"The Iron Lady" (2011)

Margaret Thatcher passed away.
For the last two decades she lived very quietly and most of us had no idea she was slowly sinking into old age dementia - no doubt, these are private family matters and there is no reason why should this be made into public media circus. Winston Churchill lived his last years sunken in similar circumstances (Alzheimer's disease) but no one thought about making a Hollywood drama about senile old ex prime minister not being able to walk. Apparently people from previous generations behaved differently and respected one's right for privacy - today, we are brainwashed with cheap magazines and "scandalous" TV programs so everything has to go out and be visible. I disagree.

Was "The Iron Lady" made too early? Perhaps in the next decade or so, people might came to change their opinion about UK's feared Prime Minister and time might bring public opinion back to her favor. On the other hand, this is the exactly right time to utilize mighty acting powers of one of the greatest actresses of our time, who is in complete command of her talent. If we wait too long, we might get only a lesser replacement. Just as nobody could replace Margaret Thatcher once she stepped down and resigned, I don't see anybody coming close to Meryl Streep who is the ultimate acting chameleon and for this movie completely inhabited the skin of woman whose speech, looks and pose were world known.

This filmed biography is the most successful when describing young Margaret still struggling in post WW2 Britain and finding her way into politics where every step of the way she was reminded of her humble origins AND the fact she was a woman. Both director Phyllida Lloyd and Streep herself are clearly awed with Thatcher but film is maddeningly unsure was she a good or bad person - she survives threats, bombs, angry crowds and slimy colleagues only to be more or less forcefully retired and too much of the movie is focused on Thatcher as senile old woman struggling with hallucinations and old age paranoia. It might be a excellent way to present every acting trick from Streep's sleeve but I find it distasteful. Its almost like patronizing slap in the face of the once most powerful woman on earth to show her as a senile and feeble. What I think it is, its that people have problem with woman in the power - yes, they are admitted into politics but they get double criticism for being "wrong sex". With exception of Queen Elizabeth II (who is ceremonial figure anyway) I can't think of any woman in politics who has universal appeal and respect - from Hillary Clinton down to my own local politicians, they are all vilified one way or the other, strangely this also comes from female population who apparently detest seeing other women doing all they never dared. Authors of cookbooks or children novels might go unpunished, but being in politics and powerful equals crime. Movie quickly glosses over political issues that real Thatcher had to deal with (her political success and decisions are shown in basically 5 minutes) and overbalances everything with old age scenes - future generations might think she was a famous demented old lady who was somehow mysteriously called "The Iron Lady".

P.S.
Newspaper photos show people on the streets of London celebrating her death with champagne. How awful. Just like those horrible pictures of people gloating over dead bodies of Mussolini or Gadafi, now they are celebrating death of longest serving Prime Minister in UK's history. I can't imagine myself ever celebrating anybody's death. Only a compassionate goodbye to everybody who returns to the stars, the way we all will eventually do.

P.S.2
Very interesting line in a movie "Be careful what you THINK, because it leads to what you say and what you say leads to actions - they become habits,habits create the character, therefore what you think becomes who you are"  (or something like that)