The Iron Lady is a 2011 British biographical film based on the life of Margaret Thatcher, the longest serving Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of the 20th century. The film was directed by Phyllida Lloyd. Thatcher is portrayed primarily by Meryl Streep, but also, in her formative and early political years, by Alexandra Roach. Thatcher's husband, Denis Thatcher, is portrayed by Jim Broadbent, and Thatcher's longest-serving cabinet member and eventual deputy, Geoffrey Howe, is portrayed by Anthony Head.
The film met with mixed reviews, although Meryl Streep's performance was widely acclaimed, earning Best Actress awards at the Golden Globes, the BAFTAs and the Academy Awards.
The film has an interesting plot. The film begins circa 2008 (opening against the backdrop of news of the Islamabad Marriott Hotel bombing) with an elderly Lady Thatcher buying milk unrecognized by other customers and walking back from the shop alone. Over the course of three days we see her struggle with dementia and with the lack of power that comes with old age, whilst looking back on defining moments of her personal and professional life, on which she reminisces with her (dead) husband, Denis. She is shown as having difficulty distinguishing between the past and present. A theme throughout the film is the personal price which Thatcher has paid for power. Denis is portrayed as somewhat ambivalent about his wife's rise to power, her son Mark lives in South Africa in the present day and is shown as having little contact with his mother, whilst it is suggested that Thatcher had a strained relationship both with her own mother and with her daughter Carol.
In flashback we are shown Thatcher's youth working in her father's grocery store in Grantham, listening to his political speeches as Alderman and announcing that she has won a place at Oxford University. Her struggle as a lower middle-class young woman trying to break into the male-dominated Tory party and find a seat in the House of Commons is then depicted, along with businessman Denis Thatcher's marriage proposal to her. Her struggle to fit in as a "Lady Member" of the House, and of Edward Heath's cabinet are also shown, as is her friendship with Airey Neave (later assassinated by the Irish National Liberation Army), her decision to stand for Leader of the Conservative Party, and her voice coaching and image change.
Further flashbacks examine historical events during her time as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom including the rising unemployment due to her monetarist policies and the tight 1981 budget (over the misgivings of "wet" members of her Cabinet – Ian Gilmour, Francis Pym, Michael Heseltine and Jim Prior), the Brixton Riots of 1981, the miners' strike of 1984–5, and the bombing of the Grand Hotel during the 1984 Conservative Party Conference, at which she and Denis were almost killed. We also see (slightly out of chronological sequence) her decision to retake the Falkland Islands following their invasion in 1982, the sinking of the ARA General Belgrano and subsequent victory in the Falklands War, her friendship with Ronald Reagan and emergence as a world figure, and the economic boom of the late 1980s.
By 1990 Thatcher is shown as an imperious but aging figure, ranting aggressively at her Cabinet, refusing to accept that the Community Charge (the "Poll Tax") is regarded as unjust, and fiercely opposed to European Integration. Her deputy Geoffrey Howe resigns after being humiliated by her in a Cabinet meeting, Michael Heseltine challenges her for the party leadership and her Cabinet colleagues force her resignation as Prime Minister, about which she is still angry and bitter twenty years later.
Eventually, Margaret is shown finally packing up her late husband's belongings, and telling him it's his time to go. Denis finally leaves her (without his shoes), and having dealt with her grief properly, she is left alone washing up a teacup in her kitchen – something she had promised Denis she would never do.
The film has Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher, Jim Broadbent as Denis Thatcher, Alexandra Roach as young Margaret Thatcher, Harry Lloyd as young Denis Thatcher, Iain Glen as Alfred Roberts, Olivia Colman as Carol Thatcher, Anthony Head as Geoffrey Howe, Nicholas Farrell as Airey Neave, Richard E. Grant as Michael Heseltine, Paul Bentley as Douglas Hurd, Robin Kermode as John Major, John Sessions as Edward Heath, Roger Allam as Gordon Reece, Michael Pennington as Michael Foot, Angus Wright as John Nott, Julian Wadham as Francis Pym, Ronald Reagan as himself (archive footage) and Reginald Green as Ronald Reagan.
