Nana Wereko-Brobby, Editor, 25
The Iron Lady, a biopic on the life of Margaret Thatcher, has attracted a great deal of criticism in the short time it’s been out. David Cameron was quick to question the morality of making the film whilst she is still alive. A host of critics felt she was portrayed not as a great public figure but as ‘ an old woman who can’t quite remember who she used to be’, and therefore somehow patronised by the film. Everyone had something to say in the press and a lot of it was negative. Great performances aside, some felt that this film simply shouldn’t have been made. Yet.
With dementia in the foreground of the biopic, many also questioned how appropriate it was to focus on the trauma and symptoms of Thatcher’s disease, rather than her time in government when, whether you liked or loathed her, she was still in full possession of her faculties and able to run the country.
Certainly, the story of her dementia, largely seen through confusing interactions with her dead husband, is emotive and well rendered, but the question remains, is it overstepping the mark, since she is still alive and presumably only getting worse? Jewish Care‘s Trisha Ward, who works on the disability and dementia team, considers the film an ‘invasion of privacy’, pointing out that a whole host of well-known politicians had dementia in later life (Harold Wilson, Winston Churchill and Ronald Reagan) but managed to escape such open discussion on film. Even with the Iris Murdoch biopic, ‘the prime focus was her illness and how her husband coped- but it was released after her death’. Surely there’s such a thing as a respectful distance before such matters are discussed in such a public forum.
One particular article in The Telegraph came down strongly on the subject. Written by a medical doctor, Max Pemberton, his criticism was based on what the film was saying more broadly about the position of older people in society:
“Watch this film without knowledge of the background and you’d assume Margaret Thatcher had already died. This is what angered me most about The Iron Lady. It is representative of how society largely views elderly people, particularly those with dementia. They are ignored. They are considered to be dead long before they actually are. Those with dementia experience a loss, not just of their memory and cognition, but of respect and dignity.”
“Sociologists talk of “social death” and “biological death”. Ideally, the two coincide, but in dementia, there is discordance. As people with dementia decline, they are no longer deemed worthy of attention or thought. As far as society is concerned, they are already history. This film gets away with treating Lady Thatcher as though she were already dead, because that’s precisely how society behaves towards the old and infirm. This is lamentable, vile and shameful – and it should anger every one of us.” Max Pemberton, The Telegraph, 14 Jan 2012
Do you agree with the critics or do you think that it’s important to confront these subjects head on? It’s a hot topic and we’d like to know what you think. Please add your comments below.
Jewish Care Pearls of Wisdom 
I think Max Pemberton put it very well.