Plans to finally sit down and watch the Rules of the Game by Jean Renoir went by the wayside when I fell into the HBO movie Longford. This is the story of Lord Longford working to try to get Myra Hindley out of prison for child murder. I was vaguely aware of the story prior to seeing the film, but I wasn't really prepared for the twists and turns. Clearly its not about what it seems to be about at first, namely getting an abused woman out of prison. It is ultimately about something else entirely, namely a story about dealing with the mistakes one makes, the ability to change and the ability to forgive. The cast is first rate with Jim Broadbent outstanding as Longford the odd Lord who champions Hindley's case when everyone tells him otherwise. Andy Serkis as Ian Brady, Hindley's lover and co-conspirator is particularly slimy and evil. I really liked this movie a great deal. Forgive me this is one of those movies thats better if you just see it since its just so damn interesting I don't want to spoil it.
Longford
2006
Biography / Crime / Drama / Romance
Longford
2006
Biography / Crime / Drama / Romance
Plot summary
A portrait of Lord Longford, a tireless British campaigner whose controversial beliefs often resulted in furious political debate and personal conflict.
Uploaded by: FREEMAN
February 12, 2022 at 05:15 AM
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Fantastic portrait of a man of faith doing what he believed was right
On justice and foolishness
We should, it is said, forgive but not forget. But some deeds are so monstrous that we can only forgive by forgetting. In some senses, no murderer deserves to ever be let out of jail. But we, as civilised humans, achieve nothing but our own degradation by keeping old people who offer no further threat to society imprisoned; and forgetting may be the only we way can square this circle. But Myra Hindley's crimes were never forgotten, partly because they were peculiarly horrible, but also because she became a hate figure for the popular press. Logically, Hindely has the same rights to be at least considered for parole as any other prisoner; but no politician was ever going to end their careers by demanding it. None, except for Lord Longford, an elderly, egotistical do-gooder with a spectacular capacity for making bad calls. The common belief, supported at least in part by this film, is that manipulative Hindley played Longford for all he was worth. And yet the principles that hard cases make bad law and that justice is not vengeance are surely important and right. But a more pragmatic (or less messianic) figure might have chosen an easier terrain on which to fight this battle.
In this biopic of Longford, Jim Broadbent captures the man's physical characteristics perfectly, although the voice is still his own. Samantha Morton, always a brave actress, keeps her cards close to her chest as Hindley. Though generally following received wisdom, it's overall effect is cautiously sympathetic to Longford, and encourages one to think again about the meaning of justice, maybe more effectively than Longford himself did.
Good vs evil - a question of faith.
This surely is one of the best made for TV dramas you are likely to see, superbly written and featuring a stunning performance from Jim Broadbent as Lord Longford. I had only ever regarded Longford as an eccentric old fool until watching this film which reveals what great humanity and compassion the man had. He finds Myra Hindley does not appear to be the monster the media built her up to be and Longford believes there may be some good in her but she is eventually shown to be as devious and manipulative as Ian Brady said she was. Brady is portrayed by Andy Serkis in a performance of incredibly raw and shocking power and you are left in no doubt that the only place for this dangerous man is behind bars, away from the public at large. It is only when Longford finds out he has been deceived that he finally listens to a copy of the infamous tape of the murders that has been sent to him anonymously through the post and thereafter he begins to question his own faith. Towards the end of both their lives Longford meets Hindley once more and in a truly shocking scene Hindley reveals her own spirituality and repentance, although not in the manner that he or anyone else could have expected. The film mixes documentary film with staged scenes to great effect and feels thoroughly authentic, capturing the era to perfection. I came away from this film feeling great admiration for this man, who may have been misled, but who only had good in his heart and did not know the meaning of hate.