The Iron Lady

Seeing how it was another cold, albeit sunny day in Potsdam, Mindy and I decided to devote our afternoon to a matinee of The Iron Lady, more or less a biopic of Lady Margaret Thatcher.

I don't know how Meryl Streep keeps landing such perfect roles. Throughout the film, I had to keep pinching myself to assure myself that this was a movie, and not the living visage of Mrs. Thatcher.

I was and remain NO fan of Margaret Thatcher, or for that matter, goofy Ronald Reagan. Yet I would say, unequivocally, that Meryl Streep's adaptation of the Prime Minister's role indeed makes her more than just a casual candidate for the next Oscar for Best Actress, even though she's already probably won at least 20 of them. Meryl Streep is one or our greatest actresses. And in The Iron Lady, she is once again superb. This is a "must see" film for Meryl Streep aficionados.

The juxtaposition of a frail, partially-demented former leader is a perfect window into the career of Britain's first and only female Prime Minister. The theatrical device of using her memories of tenure in office are only exceeded by remarkable make-up changes, and her conflicting and amazingly human mental torture initiated by husband Dennis, and played extraordinarily by Jim Broadbent. This is an acting tour de force by both actors.

As for the movie, I found it disturbing. It verges on paying homage to the Conservative Movement, which grew in the UK by leaps and bounds during the 1980's. Certainly, it is not a neutral film. Thatcher's sincerity, however, and her core beliefs are never questioned -- from the Falkland Islands tot the mining strikes. Meryl Streep plays Mrs. Thatcher in detailed, authentic fashion, with all the drive and sincerity that defined her and offended so many. This Margaret Thatcher is no phony-baloney politician. One senses her drive and convictions from the very beginning, and she never waivers; she only becomes increasingly self-assured and driven. And in that transition, she never, ever becomes more insightful. Again, how sad!

We are left with a Prime Minister who is very nearly heroic; but whose human flaws ultimately leave her rejected and isolated by the country she so valiantly attempted to serve. It is all discouraging. Her descent into dementia (a wonderful device) only serves to accentuate her demise. One is left, not with a sense of anger over political differences, but with a better understanding of her retreat into the dark realms of a lost soul.  And what happened to the Monarchy in this film? It was NEVER even mentioned. So, how did HM Elizabeth II and Mrs. Thatcher get along?

All  said, it is a wonderful movie; not for its subject-matter, but for its acting. Bravo Meryl Streep and Jim Broadbent.

I would highly recommend The Iron Lady to everyone of every political persuasion. One doesn't have to agree to understand an individual's motivations. In that regard, bravo Mrs. Thatcher. Remember, however, that this is all about art, not reality.

Carry on,

Paul in Potsdam
http://www2.potsdam.edu/loucksap
http://loucksap.smugmug.com
http://madstop68.blogspot.com