THE IRON LADY
Written by
Abi Morgan
Author's Note:
References to "PRESENT" mean the undifferentiated years of the
recent past (not 2011).
INT. SHOP. NR CHESTER SQUARE. LONDON. PRESENT. DAWN.
The HUM of a large refrigerator just audible over the
sound of Indian music -
MARGARET, briefly glimpsed pondering cartons of milk.
The electronic PEEP of the cash til.
A man on a mobile phone pushes past MARGARET, who takes
her place second in the queue.
The female shopkeeper piles newspapers on the counter in
front of MARGARET. Distracted by images of the bombed
hotel on the TV, she hesitates for beat.
MAN BEHIND THE COUNTER
One forty-nine please.
MARGARET
How much is the milk?
MAN BEHIND THE COUNTER
Forty-nine pence.
(taking the change)
Thank you.
MARGARET turns to leave, jostled by a tall young man
wired into an ipod.
EXT. STREET. CHESTER SQUARE. LONDON. PRESENT. DAWN.
MARGARET heads down the busy street, shopping bag in
hand.
INT. KITCHEN. CHESTER SQUARE. LONDON. PRESENT. DAY.
MARGARET sits at breakfast with her husband DENIS,
sipping tea. DENIS butters his toast. MARGARET shakes her
head.
MARGARET
Too much. Much too much butter.
DENIS
I like butter.
MARGARET
Milk's gone up.
2
MARGARET reaches for a jug, pouring milk into it, sliding
it down on a table.
MARGARET (CONT'D)
49p a pint.
DENIS
Good grief! We'll have to
economise. I suppose we could
always sell the car.
(chuckles)
Or take in paying guests!
He scoops up the newspaper and glances towards the door -
DENIS (CONT'D)
Watch out. She's on the prowl.
MARGARET looks beyond DENIS to a a sense of growing
commotion. A concerned POLICE GUARD coming up the stairs
meeting JUNE [early 60's] MARGARET's carer, along a
distant corridor, steady on the approach.
MARGARET
(to DENIS)
Eat your egg.
JUNE smiles with visible relief on seeing MARGARET, now
sitting tapping open her egg.
JUNE
Goodness! There you are.
JUNE's look of quiet concern.
MARGARET
Yes.
MARGARET eats her egg.
MARGARET (CONT'D)
Here we are.
But for JUNE, she is entirely alone.
INT. CORRIDOR CHESTER SQUARE. PRESENT. DAY.
WHISPERING-
JUNE
I don't understand how it
happened, how could she possibly
have got out? It's very very
important -
MARGARET looks out of the kitchen. Her POV down the
corridor of JUNE and the POLICEMAN and a CLEANER.
3
JUNE (CONT'D)
Please just make it really clear.
Who's on after you?
POLICE GUARD
Dixon.
MARGARET slips away.
INT.HALL. CHESTER SQUARE. DAY.
MARGARET hurries through the hall.
INT. BEDROOM. HOUSE. CHESTER SQUARE. LONDON. PRESENT.DAY.
A wide cupboard-
MARGARET's eyes move back along the rail in front of her,
her fingers touch hanger after hanger of brown tweed and
grey twill.
JUNE goes over to the curtains, pulling them back,
letting in the sunlight-
JUNE
Beautiful day. Oh, you've made a
start. Carol's coming soon, I'll
get some bags. Anything you want
to go to Mark, I'll bring up a
suitcase for it.
The smell of smoke lingering. Suddenly DENIS' hand
reaches across, wavering between jackets of brown tweed
and grey twill-
He reaches for a suit.
MARGARET
No no no no. The grey.
DENIS (O.S)
You sure?
The swipe of a clothes brush, briefly seen, drawn across
one sleeve-
MARGARET
Yes.
Distant footsteps-
MARGARET (CONT'D)
...Definitely the grey.
JUNE returns, oblivious-
4
DENIS (O.S)
Righty ho. Boss knows best.
JUNE spies the newspaper, sees the photos of twisted
carnage on the front page.
DENIS (CONT'D)
Don't let her take my paper away.
JUNE reaches one hand out to scoop it up in passing-
MARGARET
Oh, I haven't had a chance to look
at that yet, dear.
JUNE
Sorry.
JUNE hesitates, leaves the newspaper resting on the bed
as she heads off with the suit on a hanger.
DENIS
Atta-girl.
DENIS smiles as he stands in the bathroom doorway,
soaping his face with shaving cream-
He hums to himself as he resumes shaving until-
DENIS (O.S) (CONT'D)
Damn.
MARGARET looks up, DENIS has nicked his chin-
MARGARET
Blot it...Blot it..
She turns, sees JUNE, through the ajar door, standing in
the corridor, looking back at her
JUNE
Sorry ?
INT. DRAWING ROOM. CHESTER SQUARE. LONDON. PRESENT. DAY.
A comfortable drawing room, filled with the photographs
and memorabilia of a former political life.
MARGARET stands by the window, half a dozen of DENIS'
ties in her hand. Pulling back the net curtain, MARGARET
peers out-
Two POLICEMAN stand down below next to a Police BMW car.
They are lost in conversation, pointing to the door,
clearly concerned.
5
One POLICE MAN nods to the other, a sense of the changing
of the guard as he drives off in the BMW.
SUDDENLY from behind-
DENIS
Now look what you've done. Are
they to keep the loonies out or
you in?
MARGARET eyes DENIS, looking at her with wry smile -
DENIS (CONT'D)
I'll be off then.
MARGARET
Wear your scarf. There's a chill
out there.
Suddenly looming over her and grinning down as if at the
top of a tunnel SUSIE, MARGARET's personal secretary
carrying a cardboard box.
SUSIE
Good morning Lady Thatcher. Are
you alright ?
(concerned)
How are you feeling ?
MARGARET
I'm fine, thank you Susie.
SUSIE
I've just been reading about the
bombings.
MARGARET
Yes. Frightful.
SUSIE's mobile goes off. She fumbles in her bag to
switch it off.
SUSIE
Sorry.
SUSIE (CONT'D)
These are the books for you to
sign. I brought as many as I could
find. Shall we go through your
appointments?
MARGARET looks at her still nonplussed.
SUSIE (CONT'D)
We said we'd go through them
today.
6
MARGARET nods-
MARGARET
Yes, of course, dear. Today.
SUSIE
The invitation has come from
Downing Street for the unveiling
of your portrait. I'll put it on
the mantelpiece, and there's an
invitation from Lord Armstrong for
lunch on the first Friday of next
month.
The murmur of SUSIE's voice, a kind of white noise-
SUSIE (O.S.) (CONT'D)
I said no because you've got a
concert that afternoon but if
you'd like to..?
SILENCE-
SUSIE(O.S) (CONT'D)
....It looks like a very
interesting programme.
MARGARET's listens, oddly distracted-
MARGARET
What are they playing?
SUSIE looks at her momentarily at a loss then scrabbles
back through the diary-
SUSIE
I think they said Rogers and
Hammerstein.
`SHALL WE DANCE' FROM `THE KING & I" SUDDENLY BREAKING
THROUGH AS IF FROM ANOTHER TIME CARRYING INTO....
INT. SADLER'S WELLS. LONDON. 1950. NIGHT.
An orchestra in full flight-
A programme for THE KING & I on a woman's lap. A man's
hand reaches in and her hands slips into his.
INT. DRAWING ROOM. CHESTER SQUARE. LONDON. PRESENT. DAY.
Whilst SUSIE shuffles through the arrangements at the
desk in the background, MARGARET stands at the window.
7
MARGARET
Silly man.
MARGARET's gaze, seeing DENIS just visible in the street
below. He looks up, smiles,
MARGARET (CONT'D)
He hasn't got his scarf on.
MARGARET throws DENIS a half wave. In return, he twirls
his umbrella and does a couple of steps of a Chaplin walk
for her benefit before passing the Postman who is
shuffling through his letters as he approaches the front
step, below.
SUSIE looks on with quiet concern.
INT. DRAWING ROOM. CHESTER SQUARE. LONDON. PRESENT. DAY.
MARGARET' is at her desk signing a stack of her memoirs,
The Downing Street Years.
MARGARET opens one, reaching for a pen. The curve of inky
handwriting as she begins to sign them, Margaret
Thatcher.
Close on the swoop of the pen. Without missing a beat,
she writes the name Margaret Roberts...
The insistent blare of an air raid siren from another
time cuts through -
INT. BACK PARLOUR. SHOP. GRANTHAM. 1943. DUSK.
The rumble of an approaching air raid overhead-
The STEADY SHAKE of the table legs all around pulls out
to reveal-
BEATRICE ROBERTS [early 50's] austere, crouched next to
MARGARET under a wide kitchen table along with ALFRED
ROBERTS [early/mid 50's] a cumbersome man and MURIEL
ROBERTS [21 yrs]. The sound of an air-raid siren.
ALFRED
Did someone cover the butter?
All look at one another in a panic.
MARGARET
I'll go.
Suddenly MARGARET scrabbles out from under the table, all
look on with horror-
8
BEATRICE
Leave it.
ALFRED (CALLING AFTER)
Margaret-
INT. SHOP. GRANTHAM. 1943. DUSK.
MARGARET scooping up the butter cover slamming it quickly
over the thin slice of butter left in the butter dish
before sliding it into the cold cupboard underneath the
counter.
SUDDENLY the shop illuminates- A DISTANT EXPLOSION.
MARGARET momentarily paralyzed before, running back
towards the back parlour to resume her place under the
table.
INT. BACK PARLOUR. SHOP. GRANTHAM. 1943. DUSK.
MARGARET scrabbles underneath.
ALFRED surreptitiously pats her arm.
ALFRED (CONT'D)
Good girl.
She shrugs, flushing with pride.
ALFRED (CONT'D)
Tomorrow, no matter what they do,
it'll be business as usual.
The DRONE of the air raid dissolving away-
INT. SHOP, GRANTHAM. 1945. DAY.
A boy and girl look on as MARGARET measures flour on the
shop scales.
CUSTOMER (O.S.)
Two of the small beef, Mr.
Roberts.
MARGARET glances up at her father serving further down
the counter.
ALFRED (O.S.)
What is the life blood of any
community? It's business....
9
INT. HALL. GRANTHAM. 1943. DAY
ALFRED on a small town hall stage behind a makeshift
podium.
ALFRED
Not just big business but small
businesses, like mine.
The SOFT press of MEN all around, MARGARET, a lone woman
amongst them, peering over shoulders.
BEATRICE
(passing/hushed
aside)
Margaret!
BEATRICE tuts, shoving a tray in her hand.
BEATRICE (CONT'D)
CUPS!
MARGARET sinks a little, taking the tray, and glances
back at ALFRED just visible on a stage.
ALFRED
We on this island are strong.
We're self-reliant. Sometimes
we're plain bloody minded.
NOW AT THE BACK OF THE HALL, holding a tray loaded with
dirty cups, MARGARET watches her father, back turned to
the kitchen filled with WOMEN and YOUNG GIRLS making tea
and washing up cups.
ALFRED (CONT'D)
But we also believe in helping
each other. And I don't mean by
state hand-outs...
EXT. STREET. GRANTHAM. 1943. DAY.
MARGARET sweeps outside the shop, glancing across the
street at-
THREE PRETTY GIRLS dolled up for the evening and arms
linked, crossing on the other side of the pavement.
PRETTY YOUNG WOMAN 1
Margaret, do you want to come to
the pictures?
MARGARET's eyes catch on the glitter of a broach in
passing. They turn to look at her WHISPERING and
GIGGLING.
10
PRETTY YOUNG WOMAN 2
She can't come, she's got to
study.
The FLUSH of MARGARET'S skin -
PRETTY YOUNG WOMAN 2 (CONT'D)
Miss Hoity Toity!
The STING OF EMBARRASSMENT.
THE SENSE OF THE PRETTY GIRLS WHISPERING ABOUT HER, EYES
TRAVELLING OVER her disparagingly.
ALFRED (V.O.)
Never run with the crowd,
Margaret. Go your own way.
The SWAY of a SKIRT as they walk away.
ALFRED OOV
(close to)
Open it then.
INT. SHOP. GRANTHAM. 1943. DAY.
Close on a telegram addressed to MARGARET ROBERTS, 1-3
North Parade, Grantham.
MARGARET'S father ALFRED, watching.
MARGARET
(looking up)
I've got a place at Oxford.
ALFRED bear-hugs MARGARET awkwardly.
INT. DRAWING ROOM. CHESTER SQUARE. LONDON. PRESENT. DAY.
MARGARET at her desk, the ghost of a smile.
INT. SHOP. GRANTHAM. 1943. DAY
ALFRED
Don't let me down Margaret.
The CHINK of a teacup-
MARGARET looks down the corridor in expectation at
BEATRICE standing at the sink working the SQUEAK of the
cloth against a stubborn tea stain.
11
MARGARET
(calling out)
Mother?
BEATRICE comes down the corridor into the shop, wiping
her hands on a cloth. ALFRED goes to hand BEATRICE the
letter.
BEATRICE
(shakes head)
My hands are still damp.
BEATRICE turns and walks back to where she came from.
MARGARET looks back at the letter, heart bursting, trying
to contain her joy.
