Mike Leigh

20.02.1943, Salfordu, Vel. Britanija

 

Director
Mike Leigh, British director and scriptwriter, was born on February 20, 1943, in Salford. At first he wanted to become an actor. While he
was studying at London’s Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, he got interested
in directing and scriptwriting, so he transferred to the London Film School. His
career as director and scriptwriter began in the theatre. After having directed
several projects on TV (in 1964 and 1970), in 1971 he directed his first film,
Bleak Moments, which attracted the attention of the critics but not of
the public. He returned to the theatre and directed several notable TV films.
Some of them were screened in cinemas, others on video, such as Meantime
(1981), Four Days in July (1984), Nuts in May (1976), Who's Who
(1978). The film High Hopes (1989) is considered as his first directorial
success. Four years later, with Naked, he received international acclaim.
In 1996, he shot Secrets and Lies, which won 5 Oscar nominations (among
others for best director). In 1997, he directed the poorly received drama
Career Girls,
and two years later came Topsy-Turvy, that won two
Oscars out of four nominations. In 2002, he directed the widely praised feature
film All or Nothing.

Filmography

All or Nothing (2002)
Topsy-Turvy (1999)
Career Girls (1997)
Secrets & Lies (1996)
Naked (1993)
Two Mikes Don't Make a Wright (documentary, segment: A Sense of History) (1992)
A Sense of History (TV) (1992)
Life Is Sweet (1990)
High Hopes (1988)
The Short and Curlies (TV) (1987)
Four Days in July (TV) (1985)
The Five Minute Films (TV) (1982)
Home Sweet Home (TV) (1982)
Meantime (TV) (1981)
Grown-Ups (TV) (1980)
Who's Who (TV) (1979)
Abigail's Party (TV) (1977)
Kiss of Death (TV) (1977)
Knock for Knock (TV) (1976)
Nuts in May (TV) (1976)
The Permissive Society (TV) (1975)
Hard Labour (TV) (1973)
Bleak Moments (1971)


Films by this director

Nuts in May

(1976)

Directed by: Mike Leigh
Synopsis:

Keith and Candice Marie, a satisfied English couple, set out on a ten-day vacation in the English countryside. The arrival of student Ray and his loud radio quickly disperses the serenity of their careless rest. The tension is soon reduced, but Candice’s newly revealed admiration for Ray casts a shadow of misunderstanding between her and Keith. The situation gets worse with the arrival of a couple of young bikers, Finger and Honky… Mike Leigh’s TV film that was screened at the BBC as...

color, 84 min

Kiss of Death

(1977)

Directed by: Mike Leigh
Synopsis:

Trevor, the undertaker’s young assistant, lacks the skill to seduce a girl. He often goes out with his best friend Ronny and his girlfriend Sandra. Fed up with his constantly tagging along, Sandra introduces him to his friend Linda. After a not very successful beginning, Trevor and Linda finally start dating. As their affair was developing, Ronnie tries to take Sandra to bed, but fails. After a night in a local disco club, their feelings change… TV film with characteristically Mike L...

color, 80 min

Grown-Ups

(1980)

Directed by: Mike Leigh
Synopsis:

A young couple, Dick and Mandy, move into their new home. Soon, they discover that their first neighbor is their former teacher Ralph Butcher. Gloria, Mandy’s unmarried sister, keeps visiting them. The young couple, longing for peace, asks Gloria to stop coming over. This results in another visit… A brilliant comedy shot for television. Film is also known under the title BBC2 Playhouse: Grown-ups.

color, 90 min

Meantime

(1981)

Directed by: Mike Leigh
Synopsis:

Portrayal of a life of a working class family living in a wretched flat in the East End. The story depicts the consternation of parents Mavis and Frank, and their attempts to talk their son Colin out of socializing with Coxy, a local neo-Nazi hero…

color, 90 min

Home Sweet Home

(1982)

Directed by: Mike Leigh
PHOTOGRAPHY: Remi Adefarasin
Synopsis:

A sharp story about the problems of social position and marriage told through the love affair of a mailman and the wife of his colleague and friend… Another TV film from the Play for Today serial.

color, 90 min

High Hopes

(1988)

Directed by: Mike Leigh
PHOTOGRAPHY: Roger Pratt
Synopsis:

