook, the telephone call, the lady at the end of the line, misinterpreting? Dai and his coming to London, discussions, sharing, his speech in the club, the response, success, going home, preparing the locals to meet the gays and lesbians?
8. The miners, the reaction, homophobia, their imaginations? The film showing the clubs, the behaviour in the clubs, the relationships? The group arriving, travel on the bus, the map, their searching? The silence in the club, many walking out, the response of the malicious woman?
9. The village, Dai and his wife, their talking? Sian and her husband, her children, her stances, unafraid? Cliff, Helfina and their support? Helfina and the welcome, urging the young men to approach the visitors? Jonathan, his exuberance, dancing, the women enjoying it, the men wanting to learn? The fact of the miners and their families and the visitors being together, sharing, staying in homes, changes of attitude?
10. Helfina, cheerful, urging people on, her role in the committee?
11. Cliff, serious, at the meetings, standing at the gates of the mines in demonstration, his own homosexuality, the malice of his sister-in-law, the memory of his brother?
12. Maureen, on the committee, anti the gays, her own sons, malice, decision to phone the media, the response, her causing mischief, her changing the time of the meeting? Helfina and her anger and hostility?
13. Mark, earnest, his ideas, with the group, with individuals, arranging everything, the meetings, the travelling to Wales, his role in Wales, his success, his later depression, meeting his old friend, the issue of AIDS?
14. Jonathan and Gethin, partners, Gethin running the shop, quiet, the memories of his mother and her not accepting him? The Welsh ladies, urging him to do something about his family, after 16 years, his going to visit, his mother greeting him, later appearance at the March?
15. Jonathan, actor, extrovert it, older, his participation in the group, talking with the people, the dancing and making bonds? His love the Gethin? The story of his having AIDS, the second registered on the AIDS list, and his survival?
16. Michael, devoted, as a person, his work, Mark telling him off – and the later reconciliation?
17. Joe, young, from Bromley, his middle-class home, training to be a chef, hiding his sexual orientation? His family not knowing? His lies about going to London, to the March, to the group, becoming part of the group, affirmed, deceiving his mother? Going to Wales and his enjoying it? Going to the club, the men encouraging him to connect? Going home, the discovery of the material, the party, his mother being upset, his being ousted and his decision to leave
home?
18. Steph, the lesbians, part of the group, the other two women, as a couple, the questions about their being vegetarians, their rebelling and wanting a women’s group?
19. The Welsh and the visit to London, the visit to the clubs, the drinking, the gossip in the room, their laughter?
20. The collaboration between the two groups, mutual sense of oppression, empathy? The media and the vicious attacks on them? The decision to hold the concert, the musicians, the records, the auditorium, the performance and the success?
21. The Gay Pride March 1985, the smaller group, augmented by the arrival of the Welsh? The result of the bonding?
22. The shadow of AIDS in the mid 1980s?
23. The film as a celebration – sharing and knowing how the other half lives?