INT. DRAWING ROOM. CHESTER SQUARE. LONDON. PRESENT. DAY.
MARGARET looks down, pen in hand, the words Margaret
Roberts newly signed in the front cover.
She tears the page out.
INT. BEDROOM. HOUSE. CHESTER SQUARE. LONDON. PRESENT.DAY.
MARGARET napping in bed.
The still of the bedroom, caught in the half light of a
late afternoon-
A hand slides a teacup onto the bedside table -
The flicker of MARGARET's eyelids-
QUICKFLASH -
BEATRICE
(passing/hushed
aside)
Margaret!
BEATRICE tuts, shoving a tray in her hand.
BEATRICE (CONT'D)
CUPS!
PRESENT -
MARGARET stirs again, blinking awake.
DENIS sits by the window. He is bent over a pair of
spectacles, wrapping wire around one of the arms with a
pair of pliers. Other items of clothing of his are on
Margaret's couch.
12
DENIS
(without taking his
eyes of the job)
They're talking about you again.
The murmur of JUNE on the phone-
MARGARET
What time is it?
DENIS
Sun's not quite over the yard arm.
Time for tea.
A phone rings, O.S.
MARGARET considers DENIS now wearing a pink turban and
confronts the extraordinary head-gear.
MARGARET
What have you got on your head?
DENIS smiles, throwing back his head, the swathe of pink
fabric from his turban hanging down ridiculously-
DENIS
Found it in the cupboard and
thought bugger it, it's Friday,
why not fancy dress?
MARGARET sits drinking her tea, JUNE's hushed tones
almost audible.
MARGARET
You look ridiculous.
MARGARET strains to hear-
DENIS
Bosslady no like?
She makes a shushing motion.
MARGARET
(as if to a bad dog)
No, Denis, Bosslady no like.
MARGARET resumes listening. The door ajar, the sounds of
life just audible outside-
JUNE (O.S)
It's taken Carol so long to get
her to agree to this. She's been
so reluctant to let his things go.
DENIS sinks onto the bed, bored.
13
MARGARET
(without looking)
Feet.
He tuts and adjusts his legs so that his shoes don't
dirty the bedspread.
MARGARET stands, ear pressed close to the open door-
JUNE (O.S)
You can never be sure she's taking
her medication...I think sometimes
she hides them..
DENIS VO
Oh, rumbled!
MARGARET looks back at her cup of tea, spots two pills
resting in the tea cup.
She considers the pills, pops them in her mouth, drinks.
JUNE (O.S)
She's definitely more distracted
than usual today.
INT/EXT. BEDROOM. CHESTER SQUARE. PRESENT. DAY.
A shout in the street. A woman's voice.
CAROL OOV
Can I suggest you remove the
sticker from the back of your car.
Margaret looks through the net curtains and sees CAROL
THATCHER[early 50's] just visible stepping out of a taxi,
remonstrating with the driver, clutching her purse and
waving her credit card at him with rising irritation.
CAROL OOV (CONT'D)
Well then take the sticker off! I
call that false advertising! I
would say keep the change, but
there isn't any change.
INT. DRAWING ROOM. CHESTER SQUARE. LONDON. PRESENT. DAY.
A scotch being poured. The cap not quite going back on
the whisky bottle. A frantic fumble for the remotes for
the tv.
CAROL OOV
Hello June, any news? I've brought
every bag I could find.
14
High shot of MARGARET sitting in a chair watching TV. As
if she has been there a while.
CAROL enters with suit carriers in her arms.
CAROL
Hello Ma. Bloody taxi driver.
Wouldn't take my card. I said
don't have a sticker saying you
take Visa and then insist on cash.
Can you believe it? I was
rummaging around the bottom of my
bag. He didn't get a tip.
MARGARET
I didn't know that you were
dropping by today, dear.
CAROL
(Dumping her stuff all over the
place)
Yes, you said yesterday...You
wanted to make a start on Dad's
things. The cupboards ? Then I can
help you dress.
MARGARET, nonplussed.
CAROL (CONT'D)
You've got Michael and-
MARGARET
Jaqueline...
CAROL
Coming for dinner tonight.
MARGARET
Of course.
(turning up the TV)
We're having halibut.
On TV, images of a bombed street,
CAROL
Oh God. Isn't it terrible?
MARGARET nods, both silently listening to the drone of
the newscaster-
CAROL (CONT'D)
They think it's Al Quaida -
The charred remains of cars, desperate people running, a
rescue operation midway-
MARGARET blinks, inwardly reeling from the images-
15
MARGARET (V.O)
Denis!
Quick Flash: Denis in pyjamas, brushing his teeth in a
hotel bathroom, glances at her through the open door.
DENIS
It'll be fine. Come on, get your
head down, it's ten to three, for
God's sake.
EXT. GRAND HOTEL. BRIGHTON. 1984. NIGHT.
Chaos outside the Grand Hotel in the aftermath of the
bomb.
The injured are pulled through the rubble.
NEWS READER (V.O.)
At ten to three this morning an
explosion extensively damaged the
Grand Hotel in Brighton, scene of
the Conservative Party conference.
NEWS READER 2 (V.O.)
...Where the Prime Minister and a
number of her cabinet were
staying. They escaped unhurt -
The WHIR of SIRENS-
The BLUR of FIRE ENGINE LIGHTS-
The image of a BODY being stretchered out of the rubble
by FIREFIGHTERS.
NEWS READER 3 (V.O.)
Five people have died, many others
are injured, some critically. The
IRA have claimed responsibility.
DENIS and MARGARET sit in their coats covering MARGARET's
evening dress and DENIS pyjamas. Both looking out in
silent shock at the devastated Grand hotel, reflected on
the glass of the car windows.
MARGARET looks on with quiet, sobering despair, still
numb with shock. DENIS looks at her. He grips her hand.
They sit, fingers locked.
INT. DRAWING ROOM. CHESTER SQUARE. LONDON. PRESENT. DAY.
Close on MARGARET's hand and whisky glass. Shaking.
16
MARGARET
(standing up)
We must release a statement,
offering our condolences.
CAROL
I'm sure they've already-
MARGARET
We must never, ever, ever give in
to terrorists.
MARGARET sees JUNE and CAROL exchange looks of `oh
dear...'
INT.BEDROOM. HOUSE. CHESTER SQUARE. LONDON. PRESENT.DUSK.
MARGARET sits in a dressing gown at a dressing table,
staring at her reflection. CAROL stands behind her,
holding up several dresses.
CAROL
Now ma, are we going long or just
below the knee tonight?
MARGARET
Oh, below the knee I should think.
She watches, irritated, as CAROL reaches to move a pile
of DENIS' clothes-
MARGARET (CONT'D)
No! Don't move those. I haven't
finished sorting them.
CAROL settles beside her on a chair.
CAROL
I hear you went out today...You
mustn't go out on your own Mummy.
We've talked about that.
MARGARET
There was no milk.
CAROL
Call Robert he'll get it for you
if June's not up-
MARGARET
I am not for the knackers yet.
From behind-
DENIS (O.S)
Now take it easy, Margaret.
17
DENIS just visible, perched on the bed, looks up from
doing the crossword in the newspaper-
CAROL
No one is saying that.
MARGARET
If I can't go out to buy a pint of
milk then what is the world coming
to. Really Carol, please don't
fuss about it. You've always been
like this, fuss fuss fuss. You
must find something better to do
with your time. It's most
unattractive in a woman. When I
was your age the last thing I
wanted to do was fuss around my
mother.
Silence-
CAROL, inwardly stung quietly busying herself, forcing
all emotion away.
MARGARET hesitates catching DENIS' eye, with quiet
warning.
DENIS
Four down, 9 letters.
DENIS withdraws into his crossword.
DENIS (CONT'D)
Something b something t something
n...something something
somthing...Refusal to change
course-
MARGARET
Obstinate.
DENIS writes, pleased.
CAROL looks up, with quiet bemusement-
CAROL
What?
MARGARET deflects, pointing to a necklace in CAROL's
hands.
MARGARET
Pearls. I'll wear the pearls.
CAROL slips them onto MARGARET'S neck and fastens them.
18
MARGARET (CONT'D)
There they are. My little twins.
Thank you, dear.
INT. CORRIDOR. CHESTER SQUARE. LONDON. PRESENT. EVENING.
The murmur of conversation-
CAROL tails MARGARET, steady on the approach towards the
drawing room.
CAROL
It's nearly all familiar faces,
William, Michael and his lovely
wife-
MARGARET
Jacqueline.
CAROL smiles, clearly reassured-
CAROL
And then there's Peter, James R
and James T and that very nice man-
DISTANT LAUGHTER
MARGARET
Yes-
CAROL
- we met last year.
MARGARET
Yes I remember-
CAROL
I think he's bringing his new lady
friend just to mix it up a bit.
We're rather short on women - but
I'm sure we'll manage-
MARGARET
I've always preferred the company
of men-
CAROL gestures ahead, MARGARET nods, reticent, yet
forcing herself on, she hesitates at the door, her hand
trembling on the handle.
CAROL
Ma?
19
INT. CORRIDOR.DARTFORD. 1949. EVENING.
Close up of a shoe being rubbed on a calf. A young hand
hesitating on a door handle.
INT. SITTING ROOM. HOUSE. DARTFORD. 1949. EVENING.
A 1950's drinks party-
A bank of stuffy GREY SUITED MEN pontificating and their
WIVES lost in a separate polite conversation-
GREY SUITED MAN
Ah, Miss Roberts. Hoping to be
chosen as our candidate for
parliament.
A young MARGARET [24yrs] stylish in a suit, straight from
work, stands clutching her handbag, oddly out of place
amidst the neat 50's chintz. A bank of sporting prints
collage a wall. A bespectacled YOUNG DENIS THATCHER
(30's) glances up from his drink, taking her in.
INT.DINING ROOM. CHESTER SQUARE. LONDON. PRESENT.EVENING.
The MURMUR of dinner party conversation-
MARGARET
Well I don't like coalitions,
never have...
MARGARET's POV of her fingers absently grazing a
confusing array of cutlery laid out in place setting in
front of her.
Her confused face.
DENIS VO
Start on the outside...
INT. DINING ROOM. HOUSE. DARTFORD. 1949. EVENING.
DENIS whispers.
DENIS VO
...and work your way in.
A long table packed with silverware. She looks back at
her ornate and rather hideous starter, a tiny wobbling
savoury confection in aspic.
20
PORTLY HOST
...Attlee has his sights set on
the steel industry, you mark my
words.
GREY SUITED MAN
They'll be nationalizing the
bloody air next.
MALE GUEST
Yes, hold your breath, sir, that's
government property!
PORTLY HOST
So was your father a political
man, too, Miss Roberts?
MARGARET
Oh, yes, to his core. And Mayor of
Grantham.
PORTLY HOST
And a grocer as well!
MARGARET
Yes.
Ears prick up around the table. The Host is lost for
something to say.
HOSTESS
And did you help, err, in
the...shop?
MARGARET
Oh, yes. It was a family business.
GREY SUITED MAN
A very good starting point for the
political life, I'm sure.
MARGARET
That and a degree from Oxford.
The put-down, though not intentional, causes Denis to
smile.
MARGARET catches the smile. She remains unruffled and
goes back to her food, picking up a knife and fork,
working her way in, teasing her hors d'oeuvres.
INT. DINING ROOM. CHESTER SQUARE.LONDON.PRESENT.EVENING.
MARGARET sits oddly removed, hand instinctively covering
her wine glass, as a WINE WAITER hovers.
21
MARGARET
(hushed aside to
WAITER)
Whisky.
The MURMUR of conversation all around-
INT. DINING ROOM. HOUSE. DARTFORD. 1949. EVENING.
Pudding is on the go and Margaret is warming to her
theme.
MARGARET
What I do think is that a man
should be encouraged to stand on
his own two feet. Yes we help
people of course we help people.
But for those that can do, they
must just get up and do. And if
something's wrong, they shouldn't
just whine about it, they should
get in there and DO something
about it, change things.
The female guests exchange glances. A half-chuckle from
someone.
PORTLY HOST
With all due respect, Miss
Roberts, what may have served in
Grantham-
MARGARET
Can serve very well for the people
of Dartford too.
MALE GUEST
Really?
A general sense of quiet incredulity.
MARGARET
I know much more than those who
have never lived on a limited
income. Just like the man or woman
on the street, when I am short one
week, I have to make economies the
next.
GREY SUITED MAN
Nothing like a slice of fiscal
responsibility.
22
MARGARET
A man might call it fiscal
responsibility, a woman might call
it good housekeeping.
MALE GUEST
I'm not sure a home economics
lesson is quite what the Dartford
constituents need. They see
industry being nationalized, the
unions on the up, the pound on the
slide...whoever can sort that lot
out - he's my man.
MARGARET
Or woman?
Denis lets out a spontaneous guffaw as the host and
hostess exchange looks. He signals `Get them out of
here'. The men rise.
HOSTESS
Ladies shall we ?
PORTLY HOST
Miss Roberts, do join the ladies.
The ladies scurry to the sitting room. Margaret is the
last to leave.
INT. SITTING ROOM. DARTFORD. 1949. EVENING.
