Film Review – ‘The Iron Lady’ - Delicate but not Definitive !

It’s a strange coincidence. Last week, I grabbed John Campbell’s acclaimed biography on ‘Margaret Thatcher: The Grocer's Daughter’ and the same week, Producer - Damian Jones much awaited ‘The Iron Lady’ was released in India.

After reading the initial chapters, that succinctly creates a wonderful image of Britain and Margaret’s early life, I was little reluctant to watch the movie so as to avoid from getting prejudiced or influenced by the scenes in the film. But it’s difficult to stay away from movies that feature the versatile Meryl Streep, isn’t it?

There is no surprise why the beautiful and amazingly talented Meryl Streep gets nominated for various awards including Oscar’s. Just watch her spectacular performances in some of her movies, ‘Out of Africa’,’ Krammer vs. Krammer’, ‘Sophie’s Choice’, ‘Julia & Julia’, ‘The Bridges of Madison County’, ‘Mamma Mia’, ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ and now ‘The Iron Lady’.

Meryl Streep once quoted, “Acting is not about being someone different. It's finding the similarity in what is apparently different, then finding myself in there”.
Streep brilliantly uses Stanislavsky’s method and with her gesture, sound, tone, mannerism, movement, physical and emotional reactions convey meaning beyond the lines; thereby bringing life into the various characters, as well as her own interpretive contribution to the intricacies and the story. No wonder, her performances are memorable.

‘The Iron Lady’ is no different - it is more about Meryl and yet a delicate film. The film however fails to delve entirely into Margaret’s life and thankfully allows me to gingerly turn the pages of Campbell’s book.

Come to think of, it’s not just her wonderful hats, but there is indeed something magnetic, alluring and yet enigmatic about Baroness Margaret Thatcher. For a generation that grew up in 70’s- 80’s, regardless of whichever country you were growing up, it was almost impossible to come across news that didn’t feature these three magnificent women - Indira Gandhi, Golda Meir and Margaret Thatcher.

For many, these leaders were controversial, reviled and loved. Indira Gandhi was the Prime Minister of India; Golda Meir was a teacher, who later became the Prime Minister of Israel and Margaret Thatcher, a chemist, and a barrister, who later became the longest-serving British Prime Minister of the 20th century.

Strangely, there is a something common between these three ladies. These intelligent and powerful ladies were all described at various times as the “only man” in their respective cabinets. Each one of them has left a legacy, made a significant impact and revolutionised the world in many ways. Indira was born to India’s first Prime Minister Pandit Nehru, while both Golda Meir and Margaret Thatcher assisted their parents in their grocery shop thereby gaining good understanding of business and economics.

These women were strong willed, autocratic, fought terrorism, triumphed in war, and redefined the politics of their respective countries. Golda avenged the massacre of Munich Olympics; Indira battled terrorism in Punjab and Kashmir, while Margaret bravely countered the bomb attacks of IRA. Golda won the Yom Kippur War, Indira won the War against Pakistan, helping Bangladesh to separate and Thatcher won back the Falklands from Argentina. While Margaret and Indira studied at Oxford, Indira and Golda Meir were instrumental in making their country developed nuclear capabilities.

Its difficult to rate who is the better leader amongst them since they also committed huge blunders when they were in power. Indira acquired a formidable international reputation as a ‘statesman’ but her lust for power drove the infamous imposition of the internal emergency, the frequent use of the army to resolve internal disputes, and blatantly encouraged - culture of corruption, sycophancy and nepotism. While Golda was superior, Margaret was equally more dynamic and bold.

Although these three women were aptly supported by able men within their cabinet and party, these ladies deserve all adulation and respect for their struggles, courage, resilience and for leading from the front.

There is one scene in ‘The Iron Lady’ that tersely reflects Margaret’s relationship with her parents. When she gets admission at Oxford, her father is overjoyed but her mother doesn’t seems happy at all. Instead of reading the letter, Margaret’s mother smiles and categorically states that her hands are damp. Typically a mother would have rushed wiping her hands, even to her dress and would have affectionately hugged her daughter.

