VERA DRAKE

UK, 2004, 125 minutes, Colour.
Imelda Staunton, Phil Davis, Jim Broadbent.
Directed by Mike Leigh.

Vera Drake, a film by Mike Leigh, won the Golden Lion at the 61st Venice Film Festival. This British film won a further boost when Imelda Staunton was named as Best Actress.

When it screened halfway through the festival, headlines appeared: a film about abortion. The presumption seemed to be that Vera Drake was ‘pro-abortion’. A potential scandal makes for ready copy. This continued in most of the reporting about the film and its awards. The buzz about Vera Drake being a front-runner for the big award led to speculation about how the Catholic church would respond. Italian journalists are said to have a reputation for being critical of the church, if not stridently anti-clerical at times, so this would provide a field day.

In the event this did not happen, although the members of the Catholic jury for the SIGNIS award (for the World Catholic Association for Communication) were alerted to the sensitivity of the situation.

Two factors contributed to a more intelligent discussion of the film. First was the film itself. Mike Leigh is a master film-maker. He has won awards in Cannes for Naked and his very moving, Secrets and Lies. Other films include the Gilbert and Sullivan portrait, Topsy Turvey as well as the picture of very ordinary London life, All or Nothing. Vera Drake is in the All or Nothing tradition. Vera Drake is a fifty year old housewife in North London in 1950. She is generous to a fault. Nothing is too much trouble for her. Everyone says she has a heart of gold. She is the proverbial good woman. The first half of the film is a moving portrait of this woman whom Imelda Staunton’s performance makes memorable.

Without any lead in we are shown how she also performs syringe abortions for women and girls ‘in need’. She has done this for twenty years or more. Her family know nothing about it. When one girl suffers complications, hospital authorities inform the police and Vera is subject to questioning and arrest.

The second factor for discussion was Mike Leigh’s press conference. He was quick to point out that his films treat social issues but never provide unequivocal answers. He provides the equivalent of a case study (something like what seminarians explored in the past during their moral theology course). Leigh noted that, while we bring our own agenda to the story, we are invited to consider a wider range of perspectives. It is not simply, or simplistically, moral judgment by unnuanced application of moral principles. Catholic confessional practice has traditionally urged for more delicacy of conscience and a greater appreciation of what full knowledge and full consent mean in the context of responsibility for actions and for sin. Leigh said that some audiences would view Vera as a saint, committed to assisting women; others would see her as a monster, destroying lives.

Most audiences hurry out as soon as final credits roll. For those who stay, they will see that Leigh dedicates his film to his parents, a doctor and a midwife.

The difficulty with labelling a film ‘about abortion’ is that this merely tells us the subject, or one of the subjects, of the film. The Biblical story of David and Bathsheba is about adultery and murder but that is just a labelling description. What we need to know is ‘how’ these issues are presented. This is the criterion for a moral evaluation of a film. This means, as a correspondent for Vatican Radio was reported as saying on air during the Venice Festival, that Leigh’s film is ‘difficult and interesting’ and ‘avoided propaganda and tentative and facile conclusions’. Catholic teaching has always urged the faithful to condemn the sin but not the sinner. Leigh’s portrait of Vera Drake contributes to that way of looking at her despite what she does.

1.The work of Mike Leigh, his focus on issues, middle and lower classes in England? His strong rehearsal period to form the plot, the characterisations and interactions? His not wanting to give unequivocal answers to social problems?

2.The recreation of the 1950s in North London, class distinctions, flats and wealthy houses? The different homes, the police stations, the court? The musical score, especially with the chorale?

3.The title, the focus on Vera? Audience interest, sympathies? Judgments or not?

4.The structure of the film: Vera and her visits, a good-hearted woman, seeing her with the family, especially at the meal, her kindness towards Reg, the memories of the war, hopes for the future, her performing the abortion, the contact with Lily Clarke, the range of clients, intermixed with her ordinary life, her not having told her family, the incident with Pamela Barnes and her hospitalisation, the consequences, the hospital, the police, the interruption of the celebration, in prison, the court? The two halves of the film – optimistic, pessimistic, the combined effect?