As Margaret closes the door to the dining room -
PORTLY HOST (O.S.)
Well. That's told us!
The men laugh raucously. She turns to the ladies who are
regrouping at the fireplace and regarding her with
suspicion.
INT.DINING ROOM. CHESTER SQUARE. LONDON. PRESENT.
EVENING.
The aftermath of the muted dinner party-
MARGARET at the helm, a small whisky just visible nestled
next to her wine glass. She is flushed and nicely mellow
surrounded by mainly MALE GUESTS-
MICHAEL
So, Margaret, how would you have
dealt with this if you'd been
Prime Minister?
23
MARGARET looks at him, her flicker of bemusement.
...slowly registering across the faces of her FRIENDS and
COLLEAGUES including CAROL.
MARGARET
Where?
CAROL
The bombings, mummy. Today?
MARGARET still lost
CAROL (CONT'D)
We were just talking about them?
MARGARET deflects, reaching for her glass, it trembles
unsteady in her grasp.
MARGARET
No, uhm, yes - we have always
lived alongside evil. But it has
never been so patient, so avid for
carnage, so eager to carry
innocents with it into oblivion.
MALE GUEST
So, would you -
MARGARET
Western civilization must root out
this evil, wherever it hides, or
she risks defeat at the hands of
global terror in a nuclear age.
Unimaginable!
Appreciative murmur of agreements amongst the listening
party-
PETER
The Prime Minister gave a very
good statement I thought.
MARGARET
Yes. Clever man. Quite a smoothie.
Laughter-
INT. DRAWING ROOM. CHESTER SQUARE. LONDON. PRESENT.
NIGHT.
MARGARET says final farewells to a guest. He walks away
as another couple approach.
MARGARET
You don't mind if I sit down...
24
Sitting down on a nearby chair, MARGARET looks with
feigned recollection at the FEMALE GUEST as she sinks
down on the ground in front of her, gripping MARGARET's
hand.
FEMALE GUEST
I heard you speak at conference in
1984 in Brighton just after the
IRA bombed the Grand Hotel. You
were remarkable. I hope you
appreciate what an inspiration you
have been for women like myself.
MARGARET hesitates, smiles, nods to herself, considering-
MARGARET
It used to be about trying to do
something. Now its about trying to
be someone.
The FEMALE GUEST nods and scrambled to her feet, clearly
concerned, shooting a look to her HUSBAND standing beside
her, waiting to depart.
FEMALE GUEST
Well anyway, I...thank you.
MARGARET
Good night to you.
MARGARET sits alone. In the background, the chatter of
Carol saying final farewells.
CAROL (O.S.)
Great to see you, thank you very
much for coming.
MALE GUEST (O.S.)
Oh, thank you. It was lovely,
absolutely lovely. And I'm so
pleased to see your mother looking
so well.
INT. DRESSING ROOM. HOUSE. CHESTER SQUARE. PRESENT.NIGHT.
A mirror lined dressing room-
CAROL helps MARGARET with her shoes.
CAROL
OK...hold on to me...that's right.
MARGARET struggles with the catch on her pearls
25
MARGARET
Can you do the clasp, I can't
quite -
CAROL hurries to help her, MARGARET quietly concedes.
Fingers fumble to unclasp the pearls-
MARGARET (CONT'D)
Thank you.
CAROL drops the pearls into a jewelry box, close to
MARGARET, staring back at their reflections.
CAROL
You've got an eyelash.
CAROL catches the stray eyelash on the tip of her finger,
holding it close to MARGARET, with a smile-
CAROL (CONT'D)
Make a wish.
MARGARET, closes her eyes until-
MARGARET blows. She opens them smiles. CAROL smiles.
CAROL (CONT'D)
I spoke to Doctor Michael today-
MARGARET glances away, deflecting.
CAROL (CONT'D)
He is very good and very expensive-
MARGARET ignores her-
CAROL (CONT'D)
...I know you're not due to see
him for another month but I've
spoken to him and he can fit you
in tomorrow.
SILENCE-
CAROL (CONT'D)
Just for a check up.
(silence)
Ma please-
MARGARET
What does Mark think about it?
CAROL
Mark?
26
MARGARET
Yes. Tell him to come up. I want
to talk to him about it.
CAROL, hesitates, with concern-
CAROL
Mark's with Sarah and the
children.
MARGARET nods, heading through into the bathroom.
MARGARET
Well tell him to come up and see
me after he's kissed them good
night, would you Carol darling?
INT. BEDROOM. CHESTER SQUARE. PRESENT. NIGHT.
MARGARET, sitting on her bed, glances expectantly towards
the door. Carol sits down beside her.
CAROL
He's not here Mummy.
MARGARET hesitates, CAROL using all her might, not to
crumble under MARGARET's cool gaze-
CAROL (CONT'D)
Mark lives in South Africa...
MARGARET inwardly flinches.
CAROL (CONT'D)
...you are not Prime Minister
anymore and Dad is...Dad is dead-
Silence-
MARGARET
You look exhausted, dear. You
really must try to get some sleep.
Taxis'll be few and far between at
this hour...
CAROL
Righty-ho. Night night Ma. Sleep
well.
MARGARET
Good night, dear.
The slam of a door. MARGARET sits, alone.
27
INT. SADLERS WELLS. LONDON. 1950. NIGHT.
MARGARET'S POV of Denis turning to her in the theatre. He
smiles.
MARGARET's FINGERS absently grazing over the programme,
in time with the music-
SUDDENLY a closed fist reaches out, then opens to reveal
a sugar mouse. Margaret's fingers reach for it, but it's
teasingly withdrawn. Finally, she takes its.
She turns to smile at DENIS, her face is glowing with
happiness-
INT. TOWN HALL 1950. NIGHT.
MARGARET sits on the edge of a trestle table, scrunching
a rosette in her hand. The Town Hall is empty save for a
couple of Volunteers stacking chairs and sweeping the
floor. The litter of election night is everywhere.
RADIO ANNOUNCER
Twenty-four-year-old Miss Margaret
Roberts lost her bid to win a seat
in Parliament today, but she has
put new life into the Dartford
Conservative Association. Winning
candidate Mr Dodds had better
watch out, this bright young woman
is on his tail.
DENIS appears in the doorway, carrying fish and chips. He
slides them down in front of her.
DENIS
Eat!
MARGARET almost smiles. Then sinks once more into misery.
MARGARET
Disaster.
DENIS
Hang on...Hang on...Hang on...
DENIS fishes in his pocket pulling out a hip flask. An
impromptu supper made. MARGARET takes in the aftermath of
rosettes, the whiff of defeat all around.
DENIS (CONT'D)
You shaved thousands off their
majority. You did splendidly.
MARGARET
Not splendidly enough.
28
DENIS
Ah I see. Self pity.
MARGARET eyes him, mid chip-
DENIS (CONT'D)
No one is saying you don't need a
safe seat. You deserve a safe
seat. But it does not come unless
you learn to play the game a
little.
MARGARET
What game?
She is fuming but he regroups with a big breath.
DENIS
You are a grocer's daughter-
MARGARET
(fiercely)
-And proud of being-
He grabs her hand, silencing her.
DENIS
- in their eyes. A single grocer's
daughter. But if you were to
become the wife of a moderately
successful businessman-
For the first time, we see MARGARET taken by surprise.
DENIS (CONT'D)
You'd get to parliament, and I'd
get to be the happiest man in- in
wherever they select you.
(SILENCE)
Margaret, will you marry me?
She is genuinely stunned.
DENIS (CONT'D)
Well ?
She is frozen. Then she begins to smile and nod her head
and smile.
MARGARET
Yes. Yes!
He leans over and kisses her, long and passionately until-
DENIS
What ?
29
MARGARET
I love you so much but...I will
never be one of those women Denis -
who stays silent and pretty on the
arm of her husband. Or remote and
alone in the kitchen doing the
washing up for that matter.
DENIS
(trying to retain the
moment)
We'll get a help for that.
He leans forward to kiss her again but she pulls away a
little.
MARGARET
No - one's life must matter,
Denis. Beyond the cooking and the
cleaning and the children, one's
life must mean more than that - I
cannot die washing up a tea cup.
He sits up and stares as if seeing her for the first
time.
MARGARET (CONT'D)
I mean it Denis, say you
understand.
DENIS
That's why I want to marry you, my
dear.
She kisses him.
A CHINK of a TEACUP-
They pull apart. FLUSHED and GIGGLING on seeing-
A LONE WOMAN enters the hall, cleaning up the last of the
tea cups, and generally tidying.
DENIS (CONT'D)
Now eat.
MARGARET smiles her joy at him as `SHALL WE DANCE'
swells.
And now she's in his arms as they dance, swirling through
the election debris, eyes only for each other.
30
INT. DRAWING ROOM. CHESTER SQUARE. LONDON. PRESENT.
NIGHT.
MARGARET now on all fours, struggling with her glasses. A
pile of DVD's on the floor, The KING and I amongst them
momentarily catching her eye until-
A DVD with hand-written scrawl that we can't quite read.
MARGARET flicks open the box, struggling to get the DVD
out.
Fiddling with the DVD player, MARGARET puts in the disc
and considers, squinting at the remote, trying to make
the DVD player work until, suddenly...
Super 8 footage - 1959
Children on a beach in wind-swept, grainy super 8. Denis
with a golf club and ping pong balls practicing his drive
from a tee, sending ball after ball skying into the sea.
Mark and Carol charge into the water to retrieve them.
MARGARET
There they are, my little twins.
Mark...
DENIS approaches the camera laughing and appears to take
hold of it. MARGARET is seen sitting on a wobbly camping
stool, hardly dressed for the beach, surrounded by papers
weighed held down by pebbles. She merrily returns to her
work.
DENIS
Cornwall, wasn't it? Bloody
hell... Look at `em, little imps.
You never really got golf, did
you?
DENIS sits behind her on the sofa in a dressing gown,
watching the footage. She sips her whisky.
MARGARET
You look happy.
DENIS
Yes, I do, don't I? You're
drinking too much.
MARGARET ignores him.
DENIS (CONT'D)
Whatcha doing?
DENIS looks at MARGARET, unwavering. She resumes a search-
31
DENIS (CONT'D)
Not like you. Looking back.
MARGARET SUDDENLY presses rewind on the remote, clutched
in her hand.
DENIS (CONT'D)
Don't want to dig around too deep,
M. Don't know what you might find.
The rapid rewind of Denis swinging his golf club.
DENIS (CONT'D)
You can rewind it, but you can't
change it.
She freezes the image of him turning to camera, laughing.
MARGARET
They grow up so fast.
Margaret turns with something to say, but Denis doesn't
seem to be there anymore.
INT. DRAWING ROOM. CHESTER SQUARE. LONDON. PRESENT.NIGHT.
Now on the screen, Mark on a swing. MARGARET'S face
softens.
MARGARET
Mark.
He turns and rushes towards the camera, whooshing past
it.
Without breaking step, suddenly, he's in the room,
running past Margaret, still cheering and whooping.
MARGARET's hand, just skimming MARK's golden curls. As he
moves on, MARGARET's curiosity caught following him out
and down the corridor of Chester Square, seeing the Mark
and Carol disappear round a corner.
INT. HALLWAY. HOUSE. FARNBOROUGH. KENT. 1959. DAWN.
The view beyond-
SPEAKER VO
Mr Eric Deakins, Labour...
13,437...
The CRUNCH of gravel as CAROL and MARK race across the
drive towards a blue ford car, covered with Tory blue
streamers and a VOTE FOR THATCHER poster scrawled with
the words Victory.
30
INT. DRAWING ROOM. CHESTER SQUARE. LONDON. PRESENT.
NIGHT.
MARGARET now on all fours, struggling with her glasses. A
pile of DVD's on the floor, The KING and I amongst them
momentarily catching her eye until-
A DVD with hand-written scrawl that we can't quite read.
MARGARET flicks open the box, struggling to get the DVD
out.
Fiddling with the DVD player, MARGARET puts in the disc
and considers, squinting at the remote, trying to make
the DVD player work until, suddenly...
Super 8 footage - 1959
Children on a beach in wind-swept, grainy super 8. Denis
with a golf club and ping pong balls practicing his drive
from a tee, sending ball after ball skying into the sea.
Mark and Carol charge into the water to retrieve them.
MARGARET
There they are, my little twins.
Mark...
DENIS approaches the camera laughing and appears to take
hold of it. MARGARET is seen sitting on a wobbly camping
stool, hardly dressed for the beach, surrounded by papers
weighed held down by pebbles. She merrily returns to her
work.
DENIS
Cornwall, wasn't it? Bloody
hell... Look at `em, little imps.
You never really got golf, did
you?
DENIS sits behind her on the sofa in a dressing gown,
watching the footage. She sips her whisky.
MARGARET
You look happy.
DENIS
Yes, I do, don't I? You're
drinking too much.
MARGARET ignores him.
DENIS (CONT'D)
Whatcha doing?
DENIS looks at MARGARET, unwavering. She resumes a search-
33
MARGARET fingers brush dark panelled walls, making her
way along endless corridors.
Gothic arches, venerable busts, wood panelling and stone.
