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Longford (2007)

Longford
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Directed by Tom Hooper.
Academy-award-winning actor Jim Broadbent portrays controversial British campaigner Lord Longford in this biopic that details the former government minister and then-House of Lords leader's notorious encounter with infamous Moors Murderer Myra Hindley (Samantha Morton). A lifelong Christian who approaches every person he meets with the goodness and innocence of a child, Frank Packenham (aka Lord Longford) receives a letter from convicted child killer Myra Hindley requesting that he drop by her prison cell for a visit. Despite the vehement disapproval of his wife, Longford casually accepts the invitation and forms an unexpected bond with the woman due in large to their mutual Catholic upbringing. When his established notions about Hindley are challenged during a subsequent visit with her demonically manipulative partner-in-crime Ian Brady (Andy Serkis), the humble social campaigner finds his faith put to the ultimate test as public outcry mounts as a direct result of his meeting with the despised couple. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
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JimBellJimBell Top Ten Movies I've Seen This Y ...
by JimBell in JimBell Blog
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 "These are the top ten films I’ve seen at the mid-point of the year. I think it is a good idea to post a semi-annual list because instead of complaining about mundane theatre offerings the list confirms that there are enough excellent films out there to watch. In no particular order: Mother of Mine (2005; Finland/Sweden)—A young Finish boy is torn from his family by WWII and later in life comes to terms with both of his mothers and how they treated him. Gone Baby Gone (2007)-- Dennis Lehane, the author of the novel on which the movie is based, says that we as a society have not figured out how to protect our children. The search for a missing little girl dramatizes his concern. 51 Birch Street (2005; documentary)—Doug thought that in his parents’ marriage, his mother was the loving and approachable one and his father was remote and cold, but when Doug’s mother died and his father quickly married his former secretary, everything Doug thought he kno ... " [More]
CinemaRianCinemaRian Longford (2006, Great Britain, ...
by CinemaRian in CinemaRian Blog
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 "How often do you think about America's prisons? Unless you've been to one, probably not much. It's a place where we send people who can't or don't want to be in society (assuming we correctly ascertain their guilt, or course). But what is the point of prison? To rehabilitate? If so, how does one do that? To punish? How do you quantify the degree of severity of a crime? Is stealing the same in all senses, or is stealing a candy bar "better" than stealing a TV? And what exactly is "justice", anyway? Longford is a brave film that asks questions like that, and actually sort gives us a reasonable answer. It is based on the true story of what is possibly the worst crime in the history of Great Britain: The Moor Murders, in which five children were brutally tortured, raped and murdered by a serial killer and his girlfriend. The killers, Ian Brady and Myra Hindley, were lucky- Britain had abolished the death penalty a month before they were arrested, which they'd almo ... " [More]
JimBellJimBell Longford
by JimBell in JimBell Blog
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 "Longford (2006) is an excellent film. It is British in every aspect—writing, direction, acting, setting, and the events it is based on. This pedigree makes it more remote for us than the typical Hollywood fare and, in my view, it is far superior. Londoner Peter Morgan supplied a superb screenplay. In a field where writers typically have one or maybe two successful screenplays in a career, Morgan has, at 45, penned The Last King of Scotland, which won the BAFTA award, The Queen, which got him nominated for an Oscar, and Longford, for which he received the BAFTA writers award for TV. In Longford, things could have easily degenerated into sensationalism as the story concerns the gruesome murder of five children and how Lord Longford campaigned for the parole of Myra Hindley, the wife involved in the slayings. Yet the conversations seem real and natural, fitting easily with the documentary footage. Much of the credit for the natural pace and the profound acting must go to dire ... " [More]
Tags: christianity , forgiveness , philanthropy , childmurder
 

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