42 replies to this topic

[cubanmiamiboy]

Has anybody seen La Streep as La Tatcher...? It could be the fact that I love them both for which I found the film, without being a super biopic, just great only because of Meryl's mere presence. As a kid in Cuba I always remember how the government couldn't stand the Tatcher-Reagan duo. We in our family, on the other side and silently, gave them all our sympathy. Go Tatcher, go Streep, gooooo!

I smell Oscar on the air...

[Jayne]

The film is getting about 2 1/2 stars from reviewers. But I think I'll go see it anyway. I spent a lot of time in Argentina in 2010, and Las Islas Malvinas were a hot topic for President Cristina Kirchner. Ironic that she reminds me a bit of The Iron Lady (except for the Peronism, of course).

[dirac]

Your family was sadly misinformed, Cristian. One understands how and why the false impressions were formed, of course.

I certainly plan to see it, but then like Cristian I'm a Streep fan. I understand the movie avoided some of the political shoals by concentrating on Thatcher in her troubled dotage, not a bad idea. I wasn't terribly impressed with Lloyd's direction of "Mamma Mia!" but it was her maiden effort and perhaps she's learning.

[Mashinka]

Here in the UK it's the most popular film, currently No 1 in the chart, but it is mostly young people that are packing out the cinemas, Those of us that lived through the Thatcher years want to forget them.

[cubanmiamiboy]

Your family was sadly misinformed, Cristian. One understands how and why the false impressions were formed, of course.

Oh, on the contrary. The government always tried to document and make available every single bit of Tatcher's moves and political posture, believe me. Taking sides on that matters definitely implied accepting her points of view. Just as with my rigid/non tolerant theater behavior philosophy, taking Tatcher's side-(as well as Reagan's)-was just a matter of the "If you're not with me you're against me" mantra. Never been a fan of the gray area.

[dirac]

Here in the UK it's the most popular film, currently No 1 in the chart, but it is mostly young people that are packing out the cinemas, Those of us that lived through the Thatcher years want to forget them.

It's been playing in the large cities but just extended to more theaters this week. In my area it's playing in one of the art houses.

[dirac]

The movie doesn’t really work, although one acknowledges the damned-if-you-do-damned-if-you-don’t aspects of the enterprise. The flashbacks might have been constructed with more clarity and the historical timeline is flouted regularly. Thatcher is celebrated as a Woman Who Made a Difference but the enduring ramifications of the Difference go carefully unexplored. She is also presented as a feminist role model, if not a particularly inspirational one from some viewpoints. ("Girls! You too can humiliate cabinet members, throw millions into unemployment, and send old age pensioners to hospital with hypothermia! ")The Falklands War is the only historic incident treated in any real detail.

The sequences that show Thatcher being groomed for the leadership are effective. I particularly liked the scene where Thatcher lectures her doctor for substituting the squishy "feel" for "think." Streep is terrific, even by her standards – a moving performance. The supporting cast is also excellent, although Jim Broadbent is not well served by the way in which the shade of Denis keeps popping up at odd times. I enjoyed Harry Lloyd and Alexandra Roach as the young couple, Richard E. Grant is a slinky Michael Heseltine, and Anthony Head, demoted from Prime Minister to put-upon deputy, is fine as Geoffrey Howe.

[Colleen Boresta]

I saw The Iron Lady last week. Like those who have already posted about the movie, I think the best feature of it is Meryl Streep's incredible performance. I didn't like the way the movie kept jumping back and forth in time. I think it would have been better is Iron Lady had just concentrated on the years Thatcher was being groomed for the leadership of the Conservative party and then her years as Prime Minister. I thought Streep was particularly amazing as the elderly Thatcher, but it made me feel very sad. Also, does anyone know if Thatcher is really in such bad shape mentally (seeing and talking to her husband, Denis, eight years after his death for example). Is the screenplay just taking a lot of liberties with the life of the elderly Thatcher?

[Colleen Boresta]

I also want to add that I find Thatcher fascinating, but not at all admireable. As has already been mentioned, she did not care about the common people at all. Look what she did to the coal miners (captured very well in the movie and musical Billy Elliot). And how many British subjects were living in the Falklands when Thatcher's gov't went to war over it. And comparing the Falklands to the Japanese invasion of Pearl Harbor when she was meeting with Secretary of State, Alexander Haig. Did Haig really say nothing when Thatcher brought up that ridiculous analogy? Did that meeting really happen. I should do some online research and try to find out.

[dirac]

Also, does anyone know if Thatcher is really in such bad shape mentally (seeing and talking to her husband, Denis, eight years after his death for example). Is the screenplay just taking a lot of liberties with the life of the elderly Thatcher?

She probably is, Colleen - an Alzheimer's diagnosis speaks for itself, really. Thatcher's daughter has spoken out on her mother's illness and she did say that Thatcher often didn't remember her husband was dead. No doubt the scenes of Thatcher in decline are mostly imagined, but it doesn't mean the filmmakers are trying to show her in a poor light thereby - on the contrary. (When the senile Thatcher sees television footage of a terrorist attack, she imagines she is still PM and her immediate response is that condolences must be sent.)

[dirac]

And comparing the Falklands to the Japanese invasion of Pearl Harbor when she was meeting with Secretary of State, Alexander Haig. Did Haig really say nothing when Thatcher brought up that ridiculous analogy? Did that meeting really happen. I should do some online research and try to find out.

I was curious about that too, and I wasn't sure how we were meant to take the scene. I think it was intended to show Thatcher courageously telling off those bossy Americans, but it just comes off as strange.

[Colleen Boresta]

Dirac, thank you so much for the information on Margaret Thatcher's alzheimers. Whether you loved her or hated her, it's so sad when such a vital person succumbs to something as terrible as alzheimers. I tried looking online for some info about her meeting with Alexander Haig during the Falklands crisis. One source said that Thatcher showed him statues of Churchill and other British war leaders and talked about following in their path. I couldn't find anything about Thatcher comparing the Falklands crisis to the Japanese attack on Pear Habor during her meeting with Haig.

[dirac]

If the anecdote is out there, Colleen, it's probably in a book - a memoir or a bio.

Absolutely true about the devastation of Alzheimer's.

[atm711]

I will probably get around to seeing it when Netflix finally has it.....I suspect that I will feel about this film the same way I felt about 'J Edgar'...halfway through that film I was bored and weary with the character (and I cannot understand why DiCaprio is up for an award...his performance was so 'johnny-one-note'.)

[dirac]

Hello, atm711. I wouldn't call "The Iron Lady" must-see but I can testify that it's much less painful to sit through than "J. Edgar."