MARGARET's pov as she stays to the side of the impressive
corridor. She passes men in suits and groups. Others come
towards her and notice her.
Her POV as she pushes open a first door `TEA ROOM' - a
circle of men turn round in chorus as if something with
three heads has appeared.
POV of a second opening door marked MEMBERS. A row of
urinals. Two headless bodies come towards the camera,
scrambling to zip up their flies.
POV of the promise of sanctuary. LADY MEMBERS. The door
opens onto a cupboard sized space. An ironing board.
A sea of men's Oxford shoes from ground level. A pair of
woman's shoes appear amongst them. They go on tip toe.
From above we see Margaret's hat amongst the sea of mens
heads and shoulders. Margaret is carried along in the sea
of MALE MP's OXFORD SHOES.
AIREY NEAVE [Extremely dapper, friendly 43] approaches
MARGARET.
AIREY NEAVE
Mrs Thatcher ! Airey Neave.
Welcome to the madhouse. Follow
me.
The doors swing open-
INT. HOUSE OF COMMONS CHAMBER. 1974. DAY
MARGARET, now SECRETARY OF STATE FOR EDUCATION, on the
front bench, wearing a neat blue suit and a hat, a
phalanx of MINISTERS sitting beside and around her, BLUE
and GREY SUITED MEN, almost at first glance
indistinguishable, with PRIME MINISTER EDWARD HEATH (late
50's), neat, effete, slumped rather forlornly on the
bench.
MARGARET, her speech and papers in her hand is fighting
hard but the OPPOSITION LABOUR BENCHES scent blood - and
they literally bray, getting to their feet and shaking
their order papers in her face.
The SPEAKER tries to control the chamber but his VOICE is
almost lost in the bedlam.
34
SPEAKER
The Right Honourable Lady the
Secretary of State for Education.
MARGARET
The right honourable gentleman
knows that we have no choice but
to shut down the schools!
Cries of `Shame!' From the opposition. The chamber
reduced to a bear-pit. HEATH glum and offering no help to
MARGARET whose voice becomes increasingly shrill.
MARGARET (CONT'D)
Because his union paymasters have
called a strike deliberately to
cripple our economy. Teachers
cannot teach when there is no
heating, no lighting in their
classrooms. And I ask the
honourable gentleman, whose fault
is that?
SHADOW MINISTER
Methinks the Right Honourable lady
doth screech to much. If she wants
us to take her seriously she must
learn to calm down!
The OPPOSITION BENCHES love that, rocking in their seats,
laughing... falsely of course.
But MARGARET is aware that there are many MEN behind her,
on the government benches, who are also sniggering in
agreement.
MARGARET
If the right honorable gentleman
could perhaps attend more closely
to WHAT I am saying, rather than
HOW I am saying it, he may receive
a valuable education in spite of
himself!
Her opposite number Shadow Minister looks almost smug:
smiling, pointing a finger at her.
SHADOW MINISTER
Why has this Conservative
government failed? Why has it
forced so many in the public
sector into taking strike action
to save their own jobs?
It brings the OPPOSITION benches to their feet, shouting,
applauding, stamping...
35
EXT. WESTMINSTER STREET. 1974. DAY
MARGARET walking with AIREY NEAVE towards Downing Street
for a Cabinet Meeting.
All around, heaped high on either side as far as the eye
can see are bags of rubbish. But not neatly stacked, just
thrown there, many of them rotting down, spilling their
filthy, putrid contents onto the street.
SHADOW MINISTER VO
Minister, the breakdown of
essential public services -
transport, electricity, sanitation
is not the fault of the trades
unions but of this Conservative
government in which you so
shamefully serve!
The stench is awful - and MARGARET'S expression reflects
that as she picks her way through.
INT. CABINET ROOM. DOWNING STREET. 1974. NIGHT.
The ranks of BESPECTACLED GREY-SUITED MINISTERS at the
Cabinet table, including GEOFFREY HOWE.
HEATH
So these power cuts will continue
unless we can reach a compromise.
EDWARD HEATH is in mid-flow.
HEATH (CONT'D)
The miners are asking for a 35%
increase in wages. Obviously we
can't go anywhere near that. The
unions are not our enemies and
never have been. We want - and
have always wanted - the broadest
consensus...
The MINISTERS nod. MARGARET determinedly edges a little
forward so that she is in equal line with the other MALE
MINISTERS.
HEATH (CONT'D)
I'm sure we are all in agreement
that we must do nothing for the
moment that will further inflame
the current situation.
MINISTER 1
Hear hear, Prime Minister.
36
MARGARET leans forward for a better view, trying to catch
his eye. HEATH wavers, mid-speech. All turn to look at
MARGARET - who sits unwavering. HEATH resumes.
HEATH
- the fact of the matter is, it's
absolutely crucial that we are
seen by the public to be acting as
conciliators and not aggressors.
(Finally
acknowledging
Margaret)
Yes, Education Secretary.
MARGARET
Yes...
All eyes TURN on her again, hearing the reservation in
her voice.
MARGARET (CONT'D)
Prime Minister, with the Miners'
leader calling today for the army
to mutiny in support of the
strikes, this seems the wrong time
for conciliation.
SUDDENLY ALL THE LIGHTS GO OUT.
A lot of `bloody hell' `oh for god's sake'.
HEATH
Be patient. They'll come back on
in a minute.
A beam of light cuts through, just for an instant picking
out HEATH'S moon-like face surrounded by darkness.
MARGARET holds the small torch.
HEATH (CONT'D)
Thank you, Margaret.
A snigger, then the lights flicker back on.
HEATH (CONT'D)
Your thoughts are duly noted.
MARGARET turns of the torch and clicks her handbag shut
in satisfaction. Heath's words echo in her head,
`compromise...compromise...compromise...' An inward look
as she's caught by a memory.
ALFRED (O.S.)
We on this island are strong.
We're self-reliant. Napoleon
called us a nation of shopkeepers.
37
INT. TOWN HALL. 1949. NIGHT.
The packed town hall, ALFRED ROBERTS in full flow on
stage.
ALFRED
He meant it as an insult but to me
it's a compliment. That's why he
couldn't beat us, and that's why
Hitler can't beat us.
The crowd of men applaud. The lone woman in their midst,
YOUNG MARGARET watches her father, face aglow.
ALFRED (CONT'D)
We Conservatives believe in giving
people the freedom and opportunity
to fulfil their own potential,
especially the young. There's no
good in pretending we're all
equal, we're not all the same,
never have been, never will be. We
should encourage our children to
aspire to achieve more than we
have, for our children today will
be the leaders of tomorrow.
INT. CAR. STREET. CENTRAL LONDON. 1974. DAWN
...CAROL and MARGARET seated, driving steadily along a
deserted street. MARGARET thoughtful as the radio plays.
VOICE ON THE RADIO
It's 1974 and you'd think it was
WWII. Blackouts, no petrol. It's a
mess. Heath should resign now and
make way for someone who's not
afraid to tackle the unions.
CAROL'S nervous prattle begins to break through.
CAROL
I swear, it's all gone completely
out of my head. My driving
instructor thinks I should pass
but I feel as if I've hardly had
any lessons. Ridiculous isn't it?
Maybe third time lucky.
MARGARET
Right. The only thing you should
remember is that everyone else is
either reckless or inept. And
often both.
MARGARET eyes the road, gesturing CAROL to move forward.
38
MARGARET (CONT'D)
One must be brave if one is to
take the wheel-
CAROL
Right-o.
MARGARET
Move over... Move to your right a
little bit...
CAROL
But if I move to the right aren't
I on the wrong side of the road?
MARGARET
Carol!
CAROL
Well he's in the way!
MARGARET
To the right. Move to the right!
A yelp from CAROL as the car swerves a little, narrowly
missing a lone CYCLIST-
MARGARET (CONT'D)
So sorry! Terribly sorry!
MARGARET throws a wave from the wound down window. The
CYCLIST swerves on recognizing her, watching as the car
goes round and round the square, almost balletic.
CAROL
Hey, look at me, driving!
CAROL's squeals of delight, let loose on the open road.
The tyres screech on the corner.
INT. KITCHEN. FLOOD STREET. LONDON. 1974. DAWN.
Laughter -
VOICES on the approach-
CAROL
Thanks Ma, that was terrific! I
really feel I've got a handle on
it now.
CAROL and MARGARET entering kitchen, still giddy from
their adventure.
CAROL (CONT'D)
You should have seen us, Pa.
39
DENIS in his dressing gown burning toast and attempting
to make breakfast -
MARGARET
Have you been trying to make
breakfast? For Goodness sake,
Denis!
DENIS scrapes down the toast, eggs boiling in the pan.
DENIS
I can boil a bloody egg.
CAROL
Mummy took me for a test drive -
We went absolutely everywhere. All
over the place -
MARGARET
(sudden/cutting in)
I've decided. I'm going to run.
MARGARET smiles, a growing resolution gripping her.
DENIS
What for?
MARGARET
I'm going to run for Leader of the
Party.
CAROL'S utter disappointment on seeing she has lost
MARGARET already.
CAROL
Silly me!
CAROL storms out of the kitchen.
DENIS
(calling after)
Good luck!
CAROL (O.S.)
All the time I thought I was
having a driving lesson, it was
all about my mother, just for a
change!
MARGARET
What's she on about?
DENIS
It's her driving test this
morning!
40
MARGARET
Oh, right. Of course.
A BEAT.
DENIS
Are you saying you want to be
Prime Minister?
MARGARET
(with false patience)
What I'm saying is that someone
must force the point, say the
unsayable. None of these men have
the guts.
MARGARET sees the burnt toast and energetically starts
clearing up and putting more bread under the grill.
DENIS
The Prime Minister has been very
loyal to you, MT.
He tries, with a trembling hand, to scoop boiled eggs
from the pan.
MARGARET
But he's weak, and he's weakened
the party. One must know when to
go.
(glancing at him)
You're shaking.
She reaches out.
DENIS
I can do it!
DENIS pulls his arm away, sending boiled eggs flying.
SILENCE.
MARGARET
Goodness me! What is the matter
with everyone this morning?
A beat. He looks utterly fragile.
DENIS
I've told you what the matter is.
The business is a bit rocky at the
moment and the Doctor thinks I
need a rest.
MARGARET
And do you need a rest?
41
It's almost challenging. He doesn't answer and she
doesn't notice.
MARGARET (CONT'D)
We both know that it's highly
unlikely that I would ever be
elected leader, I'll never be
elected leader. But I will run. I
will run. Just to nip at their
heels and make them reaffirm the
principles on which the
Conservative Party must stand.
There's so much to do.
She smiles.
DENIS
(sotto voce)
You're insufferable, Margaret, do
you know that?
MARGARET
Denis, you married someone who is
committed to public service, you
knew that. And it is my duty -
DENIS
(interrupts)
Don't call it duty. It's ambition
which has got you this far.
Ambition. And the rest of us, me,
the children, we can all go to
hell!
The SLAM of the door, DENIS gone-
DENIS (O.S.) (CONT'D)
Don't worry about me, I'll be
fine!
INT. SITTING ROOM. CHESTER SQ. PRESENT. NIGHT
MARGARET and DENIS sit on the sofa.
MARGARET
Where did you go?
DENIS
South Africa.
MARGARET
Yes.
42
INT. KITCHEN. FLOOD STREET. LONDON. 1974. DAWN
MARGARET eats breakfast alone, engrossed in the
newspaper.
DENIS (V.O.)
How many days passed before you
realized I was gone? Probably had
to ask the cleaning woman where I
was.
INT. SITTING ROOM. CHESTER SQ. PRESENT. NIGHT
MARGARET grips her whiskey, shaking her head.
MARGARET
When did I lose track of everyone?
DENIS
Too busy climbing the greasy pole
MT.
Cutting in -
INTERVIEWER (O.S.)
Mrs Thatcher I understand you
recently visited the United States
of America.
MARGARET'S attention is caught by an old interview,
playing on the TV. She leans forward. On screen, she sits
in a neat hat, leaning forward eagerly.
INTERVIEWER (CONT'D)
What was it you took away from
that visit which may be of value
here in Great Britain?
INT. STUDIO. LONDON. 1975. NIGHT
MARGARET perched on a chair, smiling at the TV
INTERVIEWER -
MARGARET
Oh that's rather easy to answer,
actually. They are unafraid of
success.
INT. REECE'S OFFICE. LONDON. 1975. DAY
MARGARET is watching the same interview on a TV monitor.
She is watching herself intently, as are REECE and AIREY
NEAVE. They are polar opposites, REECE flamboyant to
NEAVE's bluff.
43
She sounds very plummy, like a Conservative party wife
from the shires. And she wears a hat.
MARGARET ON TELEVISION
We in Great Britain and in Europe
are formed mainly by our history.
They on the other hand are formed
by their philosophy. Not by what
has been, but by what can be. Oh,
we have a great deal that we can
learn from them, yes. Oh yes!
MARGARET is trapped in the moment - but the two men
exchange a glance. NEAVE freezes the picture. MARGARET
smiles uneasily, like someone expecting a compliment.
REECE considers her, long and hard. It is a little
unsettling until-
REECE
Well er...For a start, that hat
has got to go. And the pearls. In
fact I think all hats may have to
go. You look and sound like a
privileged Conservative wife and
we've already got her vote. You've
got lovely hair but we need to do
something with it - to make it
more-
AIREY NEAVE
Important.
