'Dummy' (1977) – Franc Roddam.

Franc Roddam's gritty ATV drama about an unfortunate deaf mute girl Sandra's (Geraldine James) sordid descent into prostitution and degradation remains no less powerful, seen today, than upon its initial broadcast. Intimately shot in depressed working class districts of Bradford, Dummy isn't an easy watch, yet the magnificent cast, and Geraldine James's bravura performance rigorously bring this harrowing, profoundly moving biography to unsettlingly vivid life. Watching Dummy again frequently made me feel monumentally sad, yet it maintains a dark fascination throughout. There can be little doubt that what befell Sandra was nothing less than a tragedy, it's an extraordinary story dramatized in a compassionate, yet credibly unsentimental fashion. Dummy is an exemplary, hard-hitting kitchen sink drama that doesn't shy away from the many distressing events in Sandra's frequently brutal, heart wrenchingly loveless life. The exceedingly fine text, wholly uncontrived performances and Roddam's superb filmmaking are truly inspirational, and a credit to the industry.