Suffragette (2015)

The foot soldiers of the early feminist movement, women who were forced underground to pursue a dangerous game of cat and mouse with an increasingly brutal State.

Director:

 Sarah Gavron

Writer:

 Abi Morgan

Stars:

 Carey Mulligan, Anne-Marie Duff, Helena Bonham Carter | See full cast and crew »

Storyline

A drama that tracks the story of the foot soldiers of the early feminist movement, women who were forced underground to pursue a dangerous game of cat and mouse with an increasingly brutal State. These women were not primarily from the genteel educated classes, they were working women who had seen peaceful protest achieve nothing. Radicalized and turning to violence as the only route to change, they were willing to lose everything in their fight for equality - their jobs, their homes, their children and their lives. Maud was one such foot soldier. The story of her fight for dignity is as gripping and visceral as any thriller, it is also heart-breaking and inspirational. Written by Production

Reviews

This film 'Suffragette' tells a fictionalized story that covers the main British events that occurred a century ago. Uk-born Writer Abi Morgan, has penned a work that introduces us at the start of the film to the fictional Maud Watts, a young working-class married woman living in east London. This is cleverly done. Young Maud works hard in a laundry and by a quirk of fate she encounters the suffragettes who are involved in a militant campaign for votes for women. Thus in this film Maud is our POV. As she encounters the issues, so do we in the audience.

The film is directed by Sarah Gavron and is mostly set in London and it's period detail is spot on. The real-life events cover the period of 1910-1914, in a fictionalized form.

The philosopher John Stuart Mill, as early as 1865, had spoken out in favour of womens suffrage. In reality in those days the state could not really be described as democratic. The great Reform Act of 1832, and other changes, had gradually increased the suffrage. More and more men were getting the vote, but women were not. In 1897 the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies was set up and under it's leader Millicent Fawcett engaged in traditional methods of political campaigning. However, Emmeline Pankhurst believed a more militant and radical campaign was required and in 1903 set up the Women's Social and Political Union. Chaining themselves to railings for publicity, they also engaged in acts of violence against property, though not against people.

The response of the state was heavy-handed. Some of the actions of the state may appear exaggerated in this film, rated 12A in the UK. Viewers however, should be aware that in real-life women died in some of the events portrayed in the film. Law enforcement is seen through the eyes too of Inspector Arthur Steed. An Irishman enforcing the law, he sees parallels with Ireland. His exchanges with Maud Watts are rich with philosophical points. They both argue well and with some right on both their sides. Though with the policeman it is unclear if his positions are sincerely held, or merely made to serve his purpose. Whatever. These exchanges are intellectually interesting. However, this film is not about a debating society, but rather about the state suppressing law-breakers. How far the state can, or should, enforce it's will, is of course a matter of debate, and one that continues today. In the early 1980s, Bobby Sands was the first of a number of IRA prisoners, who died on hunger-strike, as part of a struggle for political prisoner status. A direct echo, of the same issue of the suffragettes.

The film shows clearly the lack of rights of women in that era. No votes for women, no equal pay too. The film shows the drudgery of working women, not just the lack of votes. At home and at work, they were ruled by men, and used by men. The film shows women's lack of rights within the family as well as their vulnerability to sexual exploitation and violence.

The acting of the cast is uniformly excellent. Young Maud is played by Carey Milligan. She is joined by Helena Bonham Carter (the great- granddaughter of Prime Minister Herbert Asquith) playing a middle-class role, and Anne-Marie Duff playing a working-class role. These three are the mainstay of the film, reflecting the issues and tensions well. The other central character of Inspector Steed is played by Brendan Gleeson, and as said earlier, he too is used to explore the complexities.

Smaller parts are also acted well by the supporting cast. There were good debut performances from Alan Michael Dodd and Grace Stotter. The famous Emmeline Pankhurst is played by the famous Meryl Streep. Characters who also contribute to the story are played by Annabelle Dowler, Finbar Lynch, Natalie Press, Adrian Schiller, and Ben Whishaw.

Whilst the suffragette story is told through the eyes of the fictional Maud, this does not detract from the story. As Maud encounters the suffragettes, then so do we. This fictional narrative device, is a very useful tool, for taking us on a journey through the story, that covers the main historical events. Thus whilst Maud and some of the other characters are fictional, in essence, the historical characters are true, and their story is true. As such therefore, this film is a worthy tribute to those who dedicated their lives to this struggle. Some also gave their lives for the struggle.

The film would have been better, and the film-makers would have been braver, and more honest, if Prime Minister Herbert Asquith had featured in the film rather than David Lloyd George. That aside, this film seems a genuine attempt to portray the story in all of it's complexities, and exploring all of the issues, in an even-handed way.

An educational film that informs us of what now seems like a completely different world. Not an easy view, but one that deserved to be made, and to be viewed.9/10.