Happy Birthday: Mike Leigh

Mike Leigh

Born: February 20, 1943 in Salford, Greater Manchester, England, UK

I’ve long since stopped worrying about how I’m portrayed in the press because ultimately it’s not that important. Everyone who knows me knows I do what I do with the greatest integrity.

I mean, I’ve been to screenings of the film where the laughter came at quite surprising – to me – points. But, you know, people laugh for a variety of reasons – with, or at, or out of embarrassment, or nervousness even. It’s not always a function of mirth.

If it’s the case that there are a lot of people who can’t or don’t see my films, I don’t really think that’s to do with me, or the nature of my films, or neglect of me. It’s to do with the continuing problem of the dissemination of British films on British screens. It’s to do with…