‘Excellent’ period drama with an A-list cast airs on BBC One tonight
A powerful story about a group of women who challenged workplace inequality at Ford’s Dagenham factory is coming to BBC One tonight.
Made in Dagenham, the 2010 comedy-drama inspired by real events, follows the women behind the landmark 1968 strike that helped change the law on equal pay in Britain. The film stars Sally Hawkins, Bob Hoskins and Miranda Richardson, alongside Rosamund Pike, Andrea Riseborough, Andrew Lincoln, Rupert Graves and Nicola Duffett.
The film is scheduled to air on BBC One East at 11:40pm on Saturday, September 19, running until 1:25am.
The story behind the Dagenham strike
The story begins in May 1968 at Ford’s factory in Dagenham, where fewer than 200 women were part of a workforce of around 55,000.
Among them is Rita O’Grady, played by Sally Hawkins, a sewing machinist responsible for making upholstery for car seats. The women discover that their work is being classified as unskilled, placing them in a lower-paid category despite the specialised nature of their jobs.
Frustrated that their concerns have not been properly addressed, the women decide to take industrial action. They vote unanimously to walk out unless management responds to their grievances by the following day.
Their strike quickly has an impact far beyond the sewing room. With the women no longer producing the car seats, vehicle production at the Dagenham plant is brought to a halt.
The campaign grows into a much larger fight over equal pay, with the striking women receiving support from sympathetic union representative Albert, played by Bob Hoskins.
From a factory dispute to a national issue
As the strike continues, the women’s campaign attracts national attention. Their demands eventually reach Labour Secretary of State Barbara Castle, portrayed by Miranda Richardson.
The events depicted in the film are based on the real-life Ford sewing machinists’ strike of 1968, which became an important episode in Britain’s equal-pay movement.
Made in Dagenham brings that story to the screen through a mixture of comedy, workplace drama and political conflict, following Rita and her colleagues as their local dispute develops into a national campaign.
An impressive ensemble cast
Sally Hawkins leads the film as Rita O’Grady, with Bob Hoskins playing union representative Albert and Miranda Richardson taking the role of Barbara Castle.
The supporting cast includes Rosamund Pike, Andrea Riseborough, Andrew Lincoln, Rupert Graves and Nicola Duffett.
The performances have been singled out by viewers as one of the film’s major strengths. One viewer praised Hawkins’s engaging performance and Richardson’s portrayal of Barbara Castle, while also highlighting Hoskins’s contribution as the union representative who supports the strike.
Another audience member described the film as an excellent production, praising its performances and its depiction of sexism and social change.
The film currently holds an 80% Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 129 critics’ reviews.
BAFTA recognition
Released in 2010, Made in Dagenham went on to receive four BAFTA nominations.
The nominations were for Outstanding British Film, Costume Design, Make Up & Hair, and Miranda Richardson for Supporting Actress. BAFTA’s official nominations announcement confirms the film’s nominations for Outstanding British Film, Costume Design and Make Up & Hair, as well as Richardson’s nomination.
The film’s story later moved from the screen to the stage.
A musical adaptation opened at London’s Adelphi Theatre in 2014, with Gemma Arterton taking over the role of Rita O’Grady. The production was directed by Rupert Goold, with music by David Arnold and lyrics by Richard Thomas.
The stage production opened at the Adelphi Theatre in November 2014 following previews from October.
When to watch Made in Dagenham
For viewers looking to watch the film tonight, Made in Dagenham is scheduled for 11:40pm on BBC One East on Saturday, September 19. The broadcast is listed as running until 1:25am.
The film remains a dramatized account of a pivotal workplace dispute, bringing the story of the Dagenham women and their campaign for equal pay to a wider audience.