Comments on: On Thatcher: Icons and Iron Ladies.

By: On Thatcher: Icons and Iron Ladies. « Velvet Coalmine

On Thatcher: Icons and Iron Ladies. « Velvet Coalmine — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 21:21:14 +0000

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By: Rhian Jones

Rhian Jones — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 01:47:19 +0000

In reply to Zoe. Thanks - I look forward to watching it. The casting of Jim Broadbent as Denis seems particularly inspired, and I'm also keen to see how Olivia Colman plays her daughter Carol.

By: Zoe

Zoe — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 21:18:45 +0000

I have seen the film. I thought it was good and quite balanced. She’s a figure of great admiration and also great hatred and they show both. They also show her going a bit mental towards the end (well you’d have to be to think the poll tax would go down well with anyone or their dog). The flashbacks of her in the 40s as a young woman getting stuck into a career full of patronising men are particularly good (can’t remember the actress playing the young MT but she’s fab) and totally inspiring. It’s also a touching love story with her husband and a sensitive look at senile dementia.

You know… just in case someone actually wanted to know what the film was about…

By: Rhian Jones

Rhian Jones — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 16:49:17 +0000

In reply to Stephen B.

“even when her time in power hurt the *perception* of women in politics for generations.”

Thanks, this is a key point which I didn’t really bring out: Thatcher as the default mode for a Woman In Politics, because she was the most visible example.

By: Rhian Jones

Rhian Jones — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 11:34:15 +0000

In reply to north5.

:D I made that joke on Twitter the other other day – the scary thing is I remember it being made in the Eighties…

By: north5

north5 — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 11:04:06 +0000

In reply to Stephen B. (The film has an age guidance rating; it's been given 12A, which makes it unsuitable for miners.)

By: Stephen B

Stephen B — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 09:33:11 +0000

In reply to Stephen B. (By which I mean: great article, and I hadn't seen the Elizabeth parallels but they're worryingly clear once it's pointed out.)

By: Stephen B

Stephen B — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 09:31:37 +0000

I’ve been out of the country, I came into Heathrow and casually looked to my left, to be confronted by a six-foot version of the Thatcher movie poster. I actually did a comedy double-take jump in the air, making warding signs and shouting OH DEAR GOD etc. They should warn us before putting that stuff out there. Age-guidance ratings for movie posters?

And everywhere the idea that a woman in power must be an icon for feminism, even when her policies hurt women, even when her time in power hurt the *perception* of women in politics for generations.