REECE
Yes. Give it more impact. But the
main thing is your voice. Its too
high. It has no authority.
AIREY NEAVE
Methinks the Lady doth screech too
much
REECE
People don't want to be harangued
by a woman or hectored. Persuaded
yes. That `oh yes' at the end of
the interview, that's
authoritative, that's the voice of
a leader.
MARGARET stares at him.
44
MARGARET
It's all very well to talk about
changing my voice, Mr Reece, but
for some of my colleagues to
imagine me as their leader would
be like imagining, I don't know,
being led into battle by their
chambermaid. It's my background,
and my sex. No matter how I've
tried, and I have tried, to fit
in, I will never be truly one of
them.
Both REECE and NEAVE are aware that she has spoken very
nakedly - and is thus extremely vulnerable.
REECE
If I may say so - I think that's
your trump card. You're flying in
the face of everything the Tories
have been thus far. It's really
very exciting. One simply has to
maximise your appeal, bring out
all your qualities and make you
look, and sound, like the leader
that you could be.
NEAVE
You've got it in you to go the
whole distance.
REECE
Absolutely.
MARGARET
Prime Minister?! Oh no. Oh no no
no. In Britain? There will be no
female Prime Minister here, not in
my lifetime. No. And I told Airey,
I don't expect to win the
leadership, but I am going to run.
Just to shake up the party.
NEAVE moves in intently-
NEAVE
Respectfully, Margaret, I
disagree. If you want to change
this party, lead it. If you want
to change the country, lead it.
What we're talking about here
today is surface. What's crucial
is that you hold your course, and
stay true to who you are. Never be
anything other than yourself.
MARGARET, though flattered, looks sceptical.
45
REECE
Leave us to do the rest.
A BEAT
MARGARET
Gentlemen, I am in your hands. I
may be persuaded to surrender the
hat. But the pearls were a gift
from my husband on the birth of
our twins and they are absolutely
non-negotiable.
MARGARET smiles at them.
INT. REHEARSAL ROOM. NATIONAL THEATRE. LONDON. 1975. DAY
MARGARET stands humming, a THEATRICAL COACH presses her
hand to MARGARET'S stomach.
THEATRICAL VOICE COACH
And...bring it down.
MARGARET hums lower, tries to project her voice.
MARGARET
Maaaaaaaaaaaa.
THEATRICAL VOICE COACH
Good, I think we can loose the
handbag, Mrs Thatcher...Hands down
the sides...Because this isn't
really about the voice, it's about
belief...A nice deep breath.
REECE and NEAVE are watching and monitoring the
performance. DENIS, though present, is having a crafty
fag by the window.
THEATRICAL VOICE COACH (CONT'D)
If you're calling Mr Thatcher, how
would you do that?
MARGARET looks over at him.
MARGARET
(calls)
Denis.
He doesn't react.
THEATRICAL VOICE COACH
Yes, I want more authority, I want
conviction, I want -
46
MARGARET
(a little more
authority)
Denis.
THEATRICAL VOICE COACH
That's right, one more time, deep
breath -
She puts on her new, lower voice.
MARGARET
Denis.
And DENIS reacts immediately, like a guilty thing
surprised, stabbing out his cigarette, turning quickly
towards her.
DENIS
Yes MT!
EXT. YARD. ICE CREAM FACTORY. DAY.
MARGARET makes her way through a crowd of applauding
workers in crisp white uniforms. Like them, she wears a
white cap on her head.
MARGARET
You are the backbone of our
nation! Small firms like Loveday's
Ice Cream. How are you? So nice to
meet you ladies.
General merriment as MARGARET, now inside an ice-cream
van, has a go at dispensing an ice cream from the
machine.
MARGARET (CONT'D)
I'll just have a small one,
because I'm watching my figure.
(handing the cone
out)
That's for you young man!
INT. HAIR SALON. LONDON. 1975. DAY
MARGARET is having new hair colour and the colourist is
75 percent through putting her hair in foil.
MARGARET (V.O.)
I passionately believe it's the
growth of small businesses into
larger ones that is critical for
Britain's future.
47
REECE and NEAVE are sitting nearby, both of them reading
the Financial Times.
EXT. YARD. ICE CREAM FACTORY. DAY.
MARGARET among the ladies again.
MARGARET
It has to be something icy on a
stick for Denis.
Laughter.
MARGARET (CONT'D)
(returning to her subject)
That's the only way we will
produce jobs, real jobs, jobs that
sustain.
INT. HAIR SALON. LONDON. 1975. DAY
MARGARET sitting under the dryer, cooking her new hair,
still correcting paperwork while REECE and NEAVE look on,
twiddling their thumbs.
EXT. FACTORY. LONDON. 1975. DAY
MARGARET is standing on an impromptu stage outside a
factory. She has a hard hat on her head.
MARGARET
The Trade Union Movement was
founded to protect workers. Now it
persecutes them. It stops them
from working. It is killing jobs
and it is bringing this country to
its knees. I say enough. It's time
to get up. It's time to go to
work. It's time to put the Great
back into Great Britain!
INT. HAIR SALON. 1975. DAY
The bouffant is now apparent. REECE AND NEAVE watch in
awe.
INT. BACKSTAGE. CONFERENCE HALL. BRIGHTON. 1979. DAY
A darkened backstage. MARGARET, clutching her speech,
goes over her lines. A FEMALE AIDE sprays her hair.
She looks up, starts to move towards the light.
48
AIREY NEAVE is suddenly next to her.
NEAVE
Give `em hell!
He looks her up and down, with a smile.
NEAVE (CONT'D)
You look magnificent. Next stop
Prime Minister.
MARGARET
Oh Airey...
As from the stage -
ANNOUNCER
The leader of the Conservative
Party, Margaret Thatcher!
MARGARET pushes back her shoulders and walks into battle
to the sound of GROWING APPLAUSE.
INT. MAIN HALL. CONFERENCE HALL. BRIGHTON. 1979. DAY
BRITAIN NEEDS THE CONSERVATIVES bannered overhead and
hung with Union Jacks. MARGARET a swathe of blue, as she
passes through her GREY SUITED CABINET.
From behind she stands, arms outstretched, accepting the
applause, a shock of bright blonde hair as she stands
before a sea of CONSERVATIVE DELEGATES holding up letter
cards WE LOVE YOU MAGGIE!
Wedges of fanatical party faithful on their feet in a
kind of rapture. The blessed Margaret !
DENIS just visible with REECE, HOWE, PYM, HESELTINE and
several other GREY SUITED MINISTERS of her cabinet,
seated close behind now jumping to their feet, with
obvious relief and delight -
RAPTUROUS APPLAUSE, FLASH BULBS POPPING
MARGARET smiles, glorious, catching DENIS' eye. He is
brimming with pride. AIREY NEAVE beams at his protegee.
INT. CORRIDOR. HOUSE. CHESTER SQUARE. PRESENT. DAY.
Close on a photograph of MARGARET and AIREY NEAVE.
MARGARET sits looking at it, her coat on, her handbag on
her lap.
49
INT. UNDERGROUND CAR PARK. HOUSE OF COMMONS. 1979. EVE.
MARGARET is loading papers and files into the boot of her
car. AIREY NEAVE drives towards her, winding down his
window.
NEAVE
Good night Margaret. My money's on
the filly to win!
MARGARET
Oh, thanks Airey. Goodnight.
He laughs and drives towards the exit of the car park.
As MARGARET closes the boot and opens the door to get in
the car suddenly there's a MASSIVE EXPLOSION, the sound
magnified by being in the cavernous underground.
For a few seconds we don't know what's happened.
Through the smoke we see MARGARET running up the ramp
towards us.
MARGARET (CONT'D)
No. No, no! Airey!
Her POV of the fireball of Neave's car. As Margaret looks
in horror at the scene. Her shattered face.
NEWS V.O.
The Irish National Liberation Army
has claimed responsibility for the
death of Airey Neave, Margaret
Thatcher's spokesman on Northern
Ireland.
INT. CONFERENCE HALL. NIGHT.
MARGARET on the conference podium, blinking back tears.
Behind her, Denis' face etched with the same sorrow.
INT. STEPS. HOUSE OF COMMONS. DAY
MARGARET walks alone down the grand stairway, sombre,
deep in thought.
INT. CORRIDOR. CHESTER SQUARE. PRESENT. DAY.
MARGARET looks up from the photograph, tears in her eyes.
AIREY NEAVE (V.O.)
If you want to change the party,
lead it.
(MORE)
50
AIREY NEAVE (V.O.) (CONT'D)
If you want to change the country,
lead it. You've got it in you to
go the whole distance!
On MARGARET as memories flood in. A TV headline
announces: ELECTION 1979.
INT. CONFERENCE HALL. NIGHT
MARGARET on the podium.
MARGARET
Now, as the test draws near, I ask
your help. That together we can
shake off the shackles of
socialism and restore to greatness
this country that we love so much.
And the only way is for the
Conservative Party to win!
The black streak of MARGARET'S car, a blur of colour,
faces, waving flags -
TV footage of polling night. Swingometers, pollsters,
impressionistic snatches of reported speech.
More footage of PEOPLE coming out of polling stations.
Jubilant crowds applauding..
MARGARET, silhouetted in her iconic stance, arms aloft...
INT. CAR. DOWNING STREET. LONDON. 1979. DAY.
MARGARET peering out of the window, hands sunk in the
lap, a flash of the Royal blue fabric of her skirt,
clenched in fingers.
NEWS READER (V.O.)
It's Friday the 4th of May, an
historic day for Britain, a
Conservative government led by
Mrs. Thatcher is set to lead -
NEWS READER 2 (V.O.)
Mrs Ghandi in India, but never in
the West has there been a woman
Prime Minister.
NEW READER 3 (V.O.)
The place that she has secured in
British history, as the first
woman ever to be invited to form a
government.
(MORE)
51
NEW READER 3 (V.O.) (CONT'D)
The bonus of one of the most
famous addresses in the world,
Number 10 Downing Street.
NOISE. FLAGS. BANNERS read `We LOVE YOU MAGGIE' blur
through the window, an abstract cacophony of noise and
colour-
DENIS
This is it, steady the buffs old
girl.
He clasps her hand for a moment as MARGARET smiles at
him.
The door swings open-
EXT. DOWNING STREET. LONDON. 1979. DAY.
The CAMERA from behind on MARGARET rising up out of the
car, to face a waiting PRESS CORP. The jostle of a POLICE
OFFICER, DENIS and OTHERS press her either side-
MARGARET
I should just like to say that I
take very seriously the trust the
British people placed in me today,
and I will work hard every day to
live up to that responsibility.
And now, I should like to share
with you a prayer of St Francis of
Assisi: Where there is discord may
we bring harmony... Where there is
error may we bring truth... Where
there is doubt may we bring
faith... Where there is despair
may we bring hope..
The CAMERA rises up, high above MARGARET until she is
just a blue dot, on the dark tarmac, a lone woman
standing facing the circle of cameras and microphones.
The door of Number 10 looms ahead.
INT. DRAWING ROOM. DOWNING STREET. LONDON. 1979. DAY.
The cheers go over ..
The CABINET gathering for a group shot-
MARGARET
Shoulders back, tummies in!
Laughter. Michael Heseltine, standing behind MARGARET,
reaches out to smooth a stray lock of her hair.
52
MARGARET (CONT'D)
Oh. Thank you, Michael.
MARGARET seated at the heart of her entire CABINET, as if
she is royalty.
The FLASH of the CAMERA - the image frozen.
INT. CORRIDOR. HOUSE. CHESTER SQUARE. PRESENT. DAY.
The same image, framed on a side table beside MARGARET.
The distant hum of a hoover.
MARGARET
I'm perfectly healthy. There's no
need for any of this.
Denis appears, his hand inside his shoe, polishing it
vigorously.
DENIS
Just let them look under the
bonnet, MT. Check everything is
hunky dory.
MARGARET hesitates. She sits in silence until-
MARGARET
Really it's becoming quite
tiresome.
DENIS
What is?
MARGARET
You.
(beat)
I was on my own for twenty four
years before I met you and I can
manage perfectly well without you
now. So will you please go away
and stop bothering me.
INT. CONSULTING ROOM. HARLEY STREET. LONDON. PRESENT.DAY
A distinguished consulting room-
MARGARET sits silent, as an EMINENT DOCTOR checks her
blood pressure. The beep of the machine, steady and
monotonous until-
DOCTOR
Just look straight at me, straight
ahead, that's it.
53
The DOCTOR scribbles some notes, considering-
DOCTOR (CONT'D)
Are you noticing night sweats?
MARGARET
No
DOCTOR
Hallucinations?
MARGARET hesitates. She shakes her head.
MARGARET
No.
DOCTOR
Sleep?
MARGARET
Yes, I sleep. Four, five hours a
night.
DOCTOR
So you wake early?
MARGARET
And I stay up late. I always have.
She looks at him as if he really should know this about
her. The DOCTOR notes this down.
DOCTOR
We just want to keep abreast of
it.
MARGARET
Yes. Of course.
