Vera Drake is a film directed by Mike Leigh. Synopsis
Vera Drake is tirelessly devoted to her family, looking after her husband and children, her elderly mother, and a sick neighbour. Although Vera and her family do not live lavishly, their strong family bonds hold them together. Vera works as a house cleaner. However, unbeknownst to her family, she also serves as a backroom abortionist. She receives no money for this, believing her help to be an act of generosity. However, her partner Lily a hard-bitten wheeler-dealer, who also carries on a black-market trade in scarce postwar foodstuffs, charges two guineas (GB£48 in 2005) for arranging the abortions, without Vera's knowledge.
After one of her patients nearly dies, Vera is arrested by the police and taken into custody for questioning. There, she is granted bail of £50 to re-appear in three weeks time. Her son, Sid, is disgusted by his mother's secret activities and tells his father that he doesn't think that he can forgive her. Vera's newly pregnant sister-in-law feels the same way.
Vera is bailed to appear at the Old Bailey in a few weeks time. None of Vera's employers will give her a character reference. Her solicitor thinks she will receive the minimum sentence of 18 months in jail; the judge eventually sentences her to two and a half years imprisonment. This has a devastating effect on all the people who rely on Vera to visit them.
Reviews 'Leigh takes time to show us the daily lives of all characters, giving them more reality than a Hollywood film would think necessary'.
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In a hopelessly polarized debate, Leigh allows us to see real people involved in real situations. The film will keep people on either side of the abortion debates talking'.
In a hopelessly polarized debate, Leigh allows us to see real people involved in real situations. The film will keep people on either side of the abortion debates talking'.
Links to my play
This film about backroom abortions links to my radio play as it shows the theme of unwanted and unplanned pregnancies.
Also, the family involved is working class who are on low income, which show class divides. This links to my play as the main characters family is working class and will be a single parent.
Her lack of money and being a single parent is a theme in my play as it shows the struggles of bringing up a child on a small amount of money when you are not entirely ready for the responsibility of a child. 