Longford (2006) (TV)

User Rating:

7.8/10   

Director:

Tom Hooper

Writer:

Peter Morgan (written by)

Release Date:

17 February 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Tagline:

The only thing more shocking than her crime was his crusade to free her.

Plot:

A portrait of Lord Longford, a tireless British campaigner whose controversial beliefs often resulted in furious political debate and personal conflict.

Plot Keywords:

Prisoner | Murder | Prime Minister | Prisoner's Rights | Parole

Awards:

Won 3 Golden Globes. Another 8 wins & 17 nominations

Cast

Lee Boardman	...	Talk Show Host
Jim Broadbent	...	Lord Longford
Tam Dean Burn	...	Roy
Lindsay Duncan	...	Lady Elizabeth Longford
Kate Miles	...	Rachel Pakenham
Sarah Crowden	...	Lady Tree
Robert Pugh	...	Harold Wilson
Caroline Clegg	...	Longford's Secretary
Samantha Morton	...	Myra Hindley
Alex Blake	...	Paddy Pakenham
Roy Barber	...	Father Kahle
Ian Connaughton	...	Reporter
Charlotte West-Oram	...	Downing Street Secretary (as Charlotte West Oram)
Roy Carruthers	...	Albany Prison Officer
Andy Serkis	...	Ian Brady

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Durham, County Durham, England, UK

Company:

Channel 4 Television Corporation

Trivia:

To look as much as possible like the real Lord Longford, Jim Broadbent wore a prosthetic nose and chin that took two hours to apply each day. A prison guard who had known the real Lord Longford was once very startled when Broadbent entered the prison door in costume. To make himself walk very slowly and lamely when Longford sees Myra Hindley for the last time in the movie (when the character is 92 years old), Broadbent put small, painful stones inside his shoes.

Goofs:

Miscellaneous: In the closing credits, the last names of the characters "Rachel Pakenham" and "Paddy Pakenham," have been misspelled as "Packenham." The correct spelling of Lord Longford's family name, as seen on envelopes and elsewhere in the movie, is "Pakenham."

Quotes:

[Lord and Lady Longford are sitting up in bed looking at pornographic magazines, such as Mayfair and Slave, to decide whether they are offensive]
Lady Elizabeth Longford: Frank, it's harmless. Completely harmless.
Lord Longford: I disagree. These things are read by children at a vulnerable age. The boys on the bus can't have been more than twelve.
Lady Elizabeth Longford: And in our day it was just the same.
Lord Longford: Nothing *like* so graphic or as available. Look at it! Sexual arousal is Pavlovian - if boys grow up thinking that these kind of breasts or this kind of submission is normal, they'll expect it in later life.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 59th Primetime Emmy Awards (2007) (TV)

A superb piece of challenging television.

I thought this was one of the most powerful pieces of television drama I have seen for a long time. It rates up there both in content, production and fantastic casting and acting with the wonderful Conspiracy (Ken Branagh and others a few years back). I wonder if Longford may come to be seen as Jim Broadbent's finest portrayal. It bears many more than one viewings and I think (as I did of an earlier drama programme this year about the Moors Murders) that it is brave and correct for skilled directors/writers etc to tackle this incredibly difficult subject. Well done to all involved and I look forward to the next project coming from this talented team.