The Iron Lady is coming to a screen near you….
March 20th 2007 05:44
I seem to smell the stench of appeasement in the air.
Margaret Thatcher
I hope that picture didn't scare you too much. According to the SMH it seems that Margaret Thatcher could be the next British icon to make it to our cinemas. A frightening but intriguing concept.
Pathe, the French production company that helped create The Queen are aiming to illuminate Margaret Thatcher’s life and career. French-owned UK-based production and distribution banner has met with the BBC and independent producer Damian Jones (Welcome to Sarajevo) to develop the project. They stated they would provide, 'a revealing and intimate portrait' of the woman dubbed 'the iron lady'. Brian Fillis has been commissioned to develop a screenplay based on an original concept devised by Fillis and Jones. A director has not been determined and a Pathe spokesperson stressed that the project was in the very early stages of research and development. A budget has not yet been announced as it will be subject to cast….
Maggie was the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, in office from 1979 to 1990. She was leader of the Conservative Party from 1975 until 1990. She is Britain's only female Prime Minister to date and was the longest-serving Prime Minister since Lord Salisbury. She held the longest continuous period in office since Lord Liverpool in the early 19th century.
Her government followed a radical programme of privatisation and deregulation, reform of the Trade Unions, tax cuts and the introduction of market mechanisms into health and education. The aim was to reduce the role of government and increase individual self-reliance. The induction of Community Charge, widely known as poll tax, implemented in 1989-90 was the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back. This was the most universally unpopular policy of her premiership and caused devastating effects for a large portion of Britain's society.
The film will focus on Thatcher's battle to save her career in the 17 days immediately before the Falklands War in 1982, which was triggered when Argentina invaded the remote archipelago in the southern Atlantic. The war was viewed as a Thatcher political victory that ended with Argentine surrender.
Margaret Thatcher's name was usually met with strong views according to which side of the political fence a person is sat on. She is perhaps the most significant British politician in recent political history, she is one of the most divisive, loved and despised by citizens from across the political spectrum...her name certainly starts a debate in Britain....
So the question lies….who will play Maggie?
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Comment by katyzzz
Photography Tips
MS Paint Art
Put my name down, I like the Iron Lady, but must say I don't like that quote with stench in it. Not nice at all. Still, if they pay me.
katyzzz
Comment by David
I love the stench quote ... katyzzz and I never seem to agree on much ...
As to the leading Iron Lady? ... Amanda Vanstone or Joan Kirner ... either ...
And how come Dusk isn't here? ...
David ...
Comment by Ash
Australian Traveller
Flashes of memories
Sounds like an interesting one to look out for. I look forward to watching 'The Queen'... it was another one I missed at the cinema's.
Another Helen Mirren role perhaps?
Hope you have had a good day...it`s been a little hot down here, but thankfully dry heat and not the normal humidity...
have a good one.......
ash
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
Yes, the quote is a bit of a gem isn't it? It really tells us something about how she worked....
Tracy
Comment by DuskDevi
Rugby World Cup 2007
Hmmmm...interesting...I don't know how I feel about Ferrous Dueller....
I was living in England when she came into power but perhaps a but too young to remember.
My strongest non-political memory of her is the interview George Negus did for 60 Minutes.
Woah.
He evoked 'they'. And her cold Iron Lady rage.
Negus: "they say your time is over..." or something like that...
Thatcher interrupts him.
"They?"
10 plums in mouth.
"Wwwwho are They?"
"Wwwwhy?"
She didn't raise her voice, she didn't change her smile, she was relentless.
Negus couldn't get a word in.
Not condoning her tenure as PM.
I just appreciated her calm reserve.
I like this quote of hers (said this year at the unveiling of her statue in UK parliament)
"I might have preferred iron - but bronze will do... It won't rust. And, this time I hope, the head will stay on."
Okay...I'm with Ash on this...Helen Mirren. For sure.
Judi Dench? Too short maybe?
What the hell....Cate Blanchett.
Ooh...give Our Nic a bouffant do and she's cold enough...
Hope you're well T....and David darlin'....I'm here.
Dusk
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
You and katyzzz are at opposite ends with the quote. I like it because it so aptly defines her and her way of thinking.
Ah yes, I like your suggestions....I think they have to find someone that could replicate Maggie's hair....I know it was the 80s but still...I'm surprised she didn't pass out regularly from all the toxins holding it together....
I haven't seen Dusk...she's floating around here somewhere I'm sure...
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
It's good to see you. That's good you had a reprieve from the heat today. The humidity must've hopped down here, it was stinkingly muggy today.
I also missed seeing The Queen although I wanted to see it. I remember katyzzz saying it was very good.
I was also thinking of Helen Mirren, she has the cool demeanour....plus she's a brilliant actor....
Byeee
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
What synchronicity, I was answering David's question about where you were and your message popped up.
I have mixed feelings about Maggie. I was around for the introduction of poll tax and it was awful seeing how badly it affected people. It really pushed those who were already struggling further into difficulty. I know that some of her policies have worked well, but it's almost as though British people had to persevere through the long hard patch from her policies before they could feel any beneficial changes...and it took a while. Quite a lot to ask from society I think.
That's fantastic that you can remember that quote from 60 Minutes. That's a gem. I agree, her calmness is a valuable quality. I love that quote.