5.Audience emotional response to Vera Drake, to the abortions? Her motivation? The response of reason and intelligence? The issue of abortion, not being legal? Practice of private abortionists, women like Vera Drake wanting to help girls in trouble? English law from the 1860s, the reform in 1967? The taking of life, abortion seen as murder, abortion seen as simply helping girls out in trouble? The social context, the religious context – and the absence of the religious context? The moral framework for Vera herself, for the audience?

6.Imelda Staunton’s performance as Vera, as a person, fifty years old, twenty-seven years married, her love for Stan, her ease with him, the comfortable life at home, talking, the war story…? Her visits to her mother and her care for her? Her visits to the various people in need, the man who needed his pillow shifted, the woman sick in bed? Meeting Reg on the stairs, inviting him to dinner? Her busy with her work, her neatness and the detail of her tidiness? Her relationship with Sid, his work, Ethel and her shyness? The build-up to the engagement? Frank’s tribute to her and seeing her as a surrogate mother? Joyce and her snobbishness and disdain? Lily and the friendship from schooldays, supplying the addresses for the abortions? Vera and her treatment of the girls, calming their fears, explaining the procedure, telling them to be patient, ever hopeful? The women and their response, the mothers? People saying she had a heart of gold, helpful to everyone? The innumerable cups of tea, cup-of-tea generosity? Calling everyone “dear”? Her relaxation at home, yet always busy, going to the pictures, going to the pub with Stan? Portrait of a good working-class woman?

7.Stan, the quiet man, loving his wife for so many years, his experience in the war, the discussions with Reg, his able to articulate his experiences? Frank and his not being able to? His working for Frank? His good relationship with his children, seeing him at work, friendship with Reg, delighted at the proposal? The meals, the celebration of the engagement? The shock of the police coming, his having to handle the situation, waiting at the station, listening to Vera as she whispered what had happened, at home, helping Sid to come to terms with the reality? Frank and his help? The bail, the aftermath, the celebration of Christmas, his being present in the court, finally at home? His not understanding, not approving, yet loving Vera?

8.Sid, at home, a cheerful young man, his experience in National Service in Germany? Losing friends in the war? His work as a tailor, the flattery of the client? With the boys at the dance, chatting up the girls? His friendship with Reg? His anger at his mother, puzzle, going to his room, his father explaining that he should forgive?

9.Ethel, the quiet mouse, her way of walking, not talking much, attracted to Reg, going for a walk, accepting the proposal? Supporting her mother?

10.Reg, his experience of the war, bread and dripping meals, Vera inviting him home, responding to the kindness, falling in love with Ethel, the shyness, the walk, the awkward proposal, getting Stan’s permission? His own story, the number of children, his comments about unloved children being brought into the world?

11.Vera’s mother, her not knowing her father, her mother getting old, needing looking after, Stan and his going to explain Vera’s absence to the mother?

12.Frank, a good man, the war experience, indebted to Vera, Joyce and her snobbery, wanting washing machines, better houses, television on her list, her going to visit, her selfishness and being put out about Vera’s arrest? Not wanting to stay for the Christmas dinner?

13.The houses where Vera cleaned, the upper class, snobbery? The story of Susan, going out, prim, the man and his drinking, advances, the rape? Her becoming pregnant, seeing her friend at the elegant restaurant, the interview with the doctor, the interview with the psychiatrist, the law making allowances for attempted suicide threats as a case for abortion? The hospital and her being welcomed? The contrast with the lower-class women wanting abortions?

14.The range of clients that Vera helped, the initial frightened girl, the coloured girl, the mother helping her daughter, the casual rich woman having a number of abortions, Pamela Barnes and her mother? The procedure itself, Vera’s manner, reassuring the girls? Twenty years without an incident? The fact that she took no money, was surprised in court when this was suggested, the interview with Lily Clarke, her harsh manner, her interviews with the parents, taking their money?

15.The arrest, Vera’s being interrogated, her collaboration, her bewilderment, her sorrow, her not seeing it as abortion but helping girls out? At the police station, her being charged? Bail, the aftermath, her family? Her not wanting to go to jail? The court, her pleading guilty, the severity of the sentence?

16.The final glimpse of Vera in jail, the other women abortionists, their repetitions and long sentences? Going up the stairs – to what?