Filming began in the UK on 31 December 2010, and the film was released in late 2011.
In preparation for her role, Streep sat through a session at the House of Commons in January 2011 to observe British MPs in action. Extensive filming took place at the neogothic Manchester Town Hall, which is often used as a location double for films which feature the Houses of Parliament because of its architectural similarity.
Meryl Streep has said: "The prospect of exploring the swathe cut through history by this remarkable woman is a daunting and exciting challenge. I am trying to approach the role with as much zeal, fervour and attention to detail as the real Lady Thatcher possesses – I can only hope my stamina will begin to approach her own."
The film's depiction of Thatcher has been criticised by her children, Mark and Carol Thatcher, who are reported to have said, "It sounds like some left-wing fantasy." Karen Sue Smith of America Magazine has cautioned that it is not historically accurate. Stuart Jeffries of the British newspaper The Guardian was cautiously optimistic about a non-British actor playing Thatcher, but expressed concern that its "narrative trajectory" could overlook "rage about what Thatcher, economy destroyer and warmonger, was doing to Britain" in favour of an "exclusive focus on Thatcher as a woman triumphing against the odds."
Early reviews have praised Streep's portrayal. The Times Kevin Maher said: "Streep has found the woman within the caricature." David Gritten at The Telegraph commented; "Awards should be coming Streep's way; yet her brilliance rather overshadows the film itself." Xan Brooks of The Guardian said Streep's performance "is astonishing and all but flawless". Critic Baz Bamigboye of the Daily Mail wrote: "Only an actress of Streep's stature could possibly capture Thatcher's essence and bring it to the screen. It's a performance of towering proportions that sets a new benchmark for acting." Richard Corliss of Time named Meryl Streep's performance one of the Top 10 Movie Performances of 2011.
Film review blog Movie Metropolis praised Streep's performance but criticised the lack of depth given to the rest of the story, which seemed to only focus on the glory days of Thatcher's reign.
For her performance, Streep won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture Drama, the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role, and the Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role. The film also won the Academy Award for Best Makeup.
So do watch the film The Iron Lady when it gets released on 2 March 2012.
The film met with mixed reviews, although Meryl Streep's performance was widely acclaimed, earning Best Actress awards at the Golden Globes, the BAFTAs and the Academy Awards.
The film has an interesting plot. The film begins circa 2008 (opening against the backdrop of news of the Islamabad Marriott Hotel bombing) with an elderly Lady Thatcher buying milk unrecognized by other customers and walking back from the shop alone. Over the course of three days we see her struggle with dementia and with the lack of power that comes with old age, whilst looking back on defining moments of her personal and professional life, on which she reminisces with her (dead) husband, Denis. She is shown as having difficulty distinguishing between the past and present. A theme throughout the film is the personal price which Thatcher has paid for power. Denis is portrayed as somewhat ambivalent about his wife's rise to power, her son Mark lives in South Africa in the present day and is shown as having little contact with his mother, whilst it is suggested that Thatcher had a strained relationship both with her own mother and with her daughter Carol.
In flashback we are shown Thatcher's youth working in her father's grocery store in Grantham, listening to his political speeches as Alderman and announcing that she has won a place at Oxford University. Her struggle as a lower middle-class young woman trying to break into the male-dominated Tory party and find a seat in the House of Commons is then depicted, along with businessman Denis Thatcher's marriage proposal to her. Her struggle to fit in as a "Lady Member" of the House, and of Edward Heath's cabinet are also shown, as is her friendship with Airey Neave (later assassinated by the Irish National Liberation Army), her decision to stand for Leader of the Conservative Party, and her voice coaching and image change.