A story about delivery boy Cyril with Bolshevik inclinations and his girlfriend Shirley. They take care of Shirley’s old and senile mother, facing the invasion of members of higher social classes… Mike Leigh’s satirical commentary on social and class changes that occurred in London in the late 1980s, full of authentic English humor.

color, 110 min

Life is Sweet

(1990)

Directed by: Mike Leigh
PHOTOGRAPHY: Dick Pope
Synopsis:

Young parents Wendy and Andy live with their twin daughters Nicol and Natalie. The twins are as different as night from day – Natalie is optimistic, while Nicol is a dissatisfied cynic. The daughters are faced with an obsessively joyful mother and apathetic father, and successful friends and neighbors.

color, 102 min

Naked

(1993)

Directed by: Mike Leigh
Synopsis:

Johnny, a young bum, commits rape and escapes from Manchester to London in order to hide from his former girlfriend Louise. He mocks all social mechanisms, and takes out his rage, mostly, on women. He immediately attacks Louise’s roommate Sophie. Soon afterwards, Johnny disappears in the streets of London… Many think that Naked was the best film of the 90s. David Thewlis gave an exquisite performance as Johnny and won the Palm d’Or in Cannes. The same went to Mike Leigh for direction...

color, 126 min

Hard Labour

(1973)

Directed by: Mike Leigh
PHOTOGRAPHY: Tony Pierce-Roberts
Synopsis:

This is a story about Ms. Thornley, who lives with her husband Jim and daughter Ann. By day, she works as a maid for Ms. Smith, an upper class lady. When she returns home, she has to put up with not only her alcoholic husband’s torture and belittling but also her daughter’s. Her daughter in law Veronica, who constantly abuses her, also complicates her hard life. Hoping to find some kind of peace, Ms. Thornley turns to religion but soon learns that not even the minister has any pity for...

color, 75 min

Who is Who

(Who's Who, 1978)

Directed by: Mike Leigh
PHOTOGRAPHY: Jon Else
Synopsis:

This is almost a documentary portrayal of people employed in a London broker company. Alan is a fanatic for English history who collects letters from government’s officials, and his wife April adores cats. Giles and Nigel are stuck up brokers and roommates. One evening, a photographer invites April to a photo session of cats and asks her to sell one of the cats to a wealthy lady. Giles and Nigel prepare a dinner and invite their colleague Anthony, lovely Caroline and open-minded Sama...

color, 80 min

Secrets & Lies

(1996)

Directed by: Mike Leigh
PHOTOGRAPHY: Dick Pope
Synopsis:

Hortense is a successful black doctor who, after her adoptive parents’ death, tries to find her biological parents. To her great surprise, she discovers that her biological mother is a white factory worker, Cynthia. She lives in a small apartment with her hostile step-daughter, Roxanne. After a separation of almost two years, Cynthia’s brother Maurice, a successful photographer, comes to visit her. He decides to gather the whole family for Roxanne’s twenty-first birthday party, even...

color, 142 min

All or Nothing

(2002)

Directed by: Mike Leigh
Synopsis:

Penny’s love towards Phil has worn out. He is a taxi driver who loves to philosophize and she works at a supermarket. Their daughter Rachel works as a cleaner in a retirement home and their son Rory is unemployed and becoming more and more aggressive. A long time ago, their lives settled into a routine until an unexpected tragedy occurs that forces them to discover their mutual love once more… This film was praised by critics and audience alike, and was a part of the official program...

color, 128 min

Another Year

(UK, 2010)

Directed by: Mike Leigh
PHOTOGRAPHY: Dick Pope
Synopsis:

Sredovječni Londončanin Tom dobrodušni je građevinski radnik koji sa suprugom Gerri, brižnom psihoterapeutkinjom, živi mirnim životom uz uređivanje vrta, druženja s prijateljima i očekivanja posjeta 30-godišnjeg sina Joea. Njihova najbolja prijateljica je neurotična Mary, brbljava i alkoholu sklona žena u pedesetim godinama života koju vidno hvataju panika i očaj da će zauvijek ostati sama i bez muškarca s kojim bi „mogla razgovarati”. No čini se da Mary zanima u...

color, 129'
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