By Lubna Abdel-Aziz What more can be said about the acting skills of Meryl Streep! She just walked away with her 8th Golden Globe award, and another Oscar is sure to follow. The Lady has surpassed any other actor, in Hollywood history. In her latest effort she tackles the role of Margaret Thatcher, Britain's first and only female Prime Minister, often referred to as "The Iron Lady". The film is based on John Campbell's biography, by the same name. Since its release, the film has amassed a fortune at the box-office in both the US and the UK. For decades, audiences have thrilled to the pageantry and drama of British history on the screen. From King Henry VIII to Elisabeth I, from Victoria and Albert to Winston Churchill, from Princess Di to Kate Middleton, British characters have fascinated a global public. The might of the British Empire, the war years, the suspense of the spy era and the complexities of royal rule in modern times, have an endless appeal. Audiences are ready to pay good money for a little British voyeurism. All-knowing Hollywood is only too willing to spoon-feed our voracious appetites. It was not long ago that we were captivated by "the Queen", depicting the state of Elisabeth I, following Diana's death. British actor Helen Mirren, won an Oscar for her sensitive portrayal. The Oscar was presented to another Brit, Colin Firth, for his impersonation of King Edward VII, in "The King's Speech". Can we ever get enough of the Brits? No! Once again we are mesmerized by the life and times of the controversial, conservative Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, an overwhelming power in the Western World for over a decade. The coveted role of Ms Thatcher, strangely enough, did not go to one of the many talented English actresses, but to the ever-reliable Meryl Streep, and her uncanny ability to mimic accents, and get under the skin of any character on hand. Another surprise element is the fact that "The Iron Lady", is not a British production, but by the ultra- liberal Hollywood producer, Harvey Weinstein, and the uber-liberal actress Ms Streep. Does it not cut against the grain of their convictions? Did not Meryl Streep and Mr. Weinstein hate Ronald Regan, and did not Margaret Thatcher idolize him? No convictions are more valuable than profit in tinsel-town. Despite its outstanding success, the film has had its critics, both liberal and conservative. Many find the depiction of Thatcher's struggle with dementia during the last decade, insensitive, if not downright tasteless. To show someone in the throes of illness, muddled and confused, while she still lives, only brings more suffering to her loved ones. Many British critics find it chillingly cruel, especially that the production was unauthorised. It is grossly unfair to vilify a once-powerful figure, in the twilight of her years,as she struggles with the advanced stages of a debilitating infirmity. Could they have not delayed it for a more appropriate time? Of course not! Ms Streep has garnered one more Golden Globe, and a little statuette is sure to follow. Mr. Weinsten is adding more successes to his long list of great films, and the box-office keeps ringing with revenues, why the delay? Good taste, perhaps! The story of a great politician of the 20th century, who single-handedly re-shaped British history, is a tale worth telling. Born in 1925 in Grantham, England, to Alfred and Beatrice Roberts, who ran a grocery business in their small town, Margaret Roberts' school grades' earned her a place at Oxford. There she studied chemistry under the tutorship of Nobel Laureate,1964, Dorothy Hodgin. It was conservative politics and not chemistry, however, in her future. She ran and lost twice for a strongly Labour seat in Dartford, but her force, confidence and political style attracted audiences as well as Conservative leaders. She was elected to Parliament in 1959, and when Conservatives returned to power, Prime Minister Edward Heath appointed her Education Minister. When his government faltered, she ran against him for Conservative leader of her party, and won. She became the first woman ever, to lead a Western political party, and to serve as leader of the Opposition in the House of Commons. The Lady won 3 terms as PM, a record unmatched in the 20th century. Profound disagreement within the government, over policy towards the European Community, which she opposed, found her at odds with her Foreign Secretary, as well as a division in her government over management of the currency heaped criticism on her by her own party. She was forced to resign her premiership, but not before she played a major part during the last phase of the Cold War, encouraging Mikhail Gorbachev and acknowledging him as a man she could do business with. John Major succeeded her, until the landslide election of Tony Blair and his Labour Party. She remained a major political figure in her country, wrote her best-selling memoirs and continued throughout the 90s to tour the world as lecturer. Following several small strokes Thatcher announced the end of her career in public speaking. She has suffered the tragic consequences of dementia, since 2002. It was the Soviets who dubbed her "The Iron Lady", a title which became a fond tribute to a strong patriot, and a great leader of her time. We salute "The Iron Lady", as does Hollywood, in its own inimitable style. If you want anything said, ask a man; if you want anything done, ask a woman. -- Margaret Thatcher
