Friday, January 27, 2012

The Iron Lady

Rautarouva / Järnladyn. GB/FR © 2011 Pathé / Channel Four / BFI. P: Damian Jones. D: Phyllida Lloyd. SC: Abi Morgan. DP: Elliot Davis - negative: 35 mm (Kodak Vision3 500T 5219) - digital intermediate: DeLuxe 142 - 2,35:1 - release formats: 35 mm and DCP. PD: Simon Elliott. AD: Bill Crutcher. Set dec: Annie Gilhooly. Cost: Consolata Boyle. Makeup artist and hair stylist for Ms. Streep: J. Roy Helland. M: Thomas Newman. S: Nigel Stone. ED: Justine Wright. Casting: Nina Gold. Cast: Meryl Streep (Margaret Thatcher), Jim Broadbent (Denis Thatcher), Susan Brown (June), Alice da Cunha (cleaner), Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Susie), Iain Glen (Alfred Roberts), Alexandra Roach (Young Margaret Thatcher). 105 min. Released in Finland by Scanbox with Finnish / Swedish subtitles by J.G. Lähdesmäki / Saliven Gustavson. 2K DCP viewed at Kinopalatsi 2, Helsinki, 27 Jan 2012.

Another top performance by Meryl Streep, said to give a better performance in her role than the original Margaret Thatcher. Very good is also Jim Broadbent as Denis Thatcher. As a story of the psychological development of a woman in a man's world The Iron Lady is moving.

As a historical drama or a political play The Iron Lady is weak. Social substance is missing. The great themes, arguments and conflicts of Margaret Thatcher's career are mere illustrations, soundbites and background to the psychological story.

Like in J. Edgar there is a flashback structure that unfolds from the protagonist's memories at old age. There is too much footage about the old Ms. Thatcher's senility.

The visual quality of the 2K DCP is ok. The movie takes mostly place in interiors, and there are many medium close-ups. There is also a deliberate news video quality in some of the footage.

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