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Drama

Vera Drake

- Wife. Mother. Criminal.

Abortionist Vera Drake finds her beliefs and practices clash with the mores of 1950s Britain – a conflict that leads to tragedy for her family.

Release Date : 2004-10-22

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Les Films Alain SardeUK Film CouncilThin Man FilmsInside TrackIngenious MediaStudioCanal

Production Country : United KingdomFrance

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Imelda Staunton

Character Name : Vera Drake

Original Name : Imelda Staunton

Gender : Female

Phil Davis

Character Name : Stan

Original Name : Phil Davis

Gender : Male

Sally Hawkins

Character Name : Susan Wells

Original Name : Sally Hawkins

Gender : Female

Daniel Mays

Character Name : Sid

Original Name : Daniel Mays

Gender : Male

Eddie Marsan

Character Name : Reg

Original Name : Eddie Marsan

Gender : Male

Alex Kelly

Character Name : Ethel

Original Name : Alex Kelly

Gender : Female

Ruth Sheen

Character Name : Lily

Original Name : Ruth Sheen

Gender : Female

Adrian Scarborough

Character Name : Frank

Original Name : Adrian Scarborough

Gender : Male

Heather Craney

Character Name : Joyce

Original Name : Heather Craney

Gender : Female

Lesley Manville

Character Name : Mrs. Wells

Original Name : Lesley Manville

Gender : Female

Simon Chandler

Character Name : Mr. Wells

Original Name : Simon Chandler

Gender : Male

Wendy Nottingham

Character Name : Ivy

Original Name : Wendy Nottingham

Gender : Female

Richard Graham

Character Name : George

Original Name : Richard Graham

Gender : Male

Anna Keaveney

Character Name : Nellie

Original Name : Anna Keaveney

Gender : Female

Peter Wight

Character Name : Det. Inspector Webster

Original Name : Peter Wight

Gender : Male

Martin Savage

Character Name : Det. Sergeant Vickers

Original Name : Martin Savage

Gender : Male

Helen Coker

Character Name : WPC Best

Original Name : Helen Coker

Gender : Female

Jim Broadbent

Character Name : Judge

Original Name : Jim Broadbent

Gender : Male

Gerard Monaco

Character Name : Kenny

Original Name : Gerard Monaco

Gender : Male

Leo Bill

Character Name : Ronny

Original Name : Leo Bill

Gender : Male

Lesley Sharp

Character Name : Jessie Barnes

Original Name : Lesley Sharp

Gender : Female

Liz White

Character Name : Pamela Barnes

Original Name : Liz White

Gender : Female

Sandra Voe

Character Name : Vera's Mother

Original Name : Sandra Voe

Gender : Female

Chris O'Dowd

Character Name : Sid's Customer

Original Name : Chris O'Dowd

Gender : Male

Anthony O'Donnell

Character Name : Mr. Walsh

Original Name : Anthony O'Donnell

Gender : Male

Marion Bailey

Character Name : Mrs. Fowler

Original Name : Marion Bailey

Gender : Female

Sam Troughton

Character Name : David

Original Name : Sam Troughton

Gender : Male

Sinead Matthews

Character Name : Very Young Woman

Original Name : Sinead Matthews

Gender : Female

Tilly Vosburgh

Character Name : Mother of Seven

Original Name : Tilly Vosburgh

Gender : Female

Alan Williams

Character Name : Sick Husband

Original Name : Alan Williams

Gender : Male

Allan Corduner

Character Name : Psychiatrist

Original Name : Allan Corduner

Gender : Male

Fenella Woolgar

Character Name : Susan's Confidante

Original Name : Fenella Woolgar

Gender : Female

Elizabeth Berrington

Character Name : Cynical Lady

Original Name : Elizabeth Berrington

Gender : Female

Emma Amos

Character Name : Cynical Lady

Original Name : Emma Amos

Gender : Female

Rosie Cavaliero

Character Name : Married Woman

Original Name : Rosie Cavaliero

Gender : Female

Nicky Henson

Character Name : Private Doctor

Original Name : Nicky Henson

Gender : Male

Eileen Davies

Character Name : Prison Officer

Original Name : Eileen Davies

Gender : Female

Paul Jesson

Character Name : Magistrate

Original Name : Paul Jesson

Gender : Male

Vincent Franklin

Character Name : Mr. Lewis

Original Name : Vincent Franklin