Further flashbacks examine historical events during her time as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom including the rising unemployment due to her monetarist policies and the tight 1981 budget (over the misgivings of "wet" members of her Cabinet – Ian Gilmour, Francis Pym, Michael Heseltine and Jim Prior), the Brixton Riots of 1981, the miners' strike of 1984–5, and the bombing of the Grand Hotel during the 1984 Conservative Party Conference, at which she and Denis were almost killed. We also see (slightly out of chronological sequence) her decision to retake the Falkland Islands following their invasion in 1982, the sinking of the ARA General Belgrano and subsequent victory in the Falklands War, her friendship with Ronald Reagan and emergence as a world figure, and the economic boom of the late 1980s.
By 1990 Thatcher is shown as an imperious but aging figure, ranting aggressively at her Cabinet, refusing to accept that the Community Charge (the "Poll Tax") is regarded as unjust, and fiercely opposed to European Integration. Her deputy Geoffrey Howe resigns after being humiliated by her in a Cabinet meeting, Michael Heseltine challenges her for the party leadership and her Cabinet colleagues force her resignation as Prime Minister, about which she is still angry and bitter twenty years later.
Eventually, Margaret is shown finally packing up her late husband's belongings, and telling him it's his time to go. Denis finally leaves her (without his shoes), and having dealt with her grief properly, she is left alone washing up a teacup in her kitchen – something she had promised Denis she would never do.
The film has Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher, Jim Broadbent as Denis Thatcher, Alexandra Roach as young Margaret Thatcher, Harry Lloyd as young Denis Thatcher, Iain Glen as Alfred Roberts, Olivia Colman as Carol Thatcher, Anthony Head as Geoffrey Howe, Nicholas Farrell as Airey Neave, Richard E. Grant as Michael Heseltine, Paul Bentley as Douglas Hurd, Robin Kermode as John Major, John Sessions as Edward Heath, Roger Allam as Gordon Reece, Michael Pennington as Michael Foot, Angus Wright as John Nott, Julian Wadham as Francis Pym, Ronald Reagan as himself (archive footage) and Reginald Green as Ronald Reagan.
Filming began in the UK on 31 December 2010, and the film was released in late 2011.
In preparation for her role, Streep sat through a session at the House of Commons in January 2011 to observe British MPs in action. Extensive filming took place at the neogothic Manchester Town Hall, which is often used as a location double for films which feature the Houses of Parliament because of its architectural similarity.
Meryl Streep has said: "The prospect of exploring the swathe cut through history by this remarkable woman is a daunting and exciting challenge. I am trying to approach the role with as much zeal, fervour and attention to detail as the real Lady Thatcher possesses – I can only hope my stamina will begin to approach her own."
The film's depiction of Thatcher has been criticised by her children, Mark and Carol Thatcher, who are reported to have said, "It sounds like some left-wing fantasy." Karen Sue Smith of America Magazine has cautioned that it is not historically accurate. Stuart Jeffries of the British newspaper The Guardian was cautiously optimistic about a non-British actor playing Thatcher, but expressed concern that its "narrative trajectory" could overlook "rage about what Thatcher, economy destroyer and warmonger, was doing to Britain" in favour of an "exclusive focus on Thatcher as a woman triumphing against the odds."
Early reviews have praised Streep's portrayal. The Times Kevin Maher said: "Streep has found the woman within the caricature." David Gritten at The Telegraph commented; "Awards should be coming Streep's way; yet her brilliance rather overshadows the film itself." Xan Brooks of The Guardian said Streep's performance "is astonishing and all but flawless". Critic Baz Bamigboye of the Daily Mail wrote: "Only an actress of Streep's stature could possibly capture Thatcher's essence and bring it to the screen. It's a performance of towering proportions that sets a new benchmark for acting." Richard Corliss of Time named Meryl Streep's performance one of the Top 10 Movie Performances of 2011.
Film review blog Movie Metropolis praised Streep's performance but criticised the lack of depth given to the rest of the story, which seemed to only focus on the glory days of Thatcher's reign.
For her performance, Streep won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture Drama, the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role, and the Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role. The film also won the Academy Award for Best Makeup.
So do watch the film The Iron Lady when it gets released on 2 March 2012.
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