It seems like Helen Mirren is winning so far.....I think the key attribute is the hair and its ability to stand alone and high...
Byeee
Comment by Cibbuano
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak
Comment by Lilla
From The Home Front
Enviro Warrior
Dream Herald
Esoteric Bookshop
Exciting News, this…
I think this will be a very interesting movie and enlighten many people to who this woman really was. Like all politicians, she too was - to a degree - a puppet, of 'a war that had to happen.'
I was there in the West End of London, in ’89, waiting for a play to start … right in the middle of the Poll Tax riots... my nose pushed up against a shop window, my lungs almost expired from an inability to breath, as the throng pushed forward and almost crushed me.
There was a hush in the crowd and police were on horses, both bleeding profusely... at the sight of the animal’s blood, a hush fell on both sides of the crowd ... then one young girl lurched forward, threw a rock that hit a policeman-on-horseback, right in the middle of his head, causing more blood to flow. A foot cop braved it and ran forward, grabbing the girls ankle … and dragged her across the bitumen, screaming... that was the fuse lit and set... BOOM!!! the crowd went wild…. it was awful and exciting at the same time and moved me to tears, as I was dragged along, unable to leave the crowd I had become a part of…
Street signs and traffic lights were yanked free of their moorings and thrown through bank windows. In fact anything that represented consumerist profit was attacked without mercy by a wild monster, made of thousands of souls … but it seems, with a single intelligence, as it wound it’s way through the Streets of London.
I was moved along and managed to duck into prestigious theatres here and there, where people were passed out, or lay bleeding on the floor, ambulances unable to get in to care for them.
The theatres were not trashed … and by 5pm the crowd had all but dispersed. It was a wild event that just “happened” like a thunderstorm out of the blue. I think the death of a few people ended it at Trafalgar Square… well, that’s where I ended up - carried along like a piece of driftwood in a torrent – and washed ashore to catch the bus home… like it had been an ordinary day of sightseeing… how surreal is that???
The riots did nothing but cost people more tax to pay for the insurance damages and the Poll Tax was implemented, of course. Every Englishman now pays for the privilege of having to vote with a tax of about $2,000 per person, per year.
How else was the Falkland war going to be paid for in a country already overburdened with population?
A few years later and the talk of the UK joining the European Union (along with major death threats to her family, caused Maggies resignation.
Perhaps her ability to stand still in all this and see it through – for the higher powers that be – made her the Iron Lady indeed… as I said, I heartily look forward to the “behind the scenes’ of this one…
As to who will play Maggie?
What about Meryl Streep … too compassionate maybe?
I think Cate Blanchet could pull it off, don’t you?
Great Post Tracy,
..another exciting ‘heaps-up’ for me…
Lilla …
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
That's true, I'd say it would be likely......
Comment by Mrs M
Mum's Word
Just to quote Lilla
What about Meryl Streep … too compassionate maybe?
Not at all. Have you seen The Devil Wears Prada? Seeing Merryl Streep in that movie, she could easily do that 60 minutes interview that Dusk was talking about.
Just like Dusk said, without raising her voice she rattled Negus. I think watching her in that interview said a lot about Maggie.
Calmly asking him to provide her with names of the so called "they" bunch who thought her time was up was fantastic.
I think it would make for an interesting film.
Love & stuff
Mrs M
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
Sorry for that long lapse in replying, life became busy.
Your story is fascinating, gosh to have an experience like that...
I had never thought about a link between Poll Tax and the Falklands War as you mentioned before, despicable political tactics if that were the case. Poll Tax in itself was awful, I watched some friends and family driven closer to poverty as they tried to manage to pay this huge bill. And to top it off if they couldn't pay, they were fined or delivered a court order. There seemed no chance for the average earning person at that time.
I do agree that to an extent she was a political puppet...but I have to say I have limited empathy for her....
I do think Meryl or Cate could pull it off....
Thanks for your comments,
Byee
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
Thanks for popping in and for your comments. I really wish I'd seen that interview with Maggie and Negus, sounds like it was unforgettable. Was Negus able to provide her with names of the so called "they" bunch who thought her time was up? I'm guessing no....
Yes, Meryl in The Devil Wears Prada was definitely a cold,hard-faced role...she could do Maggie...her hair might work too...
Now we just have to wait for the film and see what happens. I'll keep you all abreast of the developments....
Byeeee
Comment by KylieW
Celebrity Obsession
Ohhh, I think that would be fascinating. I vaguely remember that 60 minutes interview. She's a tough old broad is Maggie.
I'd put Helen Mirren or Judi Dench in to play her. Though Dusk is right when she said that our Nic would definitely be frosty enough to play her!
Kylie
Comment by charles
ZCars
Ponderous
Charles.
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
Thanks for dropping in. Yes, I think Meryl would do the job very well...it seems that it's down to either Meryl or Mirren....hope I get a say in the final casting.....
Byeee
Comment by Glen
Reggae
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
Thanks for popping in. I must say that I don't have much empathy for her either. I know that she stated that Britain had to go through the hard times to get some economic changes/sucess, but her methods were far too harsh and long, too much for a country to endure.
Yes, I think your suggestions are good ones too.....
Comment by Scarlett
Dessert
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
I've wondered that as well...would it be like The Queen, with the focus being the story behind the public persona or would it be her political career? I guess we'll just have to see...but either way I think it would be an interesting film to see,
Tracy