Films about the Thatcher Years:
The Thatcher Years refer to the period when Margaret Thatcher served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990. This era was marked by significant political, economic, and social changes in the country. Several films have explored the impact of Thatcher's policies, the social unrest, and the cultural shifts that occurred during this time.
Here is a list of films about the Thatcher Years, along with a brief description of each:
“The Iron Lady”, 2011
Director: Phyllida Lloyd
This biographical drama stars Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher and explores her rise to power, her political career, and the challenges she faced as the first female Prime Minister of the UK.
Starring: Meryl Streep, Jim Broadbent, Iain Glen, Emma Dewhurst, Victoria Bewick, Olivia Colman, Anthony Head, Nicholas Farrell, Richard E. Grant, Susan Brown, Martin Wimbush, Paul Bentley, Robin Kermode, John Sessions, Roger Allam, Alice da Cunha, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Alexandra Roach, Harry Lloyd, Sylvestra Le Touzel, Michael Culkin, Stephanie Jacob, Robert Portal, Richard Dixon, Amanda Root, Clifford Rose, Michael Cochrane, Jeremy Clyde, Michael Simkins, Eloise Webb, Alexander Beardsley, Richard Syms, David Westhead, Julian Wadham, Angus Wright, Michael Pennington, John Harding, Simon Chandler, Stephen Boxer, Jasper Jacob, Rupert Vansittart, Andrew Havill, Michael Elwyn, Peter Pacey, Jeremy Child, James Smith, Hugh Ross, Chris Campbell, Simon Slater, David Cann;
Production year: 2011;
Genre: drama, biography;
MPAA rating: pg13;
Duration: 105 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 6,4;
More information about the film “The Iron Lady” on the website imdb.com
“Pride”, 2014
Director: Matthew Warchus
Set during the Thatcher era, this comedy-drama tells the true story of a group of LGBTQ+ activists who form an unexpected alliance with striking coal miners. The film highlights the political and social tensions of the time.
Starring: Bill Nighy, Imelda Staunton, Dominic West, Paddy Considine, Andrew Scott, George MacKay, Joe Gilgun, Ben Schnetzer, Chris Overton, Faye Marsay, Freddie Fox, Jessica Gunning, Joshua Hill, Lisa Palfrey, Liz White, Monica Dolan, Abram Rooney, Jim McManus, Matthew Flynn, Lucy Timmons, Jordan Metcalfe, Roger Morlidge, Dean Ashton, Adam Ewan, Menna Trussler, Karina Fernandez, Jessie Cave, Will Haddington, Rhodri Meilir, Dion Lloyd, Nia Gwynne, Lee Shepherd, Mary-Anne Dymond, Sophie Evans, Dyfan Dwyfor, Jack Baggs, Johnny Gibbon, Kyle Rees, Bryan Parry, Ross Waiton, Joseph Wilkins, Laura Matthews, Christian Patterson, Deddie Davies, Bronwen Lewis, Olwen Medi, Jâms Thomas, Julie Barclay, Matthew Tennyson, Jaimi Barbakoff;
Production year: 2014;
Genre: drama, comedy, history;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 120 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,8;
More information about the film “Pride” on the website imdb.com
“Billy Elliot”, 2000
Director: Stephen Daldry
This coming-of-age drama follows a young boy named Billy Elliot who dreams of becoming a ballet dancer. Against the backdrop of the miners' strike and Thatcher's policies, Billy faces societal expectations and challenges.
Starring: Jamie Bell, Julie Walters, Gary Lewis, Jean Heywood, Jamie Draven, Stuart Wells, Mike Elliot, Billy Fane, Nicola Blackwell, Carol McGuigan, Joe Renton, Colin MacLachlan, Janine Birkett, Trevor Fox, Charlie Hardwick, Denny Ferguson, Dennis Lingard, Matthew James Thomas, Stephen Mangan, Paul Ridley, Patrick Malahide, Barbara Leigh-Hunt, Imogen Claire, Diana Kent, Neil North, Lee Williams, Petra Siniawski, Merelina Kendall, Zoë Bell, Tracey Wilkinson, Merryn Owen, Adam Cooper, Dylan Barnes, Liam Elcoat, Adam Galbraith, Darren Jacobs, Hendrick January, Sharon Percy, Ken Richardson, Leonard Silver, Lee Smikle, Catherine Turgoose, Damian Winter-Higgins;
Production year: 2000;
Genre: drama, music;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 110 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,7;
“Made in Dagenham”, 2010
Director: Nigel Cole
Based on true events, this film revolves around the 1968 strike at the Ford Dagenham car plant, where female workers fought for equal pay. The story reflects the gender inequality prevalent during the Thatcher years.