DOCTOR
Grief is a very natural state.
MARGARET
My husband has been gone for
years. Cancer.
DOCTOR
Carol says you've decided to let
his things go. Probably a good
thing.
MARGARET
Yes. It was my idea. To Oxfam.
Perfectly good stuff. People can
use these things.
54
DOCTOR
Still it must be a bit
disorientating. You are bound to
be feeling.
MARGARET
What? What am I `bound to be
feeling'?
The DOCTOR looks up from his note taking, hearing the
quiet challenge in MARGARET's voice.
MARGARET (CONT'D)
People don't `think' any more.
They `feel'. `How are you
feeling?' `Oh I don't feel
comfortable with that' `Oh, I'm so
sorry but we, the group were
feeling...' D'you know, one of the
great problems of our age is that
we are governed by people who care
more about feelings than thoughts
and ideas.
(beat)
Now thoughts and ideas. That
interests me.
(beat)
Ask me what I am thinking-
The DOCTOR hesitates, letting MARGARET settle until-
DOCTOR
What are you thinking, Margaret?
MARGARET looks at the DOCTOR, quietly struggling with a
fury, threatening to unleash-
MARGARET
Watch your thoughts, for they
become words. Watch your words,
for they become actions. Watch
your actions, for they become
habits. Watch your habits, for
they become your character. And
watch your character, for it
becomes your destiny. What we
think, we become. My father always
said that.
(beat)
And I think I am fine.
(beat)
But I do so appreciate your kind
concern.
The sudden and persistent buzz of an intercom-
MARGARET (CONT'D)
Oh, do please answer that.
55
MARGARET holds his gaze, with quiet unwavering steel
unsettling the DOCTOR a little.
MARGARET (CONT'D)
It might be someone who needs you.
The DOCTOR reluctantly answers his intercom-
INT. CORRIDOR CHESTER SQUARE. PRESENT. DUSK.
JUNE heads up the stairs, MARGARET following behind.
JUNE
I'll give Carol a quick ring, let
her know we're back, then I'll put
your electric blanket on.
MARGARET nods. Looking through the bannisters, her eyes
fall on-
A golf ball running along the floor. MARGARET considers,
looks up-
DENNIS OOV
Steady, steady, steady! Damn.
Fore!
The ball bounces down the wooden stairs.
INT. KITCHEN. CHESTER SQUARE. LONDON. PRESENT. DUSK.
MARGARET opens the fridge. A cold plated lunch resting on
a shelf.
DENIS
What about that medicine man, eh?
Ah. Cold supper. Standards are
slipping Margaret.
MARGARET ignores DENIS taking out the plate unwrapping
the cellophane off it and placing it on a table, already
laid ready for her to eat.
DENIS (CONT'D)
Well you really gave it to that
quack didn't you, darling ? Just
like the old days! Hallucinations
my eye!
DENIS picks up a piece of cucumber from her plate. She
absently smacks at his hand.
DENIS (CONT'D)
How dare he?
DENIS smiles.
56
DENIS (CONT'D)
But then you give us all the run
around, don't you?
MARGARET looks at him, silently infuriated.
INT. DRAWING ROOM. CHESTER SQUARE. PRESENT. DUSK.
MARGARET pours herself a whiskey. DENIS looms close,
serves a splash of soda.
DENIS
I know you can hear me,
sweetheart, so there's no use
pretending you can't.
MARGARET turns, ignoring him.
MARGARET
Enough. Denis, enough!
DENIS
(saluting)
Dismissed!
INT. DRAWING ROOM. CHESTER SQUARE. PRESENT. DUSK.
MARGARET sits reading DENIS' spy novel.
DENIS
She does it in the end. Kills him-
MARGARET slams the book closed.
DENIS (CONT'D)
I don't know why you're being so
scratchy.
MARGARET's eyes dart to the clock.
DENIS (CONT'D)
It's not as if you've got anyone
else to talk to.
Shaking her head, MARGARET tries to block him out.
MARGARET (V.O.)
When the Himalayan peasant meets
the he-bear in his pride -
57
DENIS
You know, it's a marvel to me that
you can still quote huge chunks of
Kipling but try remembering the
name of that woman who's just made
you that godawful cold
collation... No? Come on... you
can do it... month of the year...
one syllable... rhymes with moon
...
MARGARET
(sudden/like a
lightbulb)
June.
MARGARET turns to DENIS, a quiet appalling victory.
DENIS
June! Bingo. Knew you'd get there
in the end. "When the Himalayan
peasant meets the he-bear in his
pride, He shouts to scare the
monster, who will often turn
aside, but the she-bear thus
accosted rends the peasant tooth
and nail. For the female of the
species is more deadly than the
male..."
As he continues, MARGARET reaches for the remote, turns
the television on. She moves onto the radio. Then the
stereo. She moves on, talking to herself-
A gradual growing cacophony of sound-
INT. KITCHEN. CHESTER SQUARE. PRESENT. DUSK.
MARGARET flicks on mixers, radios, toasters-
INT. DRAWING ROOM. CHESTER SQUARE. PRESENT. DUSK.
The noise almost unbearable now-
MARGARET turns on a hi-fi, the TV now on-
MARGARET
If I can't hear you then I can't
see you. And if I can't see you
then you are not here.
MARGARET closes her eyes.
58
MARGARET (CONT'D)
And if you are not here, I am not
going mad. I will not...I will not
go mad.
She opens them and suddenly freezes on seeing an image of
herself, bewildered and leaving Harley Street, caught on
the TV-
BBC VOICEOVER
Baroness Thatcher made an
apparently routine visit to her
doctor today. Although rarely
seen in public, Lady Thatcher, the
longest serving Prime Minister of
the twentieth century, remains a
controversial figure.
MARGARET turns up the volume to full, trying to hear over
the cacophony of noise the changing images on the TV
illuminating her pale face.
JUNE
Margaret-
MARGARET barely sees her, eyes riveted to the TV.
BBC VOICE OVER
Almost lovingly dubbed by the
Soviets The Iron Lady, she's also
credited, with her friend Ronald
Reagan, with a decisive role in
the ending of the Cold War. Her
supporters claim she transformed
the British economy and reversed
the country's post-war decline.
Her detractors blame her savage
public spending cuts and sweeping
privatization of -
JUNE moves like a dervish through the house, muting the
television and turning off the last of the appliances-
A gradual silence descends until-
MARGARET takes in the image of herself on the mute
screen, standing bewildered on the steps of Harley
Street.
MARGARET
(almost to self)
I don't recognize myself.
59
INT. BATHROOM. CHESTER SQUARE. PRESENT. NIGHT.
The shelf of a bathroom cabinet. Shaving brush. Razor.
Medicaments. MARGARET begins to pull them all off the
shelves.
DENIS (O.S.)
Am I out of the doghouse yet?
Then a pair of glasses. More gently, MARGARET'S hand
reaches into the cupboard and takes the glasses in her
hand.
INT. BEDROOM. HOUSE.CHESTER SQUARE.PRESENT.NIGHT.
MARGARET lies in bed, book in her lap, DENIS beside her
reading the paper. She closes the book and pulls off her
reading glasses.
MARGARET
They're unveiling that portrait of
me at Number 10 next month. The
invitation's on the mantelpiece.
So there'll be Churchill, Lloyd
George and me. Just the three of
us.
SILENCE-
MARGARET (CONT'D)
I said I didn't want any big fuss
but they insisted..
SILENCE-
Lovely little article in The
Telegraph... The Woman Who Changed
the Face of History..
SILENCE-
Voices from the past intrude -
FOOT VO
Less than two years ago, the Prime
Minister quoted St. Francis and
talked about bringing faith, hope
and harmony to this country.
MARGARET suddenly reaches out a hand, her hand shaking-
MARGARET
Denis?
She turns in bed. Sudden panic, DENIS is gone-
60
A HECKLING CHAMBER RISING THROUGH-
INT. CHAMBERS. HOUSE OF COMMONS. 1980. DAY.
A HECKLING chamber as MARGARET sits, facing LABOUR
OUTRAGE, the labour leader, FOOT, grips his paper, mid
speech-
FOOT
Can the Right Honourable Lady
deny, that having brought about
the highest level of unemployment
since 1934-
MARGARET bides her time on the front bench, waiting her
turn, surrounded by her CABINET MINISTERS including HOWE,
PYM and HESELTINE-
FOOT (CONT'D)
The biggest fall in total output
in steel and coal production in
one year since 1931. And the
biggest collapse in industrial
production since 1921.
MARGARET remains seemingly calm and serene, and yet one
hand quietly grips the bench, her wedding ring tapping
against the wood nervously.
FOOT (CONT'D)
Can she also accept that her free
market economics designed to
create a growing middle class
ensures that the rich get richer
and the poor are irrelevant!
INT. CAR. STREETS. LONDON. 1980. DAY
A rising roar of voices -
PROTESTORS
Maggie Maggie Maggie! Out Out Out!
Maggie Maggie Maggie! Out Out Out!
MARGARET in her car driving through the blur of furious
PROTESTORS.
PROTESTOR 1
You're supposed to be a mother!
You're not a mother, you're s
monster! You're a monster!
61
INT. DRAWING ROOM. DOWNING STREET. 1980. EVENING.
CLOSE UP on a button -
The STEADY IN and OUT of a needle pulling taut on a
thread. MARGARET stands, swathed in a glittering long
dinner dress, a SEAMSTRESS stitching a stray button on
the front of the bodice on her dress.
Geoffrey Howe stands nearby in a dinner jacket.
HESELTINE
May we have a word, Prime
Minister?
A bank of MINISTERS, including HESELTINE, PYM, PRIOR,
HOWE and GILMOUR, gather before her.
MARGARET
Yes, but in order to arrive at the
palace on time, Geoffrey and I are
will be walking out of that door
in 15 minutes. As you can see -
HESELTINE
I know you're running late
Margaret, but we have to address
this situation in light of
tomorrow's blistering press
coverage. Blistering! The knives
are out. Your draft budget's been
leaked, Geoffrey, they are baying
for our blood!
HOWE
Michael we can't possibly buckle
at the first sign of difficulty.
The SCRATCH of PRIOR's hand on unkempt hair-
HESELTINE
No one is saying we have to
buckle.
PRIOR
But is this really the time to
make these spending cuts in the
middle of one of the deepest
recessions this country has ever
experienced?
HESTLETINE
We need a plan of action,
Margaret.
PYM
Absolutely. A strategy.
62
GILMOUR
We must be armed.
PRIOR
Agreed.
MARGARET stiffens, the needle momentarily hovering mid
stitch as MARGARET shifts a little-
The SEAMSTRESS resumes sewing-
PRIOR (CONT'D)
There's a perception, Margaret
rightly or wrongly, that we are
now completely out of touch with
the country.
The patronizing tone inflames her.
MARGARET
Really.
(beat)
How much is a pack of Lurpak?
PYM
Lurpak?
MARGARET
Butter, Francis.
(silence)
Forty two pence. Anchor butter is
forty pence. Flora margarine,
still the cheapest, is thirty
eight pence. I can assure you I am
not out of touch.
Another MINISTER - GILMOUR - whispers the words:
"Grocer's Daughter" - as a put down. The men smirk.
MARGARET has caught the moment. A sudden flash of the
pretty girls in the Grantham Street long ago, laughing at
her.
MARGARET (CONT'D)
What - did you say?
GILMOUR makes a gesture.
GILMOUR
Nothing. Nothing, Prime Minister.
MARGARET is furious.
63
MARGARET
Don't try to hide you opinions.
Goodness me, I'd much rather you
were honest and straightforward
about them - instead of
continuously and damagingly
leaking them to the press. Well?
MOMENTARILY SILENT-
MARGARET's eyes travel around the room in waiting-
PYM
Well, people can't pay their
mortgages.
GILMOUR
The manufacturing industry is
practically on its knees.
PYM
Honest, hard-working, decent
people are losing their homes.
It's terribly shameful.
GILMOUR
The point is, Prime Minister, that
we must moderate the pace -
HESELTINE
- if we're even to have a hope of
winning the next election-
PYM
Quite right.
MARGARET
Ah. Worried about our careers, are
we?
They make noises - to the effect that nothing could be
further from the truth.
But MARGARET has their measure.
MARGARET (CONT'D)
Gentlemen, if we don't cut
spending we will be bankrupt. Yes
the medicine is harsh but the
patient requires it in order to
live. Shall we withhold the
medicine? No! We are not wrong. We
did not seek election and win in
order to manage the decline of a
great nation.
(MORE)
64
MARGARET (CONT'D)
The people of this country chose
us because they believe we can
restore the health of the British
economy and we will do just that!
Barring a failure of nerve.
The SNAP OF COTTON -
MARGARET looks at them in a cold fury...
MARGARET (CONT'D)
Anything else?
SILENCE-
MARGARET nods to the seamstress, dismissing her-
MARGARET (CONT'D)
Thank you. You saved the day once
again, Crawfie, you're an angel.
MARGARET straightens her cuff, testing the button, as the
meeting slowly disbands and the MINISTERS move away.
HOWE
You can't close down a discussion
because it's not what you wish to
hear.
