The Iron Lady

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sandykaypax
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Joined: April 14th, 2007, 3:15 pm
Location: Beautiful Ohio

Re: The Iron Lady

Post by sandykaypax »

I haven't seen The Iron Lady yet. I don't have a problem with any bio-pic portraying a living person. I honestly don't find that disrespectful. Is the issue that because Mrs. Thatcher is suffering from Alzheimer's disease, she wouldn't be able to comment upon the accuracy of the events depicted in the film?

My mother suffers from dementia. I have been her caregiver, along with my husband and oldest sister, for the past 3 years. It is nothing like what I thought it would be. I like the idea that the film acknowledges Mrs. Thatcher's Alzheimer's--I think about how different my mother is now, and sometimes wonder where the real person is inside of all the confusion. Perhaps it is an attempt on the part of the filmmakers to create some empathy for Mrs. Thatcher. I know that often it is hard to think of public figures as real people like ourselves.

As for her daughter not having a close relationship with her--she is still her daughter, and one can never REALLY know what goes on between 2 people. Parent-child relationships are often complicated.

Sandy K
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mrsl
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Joined: April 14th, 2007, 5:20 pm
Location: Chicago SW suburbs

Re: The Iron Lady

Post by mrsl »

.
When Merle Streep was on one of the daily talk shows, she said they pondered whether or not to include the illness, but decided since it was a bio-pic and they had tried to stay truthful, they included it. It was never however, intended to be any kind of a slur to Mrs. Thatcher, not that anyone has mentioned that possibility, I'm just repeating what Ms. Streep said.

You know me, I won't see it until it comes to HBO but thank heaven we've finally passed that horrible last summer with all the blood and guts movies and are back to basically normal films.

Anne


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charliechaplinfan
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Joined: January 15th, 2008, 9:49 am

Re: The Iron Lady

Post by charliechaplinfan »

I don't think it is the illness that is a problem for me but the fact that the movie has been made whilst she is still alive and probably powerless to stop it going ahead. I felt similar when The Queen was brought out although our Queen was and is in full possession of her faculties, she wasn't in a position to object, it just doesn't feel right to me for a living person to be used as the subject of a movie if they haven't given their express consent. It doesn't help the case of The Iron Lady that Mrs Thatcher is suffering from Alzheimer's, it makes it seem all the more offensive but it might provide a bit of a silver lining, it may bring a greater awareness of the illness to a wider audience.
Failure is unimportant. It takes courage to make a fool of yourself - Charlie Chaplin
stuart.uk
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Joined: January 21st, 2008, 12:25 pm
Location: Dundee, Scotland

Re: The Iron Lady

Post by stuart.uk »

Alison

I think The Queen if anything boosted the popularity of the Monarchy. I remember Fern Britton saying the Queen owed a great deal to Helen Mirren. My own view is that's been in the last few yrs that The Queen has been her most popular.

I noticed at the Bafta's The Iron Lady did nothing but win the Best Actress for Streep. I find myself ofter comparing Margaret Thatcher with the Liberal Democrat Shirley Williams. At their so-called pk Thatcher was way more successful than Williams. However, and I know it isn't fair given Thatcher's illness, but William's, whom I admirer, in her 80s is still a formitable political animal
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JackFavell
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Joined: April 20th, 2009, 9:56 am

Re: The Iron Lady

Post by JackFavell »

I agree, kingrat and Stuart. I would have liked less about the dementia and more about her controversial career. However, I thought the way they portrayed the dementia was how shall I say this? entertaining and creative, if such a thing is possible. And Shirley Williams deserves her own movie. :D
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