Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Rory Kinnear | ... | Henry Hunt | |
Maxine Peake | ... | Nellie | |
Pearce Quigley | ... | Joshua | |
David Moorst | ... | Joseph | |
Rachel Finnegan | ... | Mary | |
Tom Meredith | ... | Robert | |
Simona Bitmate | ... | Esther | |
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Robert Wilfort | ... | Lord Liverpool, the Prime Minister |
Karl Johnson | ... | Lord Sidmouth, the Home Secretary | |
Sam Troughton | ... | Mr. Hobhouse | |
Roger Sloman | ... | Mr. Grout | |
Kenneth Hadley | ... | Mr. Golightly | |
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Tom Edward-Kane | ... | Mr. Cobb |
Lizzy McInnerny | ... | Mrs. Moss | |
Alastair Mackenzie | ... | General Sir John Byng |
An epic portrayal of the events surrounding the infamous 1819 Peterloo Massacre, where a peaceful pro-democracy rally at St Peter's Field in Manchester turned into one of the bloodiest and most notorious episodes in British history. The massacre saw British government forces charge into a crowd of over 60,000 that had gathered to demand political reform and protest against rising levels of poverty. Many protesters were killed and hundreds more injured, sparking a nationwide outcry but also further government suppression. The Peterloo Massacre was a defining moment in British democracy which also played a significant role in the founding of The Guardian newspaper.
This is the first review I've ever done, but was moved to do so by some reviews that I have read on here since watching the film. So apologies to you experts, but here's my tuppenceworth. On the down side, a bit overlong, could have been a bit less wordy and faster paced. But, I left the cinema with the same feeling that I did in the early 70s after seeing Soldier Blue: stunned by the brutality of "the authorities" over the disenfranchised. Forensic in its drama/documentry approach and absolutely true to events (I have since checked various historical sources). This is what happens when people feel they lack a voice and does resonate with today's UK. I thought the lighting was superb and the epic, grand scale setting rare in a UK film. A must watch for teenagers who will not have heard of this event in history at school.