The Iron Lady (Phyllida Lloyd, 2011): UK/France

Reviewed by Kathleen Amboy.  Viewed at Paseo Nuevo, Santa Barbara, CA.

  Born a shopkeeper’s daughter with an education from Oxford University, Margaret Thatcher started out as a chemist, became a barrister, joined Parliament in 1959, and ultimately became the first female Prime Minister of Great Britain in 1979.  Recognized as a strong leader, and taking a tenacious stance against communism, she earned the title The Iron Lady.

Struggling with age and memory, Margaret Thatcher (Meryl Streep) continually holds imaginary conversations in her head, with her deceased husband Denis (Jim Broadbent).  Recalling the past with lucid long term memory, but struggling to hold on to her haphazard short term memory, a fight to overcome grief and pack up her husband’s belongings, is reflected as just one more challenge in her life to overcome.

Heavily influenced by her father’s convictions, Thatcher is a politically active young woman when she marries Denis, who agrees to support her pursuits.  Balancing her political life and family demands, becomes increasingly difficult, as home takes a backseat to Parliament.  Once in, she fights for respect amongst the stuffed shirt males, due to her common though educated background.

An intelligent and no nonsense PM, she is soon reviled by the unions and resented by Cabinet members, as well as her husband and children, but the tide begins to turn in her favor after the victory of the Falklands War.

Told through a series of brief, continual flashbacks and jumpcuts, The Iron Lady peruses the life of Thatcher, but skims important events with a disappointing lackluster, which heavily undermines her achievement to the seat of Prime Minister, as Britain’s first female.  The focus is set entirely on Thatcher’s dementia, and wearily relies on the imaginary banter with Denis, yet glosses over other relationships, including her friendship with President Reagan.

Only recently have I become a fan of Streep, beginning in 2004 with The Manchurian Candidate, due in part to her revision in choices, withvaried, more compelling roles, but more so for her newly expansive confidence.  Streep’s luminous portrayal of Thatcher is her best to date, with an extraordinary transformation which makes us forget it’s Streep.

 

 

 

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Published:
01.16.12 / 9pm
Category:
Films