Starring: Sally Hawkins, Andrea Riseborough, Jaime Winstone, Lorraine Stanley, Nicola Duffett, Geraldine James, Bob Hoskins, Matthew Aubrey, Daniel Mays, Roger Lloyd Pack, Phil Cornwell, Karen Seacombe, Thomas Arnold, Sian Scott, Robbie Kay, Andrew Lincoln, Rosamund Pike, Joseph Mawle, Kenneth Cranham, Gina Bramhill, Marcus Hutton, Rupert Graves, Miranda Richardson, Joseph Kloska, Miles Jupp, Frank Baker, Philip Perry, Richard Schiff, Peter-Hugo Daly, Simon Armstrong, Matilda Cole, Romy Taylor, Angus Barnett, Birgitta Bernhard, Laurie Cannon, Nico Tatarowicz, Denis Gilmore, Danny Huston, Mitchell Mullen, John Sessions, Matt King, Noah Taylor, Victoria Watkins, Craig Randall, David Bond, Simon Nehan, Keri Ashmead, Maria Bailey, Nicola Barlow;
Production year: 2010;
Genre: drama, comedy, history;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 113 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,1;
More information about the film “Made in Dagenham” on the website imdb.com
“The Full Monty”, 1997
Director: Peter Cattaneo
Set in Sheffield during the Thatcher era, this British comedy focuses on a group of unemployed steelworkers who form a male stripping act to make ends meet. The film explores themes of unemployment, masculinity, and societal change.
Starring: Robert Carlyle, Mark Addy, Wim Snape, Tom Wilkinson, Steve Huison, Paul Barber, Hugo Speer, Lesley Sharp, Emily Woof, Deirdre Costello, Paul Butterworth, Dave Hill, Bruce Jones, Andrew Livingston, Vinny Dhillon, Kate Layden, Joanna Swain, Diane Lane, Kate Rutter, June Broughton, Glenn Cunningham, Chris Brailsford, Steve Garti, Malcolm Pitt, Dennis Blanch, Daryl Fishwick, David Lonsdale, Muriel Hunte, Fiona Watts, Theresa Maduemezia, Fiona Nelson, The British Steel Stocksbridge Band, Marie Jackman, Arnold Montey, Enn Reitel, Elaine Young;
Production year: 1997;
Genre: drama, comedy;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 88 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,2;
More information about the film “The Full Monty” on the website imdb.com
“Brassed Off”, 1996
Director: Mark Herman
This dramedy depicts a colliery brass band in a Yorkshire mining town that faces closure due to Thatcher's policies. The film explores the impact of job losses on the community and the power of music in the face of adversity.
Starring: Pete Postlethwaite, Tara Fitzgerald, Ewan McGregor, Stephen Tompkinson, Jim Carter, Philip Jackson, Peter Martin, Sue Johnston, Mary Healey, Melanie Hill, Lill Roughley, Peter Gunn, Stephen Moore, Kenneth Colley, Olga Grahame, Toni Galacki, Sky Ingram, Luke McGann, Christopher Tetlow, Bernard Wrigley, Ken Kitson, Adrian Hood, Sally Sheridan, Tubby Andrews, Katherine Dow Blyton, Adam Fogerty, Vanessa Knox-Mawer, Sally Ann Matthews, Jacqueline Naylor, Bob Rodgers, Max Smith, Ronnie Stevens, Peter Wallis, Robert Archer, Andrew Armstrong, David Arnold, Mark Arnold, David Barraclough, Jonathan Beatty, Roy Bowater, Colin Brook, Duncan Byers, Malcolm Clegg, Paul Davies, David Essex, Charles Faulkner, Alan Hobbins, Cliff Hopes, Paul Hughes, Michael Kennedy;
Production year: 1996;
Genre: drama, melodrama, comedy, music;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 108 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,2;
More information about the film “Brassed Off” on the website imdb.com
“The Long Good Friday”, 1979
Director: John Mackenzie
Set in London during the Thatcher years, this British gangster film follows Harold Shand, a criminal trying to secure a property deal while dealing with the threat of terrorism. The film reflects the changing landscape of crime and politics in the era.
Starring: Bob Hoskins, Helen Mirren, Derek Thompson, Bryan Marshall, P.H. Moriarty, Dave King, Paul Freeman, Pierce Brosnan, Leo Dolan, Kevin McNally, Charles Cork, Patti Love, Ruby Head, Olivier Pierre, Daragh O'Malley, Karl Howman, Brian Hall, Alan Ford, Dave Ould, Paul Kember, Bill Moody, Alan Devlin, Eddie Constantine, Stephen Davies, Bruce Alexander, Nigel Humphreys, Brian Hayes, Georgie Phillips, Mary Sheen, Pauline Melville, Trevor Laird, Paul Barber, Dexter Fletcher, Billy Cornelius, Michael Ryan, Rob Walker, Nick Stringer, Gillian Taylforth, Robert Hamilton, James Ottaway, Roy Alon, Tony Rohr, Tony Clarkin, Tim Condren, George Coulouris, Maxwell Craig, Jim Dowdall, Harry Fielder, Terry Forestal, Jill Goldston;
Production year: 1979;
Genre: crime, detective, drama, thriller;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 114 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,6;
More information about the film “The Long Good Friday” on the website imdb.com
These films offer a variety of perspectives on the Thatcher years, touching on political, social, and cultural themes. Each movie provides a unique lens through which to understand the impact of this transformative period in British history.
In exploring the films that depict the Thatcher years, one can't help but feel an overwhelming sense of the impact this era had on British society. From the political turmoil to the socioeconomic divide, these films capture the essence of a transformative period in history. Each film offers a unique perspective, shedding light on the struggles, triumphs, and complexities of the Thatcher era. Whether it's through powerful performances, compelling narratives, or thought-provoking imagery, these films serve as a reminder of the indelible mark left by Margaret Thatcher's reign. They invite us to reflect on the consequences of political decisions and the lasting effects they have on individuals and communities. As we delve into these cinematic portrayals, we are reminded of the importance of understanding history, grappling with its complexities, and learning from the past to shape a better future.