Gender : Male

Tom Ellis

Character Name : Police Constable

Original Name : Tom Ellis

Gender : Male

Jake Wood

Character Name : Ruffian

Original Name : Jake Wood

Gender : Male

Sid Mitchell

Character Name : Very Young Man

Original Name : Sid Mitchell

Gender : Male

Vinette Robinson

Character Name : Jamaican Girl

Original Name : Vinette Robinson

Gender : Female

Heather Cameron-McLintock

Character Name : Child

Original Name : Heather Cameron-McLintock

Gender : Male

Billie Cook

Character Name : Child

Original Name : Billie Cook

Gender : Female

Billy Seymour

Character Name : Child

Original Name : Billy Seymour

Gender : Male

Nina Fry

Character Name : Dance Hall Girl

Original Name : Nina Fry

Gender : Female

Joanna Griffiths

Character Name : Peggy

Original Name : Joanna Griffiths

Gender : Female

Angie Wallis

Character Name : Nurse Willoughby

Original Name : Angie Wallis

Gender : Male

Judith Scott

Character Name : Sister Beecher

Original Name : Judith Scott

Gender : Male

Robert Putt

Character Name : Station Sergeant

Original Name : Robert Putt

Gender : Male

Craig Conway

Character Name : Station Constable

Original Name : Craig Conway

Gender : Male

Paul Raffield

Character Name : Magistrate's Clerk

Original Name : Paul Raffield

Gender : Male

Jeffry Wickham

Character Name : Prosecution Barrister

Original Name : Jeffry Wickham

Gender : Male

Nicholas Jones

Character Name : Defence Barrister

Original Name : Nicholas Jones

Gender : Male

Angela Curran

Character Name : Prisoner

Original Name : Angela Curran

Gender : Female

Jane Wood

Character Name : Prisoner

Original Name : Jane Wood

Gender : Female

Tracy O'Flaherty

Character Name : Nurse

Original Name : Tracy O'Flaherty

Gender : Male

James Payton

Character Name : Court Reporter (uncredited)

Original Name : James Payton

Gender : Male

John Warman

Character Name : Policeman in Court (uncredited)

Original Name : John Warman

Gender : Male

Reviews

C

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2023-03-28

Imelda Staunton is great here as the middle-aged wife, merrily living her family life with husband "Stan" (Phil Davis) and her two grown up children and their partners. She is well respected by her peers and seems to be the epitome of the hardworking 1950s British housewife. Until, that is - a policeman arrives at her door and her world starts to cave in. Now we know from fairly early on that "Vera" likes to help girls out. To be fair - there are plenty of them who are eligible. Raising a family when rationing was still around, jobs thin on the ground and their men folks usually keen to run a mile (if they even knew/or cared) was a daunting prospect to many a young woman, bereft of familial or state support. She didn't take cash for her carbolic and syringe services, she just thinks she is doing the best for all concerned. Needless to say the morals of the time did not necessarily concur, the law certainly didn't - and so we are faced with a rather well presented and written analysis of the antiquated and illiberal situation in which many women found themselves. The film doesn't attempt to moralise - it allows each of us to observe her activities and to evaluate - almost on a case by case basis - the relative merits of her interventions and I think that is particularly effective when stimulating the debate that this film is bound to create. The supporting cast including a career defining contribution from Daniel Mays as her conflicted son "Sid", Eddie Marsan and Heather Craney allow the story to spread out covering not just the actions of "Vera" but also of the complicity - sympathetically and/or venally motivated - by those in the medical profession and those in the community who had less scruples in monetising the misfortune of others. Above all, this is thought provoking - there is no simple answer to what's going on here, and for that Staunton (and Mike Leigh) are to be commended. It's not for the fainted-hearted, but the most poignant of films never are.