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 reforms and protest against rising levels of poverty.
Rory Kinnear
Henry Hunt
Maxine Peake
Nellie
Pearce Quigley
Joshua
David Moorst
Joseph
Rachel Finnegan
Mary
Tom Meredith
Robert
Simona Bitmate
Esther
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
Tom Edward-Kane
Mr Cobb
Lizzy McInnerny
Mrs Moss
Alastair Mackenzie
General Sir John Byng
Neil Bell
Samuel Bamford
Lisa Millett
Jemima Bamford
Philip Jackson
John Knight
John Paul Hurley
John Thacker Sexton
Tom Gill
Joseph Johnson
Lizzie Frain
Mrs Johnson
Harry Hepple
James Wroe
Ian Mercer
Dr Joseph Healey
Adam Long
Jack, Wroe's Printer
Nico Mirallegro
John Bagguley
Danny Kirrane
Samuel Drummond
Johnny Byrom
John Johnston
Victor McGuire
Deputy Chief Constable Nadin
Stephen Wight
Oliver the Spy
Ryan Pope
Chippendale the Spy
Dorothy Atkinson
Singing Weaver
Tim McInnerny
Prince Regent
Marion Bailey
Lady Conyngham
Vincent Franklin
Magistrate Rev Ethelston
Jeff Rawle
Magistrate Rev Hay
Eileen Davies
Mrs. Mary Hay
Philip Whitchurch
Magistrate Colonel Fletcher
Martin Savage
Magistrate Norris
Al Weaver
Magistrate Hutton
David Bamber
Magistrate Rev Mallory
David Fielder
Magistrate Rev Gutteridge
Fine Time Fontayne
Magistrate Clowes
Robert Gillespie
Magistrate Warmley
Jonathan Jaynes
Magistrate Tatton
Nicholas Lumley
Magistrate Rev Perryn
Shaun Prendergast
Magistrate Bolt
Alan Williams
Magistrate Marriott
Dorothy Duffy
Mary Fildes
Victoria Moseley
Susannah Saxton
Christine Bottomley
Female Reformer
Samantha Edwards
Female Reformer
Julie Hesmondhalgh
Female Reformer
Kate Rutter
Female Reformer
Katie West
Female Reformer
Joseph Kloska
Richard Carlile
Leo Bill
John Tyas
Brian Fletcher
Edward Baines
Gary Cargill
John Smith
Patrick Kennedy
Lt. Col Guy L'Estrange
Guy Williams
Lieutenant Colonel Dalrymple
Ben Crompton
Tuke, the painter
Bryony Miller
Bessie, Johnson's Servant
Lee Boardman
Nadin's Constable
Steve Garti
Nadin's Constable
Leo Ashton
Young George
Alicia Turner
Young Sarah
Elsie Kirk
Baby Sarah
Florence Kirk
Baby Sarah
Darren Scott
Man Giving Directions
Michael Culkin
A Lord
Laura Elphinstone
Mill Worker
Julie Riley
Egg Seller
Kieran O'Brien
Peter Wilkes, a Farrier
Noreen Kershaw
Mrs Mickletwhaite, Drunk Servant/ Thief
Jim English
Edward Wilde, Watch Thief
Adam Shaw
James Mahon, Coat Thief
Bob Goody
Outraged Reformer
Sam Graham
Potato Thrower
Tilly Vosburgh
Potato Thrower's Wife
David Hounslow
Man Drilling Reformers
Steve Huison
Stableman
Jeremy Todd
Thomas Worrell, Stone Clearing Boss
Paul Bown
Richard Wainwright, a Mill Owner
Paul Popplewell
Mill Overseer
Moya Brady
Abusive Bystander
Jane Hazlegrove
Abusive Bystander
Hayley Jayne Standing
Servant at Magistrates' Breakfast
Kate O'Flynn
Chadderton Woman
Gerard Kearns
Chadderton Woman's Husband
John Branwell
Chadderton Woman's Father
Isla Nield
Chadderton Woman's Daughter
Philip Martin Brown
Angry Citizen
James Benson
Angry Citizen
Sidney Livingstone
Mr Buxton
David Walmsley
Magistrate's Messenger
James Dryden
Wigan Man
Bronwyn James
Wigan Man's Sister
Polly Hemingway
Margaret Goodwin, Woman Recognising Yeoman
Steve Cain
Passer-By
Sarah Crowden
Lady at Races
Miles Richardson
Gentleman at Races
Graham Seed
Gentleman at Races
Tim Barker
Vicar
Mark Ryan
Ben Thorpe, Manchester & Salford Yeomanry
Mark Sheals
Thomas Sheldermine, Manchester & Salford Yeomanry
Paul Greenwood
Manchester & Salford Yeomanry
Malcolm Ridley
Manchester & Salford Yeomanry
Michael Cahill
Manchester & Salford Yeomanry
Alex McNally
Manchester & Salford Yeomanry
Jonathan Oliver
Manchester & Salford Yeomanry
Jimmy Fairhurst
Manchester & Salford Yeomanry
Paul Kynman
Manchester & Salford Yeomanry
Nick Moss
Manchester & Salford Yeomanry
Dan Poole
Captain William J Ford, 15th Hussars
Tristram Davies
Captain William DePasse 15th Hussars
Charlie Tighe
Captain Phillip Woodhouse, 15th Hussars
Michael Chadwick
Trooper John Millfield, 15th Hussars
Oliver Devoti
Soldier, 15th Hussars
Ian Davies
Rob Hullock, Soldier 31st Foot Regiment
Lee Bainbridge
Soldier, 31st Foot Regiment
Dan Bottomley
Joshua Harrison, a Musician
Liam Gerrard
Jacob Flather, a Musician
Scott Haining
Joseph Cliffs, a Musician
Ian Conningham
Musician
James Dangerfield
Musician
Thomas Dyer-Blake
Musician
William Fox
Musician
Richard Glaves
Musician
David Heywood
Musician
Andrew Jarvis
Musician
Gary Mitchinson
Musician
Simon Nock
Musician
Jack Quarton
Musician
Andrew Roberts-Palmer
Musician
Steve Rollins
Musician
Hamish Rush
Musician
Gareth Williams
Musician
Dan Willis
Musician
Oliver Ashworth
Samuel Cleator (uncredited)
Tony Mooney
Swordsmith (uncredited)
Christopher McMullen
Footman to the Duke of Wellington (uncredited)
Teresa Mahoney
Female Reformer (uncredited)
Mary West
Female Reformer (uncredited)
Jessie Vinning
Female Reformer (uncredited)
Eloise Henwood
Mill Child (uncredited)
Jason Lines
Constable (uncredited)
Rachel Davies
Pie Buyer
Robert Ryan
Citizen #2
Director, Writer
Mike Leigh
April 5, 2020
8
Fine historical film, though it has less emotional depth than other Mike Leigh movies. That makes sense, for his movies have never been described as an epic before.
I often state when I write reviews that I am patient than many viewers when it comes to slower paced movies. Also, since I write novels in my spare time and feature plenty of dialogue, I don't mind a lot of talking in movies either. I think this movie lacked some of the emotional impact of other Mike Leigh films, perhaps due its scope. You know how it is; people can shrug off a disaster elsewhere in the world when it kills 500 people, but if they hear a personal story well told about a single victim, the tears may fall.
There are a lot of people in this movie. There were so many extras that I half expected to see myself in one of the crowd scenes. With so many different main characters and perspectives, I didn't find myself forming a connection with any of them. But I liked the film just fine, and I never would have sat through a documentary on the subject.