The instant disappointment on young Margaret’s face is poignantly captured by the camera. Apparently, Margaret didn’t share a great relationship with her mother and neither have we read about Kamla Nehru’s relationship with Indira. Both Margaret and Indira were strongly influenced by their father’s. The various letters written by Nehru to Indira which have been converted into epic volume, ‘Glimpses of World History’ and ‘Discovery of India’, also conveys this affection. Interestingly Charlie Chaplin in his autobiography also mentions about Nehru’s fondness and care for his daughter during a chance meeting with Indira in Europe. The camera captures the profound influence of Margaret’s father and clearly mirrors her inheritance of Methodist Church beliefs, conservative ideologies and political upbringing.

Director Phyllida Lloyd presents Margaret Thatcher (Meryl Streep) as an elderly, eavesdropping, lonely widow, suffering from dementia who is kept under virtual house-arrest. Her dead husband Denis (Jim Broadbent) like a friendly Casper keeps appearing whenever she is alone. Margaret is attended to by her daughter, Carol (Olivia Colman) and few secretaries who maintain a light schedule of appearances and photo-ops.

You can barely recognise Meryl Streep and credit must be given to J Roy Helland and Mark Coulier for their fantastic makeup. Streep’s sanguine intonation and demeanour presents a very authoritative, intelligent and surrealistic portrait of Margaret. She stunningly brings to life, Thatcher’s patriotism, ambition, haughtiness including her Victorian values and simplicity.

The narrative in the film moves between the present and past. Her memories introduce us to young Margaret (Alexandra Roach) who bravely runs from the barracks to cover the butter against the backdrop of German bombarding during World War 2. She romances with bespectacled young Denis (Harry Lloyd), who eagerly feeds and fox-trot with her, whenever the background music plays, ‘Shall we Dance’.

Thomas Newman’s music strikingly highlights the various emotions. Justine Wright’s editing showcases few glimpses of Margaret’s political life - her early election, her mannerism in cabinet meetings, her speeches and rebuttals in the House of Commons, her dogged determination to fight the Unions, her victory over Falkland and her purported role in ending the cold war. Abi Morgan’s screenplay and Elliot Davis cinematography meticulously relive some of the actual events. The dialogues in the film are thought provoking and subtly convey some essence of ‘Thatcherism’.

The camera zooms and focuses on Margaret’s wrinkled face, her autograph and helps accentuate the narrative. The beautiful blue dress, hats, pearls, studs and brooch looks elegant, impeccable and endearing albeit the real Margaret wore the brooch on left lapel. The camera moves inside the House of Common. It beautifully captures Streep’s speeches and rebuttal from a low angle thereby making Margaret look intellectually, politically and physically taller in a place that was regarded as bastion of male dominance.

Unlike Phyllida Lloyd’s earlier multi-starrer film ‘Mamma Mia’, ‘The Iron Lady’ is more subdued, slow and yet incredibly touching. With a shallow and incoherent script, the film doesn’t come across as a master piece but it is indeed watchable at least for those who have never heard or read about Rt. Hon. Margaret Thatcher.
Well, it is ridiculous to expect a detailed biography of a lady who governed for more than a decade in a short film. Perhaps one needs a series of documentaries, replete with archived films, interviews and press coverage to understand Margaret and her accomplishments in totality.

Until then do watch ‘The Iron Lady’ for Meryl Streep whose spectacular performance remarkably elevates this film.

Tailpiece - Although the film tried, but this quote from the Time Magazine perspicaciously describes the magic of Margaret Thatcher - “She was the catalyst who set in motion a series of interconnected events that gave a revolutionary twist to the century's last two decades and helped mankind end the millennium on a note of hope and confidence. The triumph of capitalism, the almost universal acceptance of the market as indispensable to prosperity, the collapse of Soviet imperialism, the downsizing of the state on nearly every continent and in almost every country in the world--Margaret Thatcher played a part in all those transformations, and it is not easy to see how any would have occurred without her.”