Devised and Directed by Mike Leigh

Renowned for making films that are at once sly domestic satires and heartbreaking 'social realist' dramas, British writer-director Mike Leigh confronts his viewers with an un-romanticized dramatization of modern-day society in the hopes of inspiring them to strive for greater self-awareness and compassion for others. This collection features new, interdisciplinary essays that cover all phases of the BAFTA-award-winner's film career, from his early made-for-television film work to his theatrical releases, including Life is Sweet (1990), Naked (1993), Secrets & Lies (1996), Career Girls (1997), Topsy-Turvy (1999), All or Nothing (2002), Vera Drake (2004), Happy-Go-Lucky (2008) and Another Year (2010).

With contributions from international scholars from a variety of fields, the essays in this collection cover individual films and the recurring themes and motifs in several films, such as representations of class and gender, and overt social commentary and political subtexts. Also covered are Leigh's visual stylizations and storytelling techniques ranging from explorations of the costume design to set design to the music and camerawork and editing; the collaborative process of 'devising and directing' a Mike Leigh film that involves character-building, world-construction, plotting, improvisations and script-writing; the process of funding and marketing for these seemingly 'uncommercial' projects, and a survey of Leigh's critical reception and the existing writing on his work.

“Including complete documentation of each essay and citation, sketches of the editors and authors, and a seven-page index, this is the best book on Leigh since Sean O'Sullivan's Mike Leigh (CH, Apr'12, 49-4358). Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readers.” —CHOICE

“The Devised and Directed by Mark Leigh is a must read for people seeking to understand the technicalities related in filmmaking. It will be very helpful to researchers, academicians, practitioners and lay readers to understand the art of story telling, film direction and studies.” —Cinema Journal

“The significance of Cardinale-Powell and DiPaolo’s editorial achievement and approach in Devised and Directed by Mike Leigh resides in the extent to which their agenda frequently mirrors the terms of Leigh’s cinematic equivalents. Like several great movies by that writer/director, this book manages to be both sympathetic and judicious in its collection and subsequent choreography of a potentially unworkable array of competing individual perspectives on a central subject. It extends existing critical debates around Leigh’s film and television career and opens up new avenues of inquiry. In so doing, it both justifies its own existence and also prepares the ground for further Mike Leigh scholarship yet to come.” –Jonathan Murray, Cineaste