Frailty, Thy Name Is Not Woman

Whether you're a feminist or not (and yes, including you men too), you should still go to the cinema and watch Carey Mulligan's latest movie, Suffragette. It's difficult to even imagine that women around the world have only been given the rights to vote since the beginning of the 20th century. But the story of the British foot soldiers of the early feminist movement under the leadership of Emmeline Pankhurst (played by Meryl Streep in only a few scenes) was vividly told in this film. These women from a laundry factory in London, most of whom poor and uneducated, fought daily battles against the government - obviously an old boys club in those days - and, for their rights to vote, they were willing to lose their families, their jobs, their children and even their lives.

Some of those women, such as the pharmacist Evelyn Ellyn (played by Helena Bonham Carter) were staunch supporters from beginning to end. Others, such as the protagonist Maud Watts (played by Carey Mulligan), was a reluctant fighter in the early stages, but was later converted and gradually took on a leadership role among the women. It was a constant struggle between whether to fight for an equal voting right as men's, or to protect one's self interest and, therefore, do nothing. Another key character in the film, Violet Miller (played by Anne-Marie Duff, wife of Irish actor James McAvoy), started off as a fervent and fierce fighter for the feminist movement, but eventually gave up the fight for the sake of her future child.

The little-known female director Sarah Gavron did a great job with the film, But it was the writer, Abi Morgan, who presented a powerful thriller in her script. Morgan is known as a writer and producer for the movies Shame, The Iron Lady and The Hour. I read that Carey Mulligan was absolutely tired of appearing in another period movie until she saw the script of Suffragette and immediately signed on for the leading role. As usual, Mulligan dazzled in her role and should be considered for an Oscar. Helena Bonham Carter is not usually my favourite actress, but she was superb in her role as the pharmacist. One can understand why she took on this character as her great-grandfather H.H. Asquith served as the Prime Minister of the U.K. from 1908 to 1916, during the height of the suffrage movement. He was a staunch opponent of votes for women. This was also the first film that was allowed to be shot in the British House of Parliament since the 1950s.

Suffragette would move you to tears and rouse you to anger. Men were absolutely depicted as evil and selfish misogynists (with perhaps one exception) throughout the entire film. For me, the most powerful moment came when the movie ended with the chronology of countries around the world which passed a law allowing women in their respective nations to vote. And now, more than a century later, there are still countries such as Saudi Arabia which does not grant women that right, in addition to not permitting women to drive or travel! I left the cinema not only thinking that women have come a long way, but we should continue to soldier on for gender equality!