The Iron Lady

[TheyCallMeMrGlass]

I liked the film but I disagree with those who felt it didn't take sides. I think it tried to make the audience feel very sympathetic towards Thatcher. I came to the UK in 1978 and I remember my husband saying we'd leave the country if Thatcher won the election. She did and we got a posting to China in 1980 so we did leave the country for some of the Thatcher years. I refuse to feel sorry for her in spite of age and infirmity. She did more to divide us people and her famous "There is no such thing as society" was a shocking statement and I've never forgotten or forgiven it.

My feelings exactly! I fear that this film may give a totally misleading picture of Margaret Thatcher and Thatcherism, and what it was like to live through that appalling decade when greed was good and sod the poor.

I dont think it left that out to be honest. We get the good and bad of Thatcher depicted in the film. We see Thatcher flippantly retorting to her cabinet "why not" to charging the same taxes for the poor and rich. Then she goes on to explain why she thought so in a condescending way. I think it gave viewers a clear enough picture what kind of policies she enforced and how her mind works. People can agree with it or disagree it. The film is about her mind, her ambition, her flaws, her bullying, her perseverance, her self pity, and her love and dependence for Dennis. Looking at the list, I would actually say the film paints a mostly flawed picture of Thatcher!

[tsoiboy]

Are there going to be anymore free screenings for this?

[Beate]

Possibly. It's another month to the premiere.

[Flabber]

how can anyone be happy that some people in the country thrived at the direct cost of some parts of the country being systamatically dismantled. I dont understand how sheltered/selfinterested/naive you need you be to think that this is a good thing.

Well, I suppose those who benefitted could say that they were happy with the outcome. I'll admit at not being politically minded but i do understand how this notion of benefitting at the cost of another is a bad thing. But the whole argument 'for' capitalism is exactly that. The rich get richer while the poor get poorer. At least that my humble opinion.

I wonder how incredibly sheltered and unthinking their upbringing their lives have been so far to generate these beliefs.

I don't think you need to look very far especially when you see the kind of garbage that's being shown on television. These so-called reality shows about wealthy families and they oh-so difficult lives. Not knowing what to wear, what fancy restaurant to eat in, where to go for that jet-setting holiday etc. etc. etc. This so-called entertainment is brainwashing the youth into thinking that this is what their lives should be like and what everyone should aspire to.

But back to the film itself, it was interesting but i don't think the purpose of the film is meant to be about poilitics. Its about a woman who at a point in time became extremely powerful, how she got there and what happened while she was in power. Obviously you can't fit her entire life story into 2hrs but it does give you a glimpe into what things must have been like during her years in power...

7/10

[raj101]

how can anyone be happy that some people in the country thrived at the direct cost of some parts of the country being systamatically dismantled. I dont understand how sheltered/selfinterested/naive you need you be to think that this is a good thing.

Well, I suppose those who benefitted could say that they were happy with the outcome. I'll admit at not being politically minded but i do understand how this notion of benefitting at the cost of another is a bad thing. But the whole argument 'for' capitalism is exactly that. The rich get richer while the poor get poorer. At least that my humble opinion.

lol i'd better drop this one and return to the movie!

I can see your point about youths being brainwashed, though surely we grow out of that by the age of 13/14? Cant understand how anyone can be so shallow once they become self-aware and aware of limited monetary resources. For the life of me I cant understand how people can be so shallow once they have started growing up. I'm probably a bad example to judge them because our upbringing was pretty austere.

I am quite interested now, I am tempted to download the George Bush movie as a taster. It'd be wonderful filmmaking if they can make that monkey look half-decent.

[shmile]

saw this yesterday and absolutely loved it
didnt expect this film would have been that good, loved the history of how she came to power and her character i thought was well played by streep

9/10 - wasnt a 10 as i had a pretty annoying man next to me making noise and was just irritating

[TheyCallMeMrGlass]

Anyone looked at the DVD given at the Empire screening? I did, mainly to see the clips and a curiosity of what elements of the film the Christian group wanted to highlight. The elements highlighted were actually interesting and good choices to raise awareness on but their actual teachings and helping those with similar troubles is very poor. For instance, they highlight such things as regrets in life. A priest advise that yes you should be regretful and even say sorry to those you may have hurt. That wont help anyone, it will make them more depressed if anything. We should never be regretful of any mistakes we make in the past, its all part of the learning curve and if we are too old to really learn anything from it, we're at least never too old to teach others about our own mistakes. That's just an example. The intentions are good with this DVD but the execution is poor.

[Flabber]

I am quite interested now, I am tempted to download the George Bush movie as a taster. It'd be wonderful filmmaking if they can make that monkey look half-decent.

Good shout, forgot about that one.
That was done by Oliver Stone as well so you'd 'think' that it'd be half decent at least...

[soonforgotten]

I am quite interested now, I am tempted to download the George Bush movie as a taster. It'd be wonderful filmmaking if they can make that monkey look half-decent.

Good shout, forgot about that one.
That was done by Oliver Stone as well so you'd 'think' that it'd be half decent at least...

I found W. to be dreadfully boring and really "safe" given that it was coming from Stone. The Iron Lady is faaaar better.

[Celini]

I think I saw it, was it the one where Bush was chocking on a biscuit?
(this is all I can remember!)