Longford

STAR RATING: ***** Saturday Night **** Friday Night *** Friday Morning ** Sunday Night * Monday Morning

A TV drama exploring the relationship between notorious 'Moors Murderer' Myra Hindley (Samantha Morton) and Lord Longford (Jim Broadbent) who campaigned for her early release, only to put her on the backburner for a few years in which he went on a crusade against pornography and for her to cruelly throw his efforts back in his face after admitting to two other murders in 1987.

Being the 40th anniversary of Myra Hindley and Ian Brady's conviction for the 'Moors Murders', fresh interest has arisen in the case and TV producers want to re-create the events to fit in with the anniversary. We've already had ITV's See No Evil, which explored Myra Hindley's relationship with Ian Brady and how they ended up being brought to trial, and this is actually something of a follow-up to that film because it sort of continues the story where Hindley's been in jail for a few years and she begins using Longford to help win her early parole, right up to her and Brady's confession to the two other murders in the late 80s.

It's never easy viewing, but it's always interesting and compelling and keeps you riveted right up to the end. And the impressive performances do it no harm. Samantha Morton creates a cold but strangely vulnerable and mildly sympathetic Hindley. She might come out as a bit outspoken in real life but she's played her role well here. Broadbent is well into his role too, as the gullible but well intentioned man with the courage of his convictions. I know a lot of people will disagree with me but I actually thought Andy Serkis as Ian Brady was the one off note with the film. He makes him come off like a corny Hollywood kind of villain and compared with Johnathan Harris's quietly haunting portrayal of him in See No Evil, he just seems rather hammy. The film isn't about him anyway, and luckily he's only really a supporting role.

Not an easy view then, but a well made one, with strong performances and compelling characters. ****

'Longford' is the coming of age masterpiece of television and film director Tom Hooper. In it a transformed Jim Broadbent becomes walking-self-caricature Lord Longford, the famous, perhaps infamous, campaigner for civil rights and early release for prisoners - most notably Myra Hindley, the female murderer of five schoolchildren in Yorkshire, England in the 1960s.

Samantha Morton is Hindley, tightrope walking above potential seduction and deception of Longford as well as possibly very real repentance. Longford himself is viewed as a man perhaps blinded by Hindley's charms who may be equally as guilty of manipulating her plight in a hobbyist fashion.

Andy Serkis encapsulates the mythical monster and the man that is Ian Brady, yet still the film as a whole carries with it the seed of forgiveness as the way forward in the judiciary and paints the heart of mob rule as blackly as perhaps the hearts of the Moors murderers in fact were.

A compelling film, with no easy answers, and the showcase of some of the most magnetic acting performances ever lensed.

I was only a boy at the time of the Moors Murders, so remember very little about them. However, this film has made me want to find out more, especially about Myra Hindley, who was portrayed in this film almost like a brunette Marylin Monroe. She captivated everybody and made them fall in love with her, possibly even Lord Longford.

The performances by all the main characters were first class, especially Jim Broadbent as Lord Longford, and Samantha Morton as Myra. Compared to Charlize Theron who, almost literally, turned herself into a monster for "Monster", Samantha Morton played Myra as a very attractive woman, but equally evil. The way the film was made, even at the end I didn't know who was "really guilty" Brady or Myra. Andy Serkis as Brady made a compelling psychopath, whereas Myra's part was far more ambiguous. Linsday Duncan was brilliant, as ever, as Lady Longford

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.

The Myra Hindley/Ian Brady Moors murders of 1963, one of the most heinous crimes in England since Jack the Ripper, has been beautifully transcribed to the screen by writer Peter Morgan and Director Tom Hooper. And though the story is basically about Longford's relationship with the incarcerated Myra Hindley, the film paints a rather complete portrait of a strange man who vacillated during his lifetime among religious beliefs and spoke out strongly for the rights of prisoners and 'unfortunates' who fall out of line with the law all the while riling against pornography and other vices.

Jim Broadbent creates a wholly credible Lord Longford in this amazing performance. Transformed physically to resemble Longford's bizarre appearance, Broadbent manages to convey the spectrum of trust, self-doubt, pity, outrage, compassion and blind religious belief in a manner few actors could match. The remainder of the cast is equally excellent: Samantha Morton finds every nook and cranny of the enigmatic murderess Myra while Andy Serkis gives a chilling depiction of Ian Brady, her accomplice who knew how to manipulate the government and people as well as the infamously wily Myra.

The story is in many ways grounded by the strong forces of Lady Longford (beautifully realized by Lindsay Duncan) and the Lady Tree of Sarah Crowden and Harold Wilson of Robert Pugh. Hooper knows how to magnify the class differences between the gentry and the working class and his choices of locations and pacing of confrontations both in the prison and in the home and in the court are spot on.

This is one of those films for television that teaches us what really fine films can still be. It is a tremendously moving piece of work and Jim Broadbent will long be remember for this classic role. Highly recommended for repeated viewing. Grady Harp