Ordinary women – they work, they drink, they dance, they have sex. But not sex equality. Finally fed up with it, 187 women go on strike for equal pay at Ford’s Dagenham factory, near London, in 1968, a time when the work was hard and the wages were unfair.
Made in Dagenham follows the life of Rita O’Grady (Sally Hawkins) a wife, mother of two, and sewing machine operator. She’s an ordinary, working-class woman who becomes the unlikely leader of the women’s strike. Her husband Eddie (Daniel Mays), who works on the floor at the factory, isn’t all that supportive of her efforts in the beginning. And he patronizes her.
But sweet-tempered Albert (Bob Hoskins), one of the union representatives, urges Rita to take action. Over a cuppa tea on a rainy day, he tells her about his mum who worked her whole life, doing the same work as all the blokes for half the pay just because she was a woman. The next day, Rita gives a moving speech in front of the Ford executives, saying “This strike is about one thing and one thing only: fairness.” She may look dainty, but she’s strong and she delivers.
All the women walk out, declaring an all-out stoppage to demand equal pay. The men are dumbfounded except for Albert, of course. He’s delighted, but the executives didn’t think the women would actually go through with it. From there, pressure surrounding the women’s situation builds as the entire factory shuts down and the men are put out of work. Money runs low and relationships get strained, but Rita has to keep fighting for what she knows is right. And that’s equal pay.
Based on a true story, Made in Dagenham pays tribute to the women who fought for fairness in the workplace and helped pave the way for Britain’s Equal Pay Act in 1970. Director Nigel Cole (Calendar Girls) brought the story to life on the big screen with an all-star British cast that delivered many brilliant scenes and lines in such an honest and cheeky way that you can’t help but laugh a little one minute and then be moved to tears the next.
This drama-filled, feel-good film is truly British but appeals to anyone who believes in equality and common justice for men and women everywhere. And that’s something worth watching and thinking about it.
To recognize Equal Pay Day, go to a RedBox near you and rent Made in Dagenham or buy it on DVD!