Hindle Wakes (1927)

Hindle Wakes is a 1927 British silent film drama, directed by Maurice Elvey and starring Estelle Brody and John Stuart. The film is adapted from Stanley Houghton's 1912 stage play of the same name, and reunites Brody and Stuart following their hugely popular pairing in the previous year's Mademoiselle from Armentieres.

In its time, Houghton's play was considered extremely controversial and provocative in its message. It is seen as proto-feminist in tone, with its assumption that women as well as men could enjoy a brief sexual fling for what it was, without any sense of obligation on either side, and further that a woman was capable of making her own decisions, ignoring familial and societal strictures if necessary. Hindle Wakes was filmed four times, twice as a silent (the first version, also directed by Elvey, made in 1918) and twice in sound (in 1931 and 1952). The 1927 production was well-budgeted, made extensive use of location filming in Manchester and Blackpool, and is generally held by film historians to be the best of the four.

Synopsis

In the Lancashire mill town of Hindle, preparations are being made for the annual summer wakes week holiday. Fanny Hawthorn (Brody) is seen packing her suitcase in preparation for her trip to Blackpool with her friend Mary Hollins (Peggy Carlisle). Meanwhile Allan Jeffcote (Stuart), son of the owner of the mill in which Fanny works, and employed in the offices, has had his own holiday plans disrupted due to his fiancée having to cancel their arrangements at the last minute. After a final day's work, the factory hooter sounds and Fanny and Mary board the excursion train to Blackpool, while Allan and a friend decide to travel there by car.

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