MARGARET
I don't expect everyone just to
sit there and agree with me. But
what kind of leader am I if I
don't try to get my own way - to
do what I know to be right.
HOWE
Yes. But Margaret, one must be
careful of testing one's
colleagues' loyalty too far.
MARGARET glances up watching the MINISTERS disappearing,
in whispered conversation, like conspirators.
(ARCHIVE FOOTAGE) Rioting in Brixton, burning cars, huge
civil unrest -
TV JOURNALIST (V.O.)
We are now one split nation, with
a huge gulf dividing the employed
from the unemployed.
(ARCHIVE FOOTAGE) Protest marches, `People's March for
Jobs', `No pit closures" -
65
UNION ACTIVIST (V.O.)
The Thatcher plan is to break the
Trade Union movement.
MARGARET (V.O.)
There must be closures of
uneconomic coal mines, we seek
only an efficient industry.
(ARCHIVE FOOTAGE) violent clashes between protesting
miners and police -
MINER'S WIFE (V.O.)
The miners are being starved back
to work, the need is desperate!
INT. CORRIDOR. HOUSE OF COMMONS. 1981. DAY.
MARGARET sweeping along an endless corridor, surrounded
by her cabinet, hard on her heels. HOWE, HESELTINE, PYM,
PRIOR and OTHERS. MARGARET talking, they hang on her
every word.
MARGARET (V.O.)
There are those who would say hold
back, there are those who would
make us retreat -
INT. CONFERENCE CENTRE BRIGHTON. 1980.
Margaret mid speech.
MARGARET
But we shall never give in to
them. We shall never waver, not
for a second, in our determination
to see this country prosper once
again.
The party faithful erupt in cheers, seconded by all
Margaret's courtiers on the platform. PYM, PRIOR,
HESELTINE, HOWE and above all DENIS, applauding as if
their lives depended on it.
INT. LADIES. HOUSE OF COMMONS. 1980. DAY.
MARGARET sits clutching the sink, a light sweat breaking
across her forehead. She looks up-
NEWS READER (V.O.)
A car bomb has exploded outside
Harrods department store, killing
six people and injuring 71.
66
NEWS READER 2 (V.O.)
Eleven soldiers died today when
two bombs were detonated during
military parades in Hyde Park and
Regent's Park. Seven horses also
died in the blasts.
INTERCUT (ARCHIVE FOOTAGE) bombed buildings, horses lying
dead in the street, an IRA banner.
NEWS READER 3 (V.O.)
The IRA have claimed
responsibility.
INT. BEDROOM. CHESTER SQUARE. LONDON. PRESENT. NIGHT.
MARGARET lost in restless sleep-
INTERCUT (ARCHIVE FOOTAGE) IRA graffiti scrawled on a
wall, paramilitaries fire guns, sirens wail.
INT. CONFERENCE CENTRE BRIGHTON. 1980.
Margaret on the podium.
MARGARET
And now, it must be business as
usual.
THE BRIGHTON GRAND HOTEL.
INT. SITTING ROOM. SUITE. GRAND HOTEL. 1984. NIGHT.
DENIS in pyjamas, brushes his teeth in the bathroom. He
glances at MARGARET through the open door as she sits,
still in evening dress, working on her speech.
DENIS
Come on love, get to bed. I don't
know why you do this to yourself
every year, it's a speech at
conference, not the Magna Carta!
She looks up, distracted.
DENIS (CONT'D)
Time to call it a day, darling.
It's ten to three, for God's sake.
MARGARET
I know, I'm coming DT. Nearly
there -
BOOM!
67
An almighty explosion rips through the room; wood, glass,
furniture splinters, curtains flay from the walls. The
fall of plaster, devastating, the hotel room obliterated,
reduced to a smoking, dusty rubble.
MARGARET stands ghostlike, covered in debris.
MARGARET (CONT'D)
(calling out)
Denis!
MARGARET searching through the haze of fallen plaster,
covered with dust, slowly clearing to reveal-
MARGARET (CONT'D)
(more desperate)
Denis- there you are. Are you
alright?
DENIS ghostlike, covered in dust, still in his pyjamas,
holding up an obliterated pair of shoes.
DENIS
My shoes!
Beyond, the wall of the bathroom entirely blown away -
The CAW of gulls-
EXT. GRAND HOTEL. BRIGHTON. 1984. NIGHT.
Chaos outside the Grand Hotel in the aftermath of the
bomb.
The WHIR of SIRENS-
DENIS and MARGARET sit in their car, looking out in
silent shock at the devastated Grand hotel, reflected on
the glass of the car windows.
MARGARET (V.O.)
That's when I thought I'd lost
you.
A TELEPHONE RINGS CUTTING THROUGH FROM ANOTHER TIME...
INT. BEDROOM. HOUSE. CHESTER SQUARE. PRESENT. NIGHT.
MARGARET wakes with a start, confused and fumbles for the
telephone by her bed-
MARGARET
(picking up phone)
Mark?... Hello darling... No, I'm
fine... I'm very well...
68
MARGARET squints, fingers fumbling for DENIS' watch.
MARGARET (CONT'D)
How is... How's... Sarah?... And
the children..?
MARGARET sits up -
MARGARET (CONT'D)
...Oh... You can't... That's a
pity... I was hoping to see you...
No really darling... That's
fine... Of course... another
time... Lovely Darling... Can't
wait...Yes...
MARGARET suddenly relents, a flicker of sudden and urgent
need, caught in her eyes-
MARGARET (CONT'D)
(beat)
Mark?
Silence-
MARK gone. MARGARET hangs up, stares at-
I Whistle A Happy Tune from the King and I just audible-
INT. DRAWING ROOM.CHESTER SQUARE.PRESENT.NIGHT.
MARGARET stands in the doorway, a jaunty "I Whistle A
Happy Tune" seeping from the television.
MARGARET
That was Mark. Not able to come.
DENIS
(cutting in)
Boy's always going AWOL.
MARGARET
Well it costs him a great deal to
fly everyone up here.
DENIS
There you go, making excuses for
him. Now look where it's got you.
DENIS stands dressed in dinner jacket and bow tie as he
reads the back of "The King and I" DVD.
DENIS (CONT'D)
Did you know Yul Brynner was a
gypsy from Vladivostok?
69
MARGARET
Yes. He moved to Paris when he was
fourteen. He played the King of
Siam 4,625 times on the London and
Broadway stages. What are you
doing?
DENIS
(turning round
shaking a cocktail)
One likes to make an effort. A
snifter?
MARGARET
You're dead, Denis.
DENIS
Ah. Well, if I'm dead... who are
you talking to? Shall we dance ?
He takes Margaret in his arms. The music changes to
`Shall we Dance' from `The King and I' as DENIS takes a
confused MARGARET in his arms and begins an expansive
waltz round the room. The room turns. YOUNG DENIS dancing
with the YOUNG MARGARET. Now its OLD DENIS dancing with
OLD MARGARET again. DENIS loses his footing, and MARGARET
lurches towards the desk where her eyes fall on figurines
of Falklands soldiers. She stares hard.
NEWS READER (V.O.)
The Falkland islands, the British
Colony in the South Atlantic, has
fallen. Argentina claims its
marines went ashore this morning
as a spearhead to capture key
targets, including the capital,
Port Stanley.
INT. STUDY. DOWNING STREET. LONDON. 1982. DAY.
MARGARET sits, composed, staring up at a phalanx of
military men and her ministers.
MARGARET
Gentlemen, the Argentinian Junta -
which is a fascist gang - has
invaded our sovereign territory.
This cannot be tolerated. May I
make plain my negotiating
position. I will not negotiate
with criminals or thugs. The
Falkland islands belong to
Britain, and I want them back.
Gentlemen, I need you to tell me
today if that is possible.
70
ADMIRAL LEACH
Possible... just, Prime Minister.
We can have a Task Force ready to
sail in forty-eight hours.
MARGARET is visibly stunned.
MARGARET
Forty-eight hours?
ADMIRAL LEACH
But -
MARGARET
But?
ADMIRAL LEACH
We have a very narrow weather
window. We can't fight in winter
down there. Nobody can. If we are
going, we have to go now.
INT. STUDY. DOWNING STREET. LONDON. 1982. DAY.
MARGARET at her desk.
MARGARET
Why were the islands left without
any naval protection?
JOHN NOTT
In the last round of Defence cuts
we judged the risk of invasion to
be small.
MARGARET
Did we?
JOHN NOTT
And if you remember, Prime
Minister, you agreed that we
should reduce the naval presence
in the area to an absolute
minimum.
MARGARET taps her fingers against the map, with growing
irritation.
INT. CABINET. DOWNING STREET. DAY.
MARGARET sits alone.
71
INT CORRIDOR. . CORRIDOR. DOWNING STREET. LONDON. 1982.
DAY
MARGARET is under attack.
HOWE
Margaret, the cost of sending
28,000 men and a hundred ships
twelve thousand miles, almost to
Argentina, will be absolutely
crippling.
MARGARET
I don't think we should be
worrying about money at this
point, Geoffrey.
GEOFFREY HOWE
We can't afford to go to war.
INT. STUDY. LONDON. 1982. NIGHT.
MARGARET sits alone.
ADMIRAL LEACH (V.O.)
We have to go now.
MARGARET (V.O.)
The government has now decided
that a large task force will sail,
as soon as all preparations are
complete.
INTERCUT (ARCHIVE FOOTAGE) the Task Force sets sail.
INT. DRAWING ROOM. DOWNING STREET. LONDON. 1982. DAY
MARGARET paces, deep in thought.
MP 1 (O.S.)
Prime Minister we do still have
three weeks before our ships reach
the islands.
MP 2 (O.S.)
All we're saying is that we
shouldn't give up on trying to
find a diplomatic solution.
INT. CORRIDOR. DOWNING STREET. LONDON. 1982. DAY.
A tea trolley and an American entourage surge down a
Downing Street corridor.
72
MP 1
The U.S. Secretary of State has
arrived, Prime Minister.
INT. DRAWING ROOM. DOWNING STREET. LONDON. 1982. DAY
Haig and Margaret sit facing each other, flanked by
senior ministers.
GENERAL HAIG
So you are proposing to go to war
over these Islands. They're
thousands of miles away, a handful
of citizens, politically and
economically... insignificant, if
you'll excuse me -
MARGARET
Just like Hawaii, I imagine.
GENERAL HAIG
I'm sorry?
MARGARET
1941, when Japan attacked Pearl
Harbour. Did America go cap in
hand and ask Tojo for a peaceful
negotiation of terms? Did she turn
her back on her own citizens there
because the islands were thousands
of miles from mainland United
States? No, no, no! We will stand
on principle or we shall not stand
at all.
GENERAL HAIG
But Margaret with all due respect
when one has been to war....
MARGARET
With all due respect sir, I have
done battle every single day of my
life, and many men have
underestimated me before. This lot
seem bound to do the same but they
will rue the day.
BEAT
MARGARET turns to a tea trolley close by-
MARGARET (CONT'D)
Now, shall I be mother?
HAGUE looks confused, MARGARET lifting the teapot-
73
MARGARET (CONT'D)
Tea, Al, how do you take your tea?
Black or white?
INT. CENTRE OF OPERATIONS. 1982. DAY.
NAVAL MEN murmuring messages quietly to NAVAL ATTACHES.
Male lips to male ears, something MARGARET has seen all
her life. FRANCIS PYM and JOHN NOTT stand near MARGARET.
INTERCUT (STOCK FOOTAGE) the naval fleet sails towards
the Falklands.
A map of South Georgia and the Falkland Islands. Model
boats sit on the water, flags sit on the islands.
Argentinian flags. MARGARET stares at the map. A
whispered message to one of the ATTACHES. He moves a
model boat on the map a few inches, leading a fleet of
smaller model boats.
NAVAL ATTACHE 1
The Argentinian ship the General
Belgrano and her escorts are
pursuing course 273 degrees toward
the Argentinian mainland. We are
tracking it with our submarine HMS
Conqueror.
He points to a model submarine at some distance from the
Argentinian boats.
MARGARET
Is this ship a threat?
ADMIRAL FIELDHOUSE
Both of these ships are carrying
Exocet missiles, Prime Minister.
Just yesterday they launched- then
aborted- an attack inside the
exclusion zone. There is a risk
they could try it again.
FRANCIS PYM
The Belgrano is sailing directly
away from the islands. Can it
really be regarded as a threat ?
ADMIRAL FIELDHOUSE
She's been changing course
continually. There's a strong
possibility that they're
attempting a pincer movement on
our carrier group.
(MORE)
74
ADMIRAL FIELDHOUSE (CONT'D)
I advise that we engage them: hit
the Belgrano as a warning to the
others. Send them all back to
port.
MARGARET turns to JOHN NOTT and FRANCIS PYM.
FRANCIS PYM
It'll play badly internationally.
We'll be seen as aggressors.
She stares at the map once more. One of the men
supervising the map moves the model of the Belgrano a
fraction further North.
JOHN NOTT
This will be an escalation, Prime
Minister.
She looks to LEACH.
LEACH
If there is to be an escalation,
it's better that we start it.
MINISTER
It is steaming away, Prime
Minister.
