Made in Dagenhem (2011)

This is a movie about equal pay for equal work, British style (which apparently went a lot better than a simialr movement in this country. The recent death of Betty Ford, who campaigned for the failed Equal Rights Amendment in the early 1970's reminds me that all is not well in that area for American women) It stars Sally Hawkins (in a role almost unrecognizable from the one she played in 'Happy-Go-Lucky') as Rita, confident and forthright as the ordinary working mum who finds herself elevated to the position of striker-spokeswoman. She is battling not only the bosses but the old boys club in general: both employers and trade unionists who want to preserve their upscale lifestyle at the expense of their constituents are agreeing to a duplicitous compromise behind her back.
The original title for the film was We Want Sex, based on a real, chaotic mishap at the strikers' Westminster demo, when the right-hand half of their banner reading "We Want Sexual Equality" collapsed, leading to much cheerfully supportive drive-by hooting and wolf-whistling, in which this movie participates. The film itself is also a bit sexed up. Much of the grimness and bitterness that you might associate with industrial action is largely gone, and some of the women themselves are surely more glamorous than was the case in real life.
But there's something else going on here. In its jaunty and insouciant way, this is actually pretty subversive: this is a film about strikers who are not evil, or deluded, just going after what is rightfully theirs. Made in Dagenham goes against the 'we are miserable' grain. The striking women achieve inspirational self-respect and they win their strike as well. These women are shown teaming up, and fighting effectively for a principle. The film's cheerful demeanour might grate, but it might be not far from the mood that the striking women thought it expedient to adopt at the time. Maybe feeling good isn't that inappropriate.