The Cinema of Mike Leigh: A Sense of the Real

Garry Watson

Preface

Abbreviations

Part 1. Establishing a New Context for Leigh's work

i. The Receptions of Leigh's Work So Far: Revising Our Expectations

ii. The Extraordinary Element of Too Muchness at the Heart of the Ordinary: In the Midst of Life

iii. Traversing the Fantasy: Touching the Real

Part Two: The Films (1): "A Lamentation and a Celebration"

iv. The Feminist Leigh: Two Women "On the Other Side of Silence" (Bleak Moments, Hard Labour)

v. Leigh and Lawrence on the "Middle Class Thing" and What It Leaves Out (Nuts in May, Grown-Ups, Kiss of Death)

vi. The Political and the Flaubertian Leigh: On Stupidity, Taste, Anger, and Resistance (Abigail's Party, Who's Who, Home Sweet Home, Meantime and A Sense of History)

vii. Comedies Celebrating Marriage, the Family, and the Pursuit of Happiness (Four Days in July, The Short and Curlies, High Hopes, Life Is Sweet)

Part Three: The Films (2): "A Very Traumatic Journey"

viii. "Are You with Me?" Leigh's "Traumatizing Seducer" (Naked)

ix. In Search of the Missing Mother/Daughter (Secrets and Lies)

x. A Meta-Commentary on Leigh's Art and an Exploration of Female Friendship (Career Girls)

xi. Work as Play: The Utopian Element (Topsy-Turvy)

xii. "In the Messianic Light" (All or Nothing)

Bibliography

Related Subjects

• Film

Series

• Directors' Cuts

About the Author

Garry Watson is professor of English at the University of Alberta and teaches English, American literature, and cinema. He is the coeditor of Approaches to Teaching the Works of D.H. Lawrence.

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