THE ONLY THING MORE SHOCKING THAN HER CRIME WAS HIS CRUSADE TO FREE HER.
In the 1960s, the eccentric Lord Longford (Jim Broadbent) has gained a reputation for helping criminals find a way back to society, but his latest protégé, the reviled Moors Murderer Myra Hindley (Samantha Morton) could bury his career. Director Tom Hooper followed up his excellent miniseries Elizabeth I (2005) with another first-rate, reality-based TV production. This is an emotional depiction of a controversial struggle; an intelligent rumination on crime and punishment and the challenge of forgiveness. Very well acted by Broadbent as the wild-haired, deeply religious Longford, Morton as the unreliable Myra and Andy Serkis as her creepy partner in crime.
2006-Britain-U.S. Made for TV. 93 min. Color. Produced by Helen Flint. Directed by Tom Hooper. Teleplay: Peter Morgan. Cast: Jim Broadbent (Lord Longford), Samantha Morton (Myra Hindley), Lindsay Duncan (Lady Elizabeth Longford), Andy Serkis, Robert Pugh, Tam Dean Burn.
Golden Globes: Best Motion Picture Made for Television, Actor (Broadbent), Supporting Actress (Morton).
Last word: “It’s just lazy, that default position of hating. I think she was guilty, but that regardless of her guilt and regardless of her lack of contrition, what was done to her, in terms of the law, was still an abomination. She was kept in prison because of her notoriety, and her notoriety was entirely due to the fact that she was a woman, so she was imprisoned because of her gender. I don’t care if rehabilitation rates for paedophiles are bad – there is rehabilitation, people can change and forgiveness is possible.” (Morgan on the criticism that his portrait of Hindley was too sympathetic, London Evening Standard)
ABOVE AVERAGE