LinhThe Iron Lady; biopic, drama film review
January 10th 2012 12:06
LEADING LADY: Margaret Thatcher (Meryl Streep) prepares for her victory speech in the film The Iron Lady. Image: Pathé Films.
Margaret’s Memories by Linh
The film The Iron Lady is overall an average film and is saved by the brilliant performances of its lead actors Meryl Streep, Jim Broadbent and newcomer Alexandra Roach. Critics have called it the next King’s Speech, but by no means is this film anywhere close to the warmth, poignancy and inspiration of last year’s Academy Award winner for Best Film. The Iron Lady is a non-linear biopic seen through the eyes of an older Margaret Thatcher whose memories provide the narrative thread of critical points in her personal and political life. These moments in her life are some of her most infamous and memorable, yet these events (Falklands War, anti-trade unionism, privatisation etc.) are seen in extended flashbacks and have little explanation and lacks connection to her present state.
CONSERVATIVE COUPLE: Denis Thatcher (Jim Broadbent) and Margaret Thatcher (Meryl Streep) celebrate Mrs. Thatcher being Britain's first female Prime Minister in the film The Iron Lady. Image: Pathé Films.
The role of Margaret Thatcher is unashamedly Oscar-bait for Meryl Streep, who once again rises to the challenge of convincing mimicry and imitation with her usual excellence in performance and screen presence. Despite Streep’s remarkable resemblance to Mrs. Thatcher, with the help of movie makeup, it is a major fault to use dementia as a means to humanise the former British Prime Minister in order to draw sympathy from viewers. No matter how frail or to what extent she is plagued by mental illness, Mrs. Thatcher will always be seen as a monstrous and fierce political force for refusing to compromise, negotiate or bow to those who disagreed or challenged her views. This unwavering stance has gained Mrs. Thatcher praise as well as criticism that led to division in her party and disunity among her party members and colleagues. During her leadership, women were divided, with those supporting her for being a woman who penetrated the male dominated realm of politics or she was reviled by other women who saw Mrs. Thatcher as more monstrous than humane in dealing with social issues.
PARLIAMENTARY POWER: Margaret Thatcher (Meryl Streep) shows no compromise during parliamentary debates in the film The Iron Lady. Image: Pathé Films.
The film opens with an older Margaret Thatcher (Meryl Streep) twaddling along to the shop to buy milk. She is quietly displeased at what she believes is the high price of milk and complains about it to her husband when she arrives home. Mrs. Thatcher is suffering from symptoms of dementia and she sees her husband Denis (Jim Broadbent) around the house, even though he has been dead for decades. She speaks to him when she is by herself and he responds with jovial quips and silliness. As Mrs. Thatcher tidies up her house, various items trigger memories of her past, bringing on flashbacks from her teenage years, her time before election into the Conservative Party and her glory days until the end of her political career.
Streep is superb as the middle-aged and older Mrs. Thatcher; Jim Broadbent does a sterling job as the ghost of Denis Thatcher; Alexandra Roach is excellent as the young Margaret Roberts and the supporting cast members, comprising of Richard E. Grant, Roger Allam, Anthony Head, Harry Lloyd and Olivia Colman, are commendable in their roles.
Dementia and other mental illnesses used to “soften up” Mrs. Thatcher is a questionable ploy to gain sympathy for a politician depicted as one who is now left feeling powerless and lonely. An impairment such as stammering or speech impediment was a sure-fire winning formula for The King’s Speech, but in this instance, mental deterioration is viewed as a blatant attempt for The Iron Lady to gain the sympathy vote from viewers and Academy Award voters. Although it is a wonderful idea to see the effects of dementia on the lives of individuals portrayed onscreen, the film The Iron Lady misuses it for its own purposes (such as for winning awards/sympathy votes). Using dementia in this manner is shameful, yet the producers and director Phyllida Lloyd must be admired for attempting to find a way to humanise Margaret Thatcher in the eyes of many Britons who lived under her regime of social unrest and political turmoil.
The Iron Lady is likely to be a potential nominee for Academy Awards in Best Leading Actress, Best Makeup and Best Costume Design.
The Iron Lady, Official Film Trailer (courtesy of Pathé Films):
Director: Phyllida Lloyd
Writer: Abi Morgan (screenplay)
Producers: Anita Overland, Colleen Woodcock, François Ivernel, Cameron McCracken, Tessa Ross, Adam Kulick Damian Jones
Cast: Meryl Streep, Jim Broadbent, Alexandra Roach, Harry Lloyd, Olivia Colman, Richard E. Grant, Anthony Head, Roger Allam, Nicholas Farrell, Susan Brown, Nick Dunning, Iain Glen, Michael Maloney, Pip Torrens, Angus Wright, Julian Wadham
Original Score: Thomas Newman
Cinematography/Director of Photography: Elliot Davis
Film Editor: Justine Wright
Production Designer: Simon Elliott
Costume Designer: Consolata Boyle
Hair and Makeup Designers: Marese Langan, J. Roy Helland, Mark Coulier
Running Time: 1 hour and 45 minutes
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Comment by Mountain Fog
Infognito
Screen Trek
QUOTE ME NO QUOTES!
cheers
fog
Comment by Linh
Celluloid Fun
Thank you for your comment.
My main gripe is the way dementia was used in "driving" the narrative, as the whole movie was seen through Margaret Thatcher's eyes and dependent on her memory. If dementia is to be used then at least use it to gain an understanding of the older Mrs. Thatcher's reflection on her current state contrasted with her days of power and glory. The film failed to do this and misused dementia as a means to gain sympathy votes and potential awards votes.
They could have made the film about the dementia and how it has made Mrs. Thatcher's memories less reliable and less credible; this would have made it a far better movie and insight into not only a more humane Thatcher but a fragile and vulnerable person worthy of sympathy.
I appreciate your thoughts on this film review.
Cheers!