Sunday, January 10, 2016

Review: Suffragette - A Powerful Reminder


Suffragette

Starring: Carey Mulligan, Helena Bonham-Carter, Brendan Gleeson, Ben Whishaw
Written by:  Abi Morgan
Directed by: Sarah Gavron
106 minutes   M
At last a ‘Meryl Streep film’ that isn’t a star turn for the most talented American film actor of our time. In fact her appearance in this film is only a featured cameo that maybe lasts five minutes. She gets to address the crowd, make a stirring speech and leave muttering some encouraging words. Nice little earner Miss Streep, well done you (could I get your agent’s name by any chance?)

So many of us who see this fine film will have no idea of the heroism involved in the story it tells. We will be baffled by how hard it was for women to be recognised as ‘worthy’ of the vote, to even be seen as valuable enough to be considered in every way a part of society and polity as a man. It is dreadful to reflect on, it is embarrassing to know it was ever thus and it is shameful to consider that the blood that ran through all those generations up to the point of change ran through our relatives whether they were British, French, Italian, and Chinese or whatever. The women descendants of the Bounty Mutineers on Pitcairn Island (and subsequently Norfolk Island) had the vote in 1856 which meant they were indeed a superior species to all other women in the world when viewed through the prism of that time. Extraordinary and shocking. From Kings to candlemakers, politicians and policemen to pot makers it continued without question until someone woke up one day and said ‘um, hang on a minute…does this seem to wrong to anyone else?’

In ‘Suffragette’ we find ourselves at the moment when the ‘Panks’, the followers of Emeline Pankhurst and the growing suffragette movement are hiding their stride. They have Lloyd George apparently on their side to force changes to legislation that will at least allow the consideration of votes for women (the suffrage). Women who had been denied a voice in practically anything except childbearing (and usually that was conditional, sometimes forced and almost always just a mechanism to continue the male line in a family or the income flow to a household), were now hearing about a different way of seeing their place in society. To be sure it was presented at times in a drastic and criminal manner but that came from a belief that extreme measures were required to knock down the male barriers and to maximise the impact of the message. Not my style in any way but contextually it is one way of approaching the issues.

Carey Mulligan beautifully plays the laundry worker Maude who becomes a foot soldier for the movement and the hero of the movie. Up against the lack of understanding husband Sonny (delightfully played by Ben Whishaw) and the ghastly working conditions overseen by the horrid boss there really is only one way for her to go – out and onto the streets with purpose and vigour. Delivered effectively. Brendan Gleeson as Steed, a different sort of foot soldier – on a mission from Parliament indeed is his usual masterful self nothing less than convincing and nothing short of detestable. Mustering forces is Helena Bonham-Carter completely convincing and on message as Edith. For me the outstanding performance came from Ann Marie Duff as the inspiring Violet Miller, just pitch perfect and captivating.

The close ups and hand held camera work was the only drawback in this fine film beautifully directed by Sarah Gavron (she also directed another terrific film Brick Lane) and assuredly written by Abi Morgan.

We, all of us, have many heroes in history to thank for the way we get to live today, the freedoms we enjoy and the rights we take for granted. It’s hard to imagine the world that was sometimes. Films such as ‘Suffragette’ remind us of how far we’ve come and why.

4 out of 5

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