Everyone is staring at MARGARET. Even the ASSISTANTS
bustling in the background have stopped and are
listening. Male faces turned to her. She herself seems
caught in a pincer movement between the politicians and
the servicemen.
MARGARET
Sink it.
INT. DOWNING STREET. 1982. NIGHT
TV Footage
A flash of a torpedo cutting through the water.
A thunderous explosion.
Flashes of television images- striated and blurry- the
Belgrano listing in the water. Reports of the sinking
read out by the MOD's Announcer.
INT. DRAWING ROOM.CHESTER SQUARE.PRESENT.NIGHT.
MARGARET and the Falklands figurine, silhouetted against
the dawn light.
75
INT. DOWNING STREET. 1982. NIGHT
TV Footage
CLOSE now - we see a man on fire, burning. VOICES mixing
in and out.
TV JOURNALIST V.O.
... HMS Sheffield, a Type 42
destroyer, was attacked and hit
late this afternoon by an
Argentine missile...
TV JOURNALIST V.O. (CONT'D)
...it is seen as a retaliation for
the sinking of the General
Belgrano, in which over 300
Argentinian sailors died...
MARGARET'S eyes shining, as if with tears. A soft
knocking at the door. She dabs them away quickly.
JOHN NOTT
Prime Minister -
JOHN NOTT enters.
JOHN NOTT (CONT'D)
Latest casualty figures from the
Sheffield.
He hands her a piece of paper.
MARGARET
(sotto voce)
I must write to them.
JOHN NOTT
Prime Minister?
MARGARET
The families. I must write to
them...
INT. DOWNING STREET. STUDY. 1982. NIGHT.
MARGARET at her desk, looks up at Pym.
MARGARET
Foreign Secretary...
PYM
I've just been briefed by Admiral
Fieldhouse.
(MORE)
76
PYM (CONT'D)
He told me bluntly that if the
Argentinians are prepared and
willing to risk their aircraft,
they have enough missiles to
cripple most of our fleet.
A beat.
JOHN NOTT
President Reagan and President
Bellaunde of Peru have some new
proposals for the peace plan -
MARGARET
(sharply)
The peace plan? There will be no
appeasement. This is a war. A war
they started and by God, we will
finish. Shall I tell you what I'm
going to write to every single one
of these families, these
heartbroken families? I am going
to tell them that no British
soldier will die in vain for the
Falklands.
INTERCUT (STOCK FOOTAGE) muddy mass graves as the
Falklands dead are buried.
MILITARY VOICE
Lieutenant Colonel Jones. Captain
Wood. Captain Dench. Lieutenant
Farlaine. Corporal Hardman.
Corporal Sullivan. Corporal Briar.
MARGARET writes to each of the families.
MARGARET (V.O.)
As the only Prime Minister in the
history of our country who is also
a mother with a son of my own, I
can imagine your agony, and your
grief.
INTERCUT (STOCK FOOTAGE) troops march through barren
landscapes, helicopters hover, a British flag.
MINISTER (V.O.)
Prime Minister, we have secured
the beachhead -
NEWS ANNOUNCERS (O.S.)
The Argentinian troops are
demoralized and ill equipped...The
paratroops have taken Goose
Green...
77
RADIO VO
Shortly after dark last night, our
forces executed what our Commander
in Chief has called a brilliant
surprise night attack.
MARGARET sits at a desk in Downing Street, listening to
the news reports. A hand turns off the radio.
DENIS
Thatcher, bed.
He heads down the hall, MARGARET following behind.
RADIO
From their new positions, our
forces can see large numbers of
Argentine soldiers retreating and
streaming back into Port Stanley.
Our forces are moving forward to
exploit their success.
INTERCUT (ARCHIVE FOOTAGE) Victory! The Union Jack is
raised over Port Stanley. The task force return to
England to scenes of jubilation. Embraces, balloons,
joyful embraces.
INT. CAR. DOWNING STREET. LONDON. 1982. DUSK.
MARGARET peering out, a sea of union jacks and bunting.
Cheers, the street lined as the car pulls into Downing
Street-
The blur of noise, cheering, jostling banners THEN the
shroud of black uniforms suddenly encasing the car,
blocking out the light-
The jaunty distant sound of a military band playing-
DENIS O/S
Well done, M.
The car door swings open-
A CACOPHONY of CHEERS, APPLAUSE, just audible far off, as
MARGARET steps out into the street, the CAMERA follows
her out peering up at-
DOWNING STREET STAFF leaning out of No 10 windows, waving
flags and cheering-
MARGARET's gaze lingering on HOWE and PYM amongst them,
smiling with congratulations, clearly now part of the
victory celebrations.
78
MARGARET O/S
We congratulate the men and women
of the armed Forces for their
skill, bravery and loyalty to this
country.
INT. HOUSE OF COMMONS CHAMBER PARLIAMENT. 1982.
Prime Minister's Questions. MARGARET is at the Dispatch
Box fighting it out with MICHAEL FOOT. GEOFFREY HOWE IS
BESIDE HER.
MARGARET
We were faced with an act of
unprovoked aggression and we
responded as we have responded in
times past: with unity, strength
and courage, sure in the knowledge
that though much is sacrificed, in
the end, right will prevail over
wrong.
Huge cheers and "hear hears" from the Conservative
benches. MICHAEL FOOT shifts uncomfortably on the benches
opposite. She is unstoppable.
MARGARET (CONT'D)
And I put it to the Honourable
Member opposite that this is not a
day for him to carp, find fault,
demand inquiries- they will happen
I can assure him of that for we
have nothing to hide- no, this is
a day to put difference aside,
hold one's head high and take
pride in being British.
Barnstorming cheers. We see MICHAEL FOOT, utterly
outmaneuvered by her speech. The Labour benches sit
silent.
INT. CHESTER SQUARE. LONDON PRESENT. NIGHT
DENIS springs in the air wearing a paper union jack hat,
blowing a party hooter.
DENIS
GOTCHA! Well that paid off old
girl! Your ratings soared! From
the most hated Prime Minister of
all time to the nation's
darling...The world was at your
feet, and Britain was back in
business!
79
INT. BALLROOM. WHITE HOUSE. WASHINGTON. 1981. NIGHT.
QUICKFLASH: A glittering ballroom-
MARGARET waltzing, caught in REAGAN's arms, fleetingly
passing-
DENIS looking on, from the sidelines, drink in hand.
INTERCUT (STOCK FOOTAGE)
MARGARET'S motorcade streaks through the rainy street,
Union Jack flying.
MARGARET shakes hands with Indira Ghandi. Denis is
presented with the pink turban.
Newspaper headlines scream PROFITS, PROFITS, PROFITS!
MARGARET, triumphant on the podium at party conference.
MARGARET shakes hands with Gorbachev.
The Berlin Wall comes down.
NEWS READER
The Berlin Wall has fallen. The
gates have opened! The police are
making no attempt to stop people
as they go through.
Headlines: BOOMING BUSINESS! MAGGIE'S MILLIONAIRES!
INT. EMBASSY BALLROOM. 1979. NIGHT
MARGARET dancing with KENNETH KAUNDA of ZAMBIA, DENIS
stands on the touchlines toasting them - a fruity
cocktail in his hand.
INT. HOUSE OF COMMONS STAIRWAY, 1990. DAY.
MARGARET hurries down the stairs, her cabinet in tow.
MARGARET
I don't agree in any measure!
GEOFFREY HOWE
But Prime Minister the question of
the European single currency will
come up.
MARGARET
I don't think the country is ready
for it yet.
80
GEOFFREY HOWE
But we cannot bury our heads in
the sand...
NEWS JOURNALIST (V.O.)
A lot of Conservative MP's and
Ministers are saying -
EXT. HOUSE OF COMMONS. LONDON. DAY.
A journalist stands outside the Commons making his
report.
NEWS JOURNALIST
- that there must be a change in
that style of management. That Mrs
Thatcher must listen more, and on
occasion, give in.
INT. HOUSE OF COMMONS HALLWAY, 1990. DAY.
MARGARET moving swiftly down the hall, leaving her
cabinet in her wake.
PYM (O.S.)
The point is, Prime Minister, I
don't think we can sell the idea
of a tax that asks everyone to pay
the same.
MARGARET (V.O.)
Our policies may be unpopular, but
they are the right policies.
MINISTER 1 (V.O.)
Prime Minister I just don't think
we can ask the poorest of the poor
to pay the same amount of tax as a
multi-millionaire.
INT. CABINET ROOM. DOWNING STREET. 1990. DAY
MARGARET, seated at the wide cabinet table surrounded by
a subdued CABINET. Most of the familiar old faces - PYM,
HESELTINE, etc. All now gone.
HOWE the last enduring minister.
She casts a gimlet-eye over the GREY-SUITED MEN around
her.
MARGARET
There it is again! Why not?
81
MINISTER 1
Because -
MINISTER 2
Because people... on the whole...
think that the tax is manifestly
unfair.
MARGARET
Nonsense. Arrant nonsense. This
is a simple proposition. In order
to live in this country, you must
pay for the privilege- something,
anything! If you pay nothing, you
care nothing. What do you care
where you throw your rubbish? Your
council estate is a mess, your
town, graffiti, what do you care?
It's not your problem , it's
somebody else's problem- it's the
government's problem! YOUR problem
is, some of you, is that you
haven't got the courage for this
fight. You haven't had to fight
hard for anything. It's all been
given to you- and you feel guilty
about it! Well, may I say, on
behalf of all those who HAVE had
to fight their way up, (and who
don't feel guilty about it) we
resent those slackers who take,
take, take, and contribute nothing
to the community!
SILENCE.
MARGARET (CONT'D)
And I see the same thing, the same
cowardice in our fight within the
European Union, to retain British
sovereignty of Britain, the
integrity of the pound! Some of
you want to make concessions. I
hear some of you agree with the
latest French proposals.
(beat)
Well, why don't you get on a boat
to Calais? Yes, why don't you put
on a beret, and pay 85% of your
income to the French government!
She has subdued them utterly. The silence is terrible.
MARGARET (CONT'D)
Right. What can we realistically
hope to achieve by the end of
session, Lord President?
(MORE)
82
MARGARET (CONT'D)
And why have we not made more
progress to date? What is that? Is
that the timetable? I haven't seen
that. May I see it?
HOWE
Here it is, Prime Minister. Of
course.
HOWE pushes the papers over to her. She picks up a
pencil, starts to read.
The MINISTERS watch as, quickly, she starts to score
through the words.
MARGARET
The wording is sloppy here, and
here.
HOWE
If you say so.
MARGARET
I do say so.
HOWE
It's merely a first draft...
MARGARET looks down at the paperwork.
MARGARET
This is ridiculous. There are two
"T's" in "committee"!
She presses so hard that her pencil breaks, so she shoves
the paper back towards him, stabbing a finger at the
offending word.
MARGARET (CONT'D)
This is shameful. Shameful! I
can't even rely on you for a
simple timetable! Are you unwell?
Yes you are unwell. Give me the
pencil, give it to me!
MARGARET snaps her fingers at HOWE, gesturing for his
pencil, scratching away, ringing the offending word again
and again. The MINISTERS stare at the scene appalled,
utterly and wretchedly embarrassed.
MARGARET (CONT'D)
If this is the best you can do I
had better send you to hospital,
and I shall do your job as well as
my own and everyone else's.
Gentlemen.
(MORE)
83
MARGARET (CONT'D)
As the Lord President has come to
cabinet unprepared, I am obliged
to close this meeting.
She waits for them to take their leave, but they sit
there, frozen.
MARGARET (CONT'D)
Good morning!
Slowly, the men gather their papers and file out of the
room, leaving MARGARET alone. She sits, gathering
herself, hands shaking.
THE ROAR OF PROTEST SURGES THROUGH -
(ARCHIVE FOOTAGE) A HUGE MACABRE PAPIER-MACHE THATCHER
HEAD, grimacing with one eyeball blinded and the other
detached and hanging bloody on a cheek.
ANGRY CROWD
(chanting)
Can't pay, won't pay! Can't pay,
won't pay! Can't pay, won't pay!
INT. CAR. DOWNING STREET. LONDON. 1990. DAY.
MARGARET peering out-
ANGRY PROTESTORS slapping the glass as they pass, the
sense of the car being attacked. The smear of smashed egg
against the window screen.
PROTESTORS
Out... Out... Out...
MARGARET sinks back into her seat as the car, is jostled
either side by a blur of colour, the bang of fists
against glass, the roar of the crowd -
EXT. TRAFALGAR SQUARE. LONDON. 1990. DAY
(ARCHIVE FOOTAGE) Relentless images of violence over
this. Mass riots. PROTESTORS charging POLICE LINES.
POLICE on HORSEBACK trying to force the PROTESTORS back.
One of them - a GIRL - caught out, goes down with her
placard, is trampled beneath the horses' hooves,
horribly.
RIOTERS with blood streaming down their faces. Banners -
DEATH TO MAGGIE.
OFF WITH HER HEAD.
84
PROTESTORS
Maggie... Maggie... Maggie. Out...
out... out.
With a WHOOSH of flames the north side of Piccadilly
Circus goes up in flames. Smoke and blood and fire
everywhere.
INT. OFFICE DOWNING STREET. 1990. DAY
Late afternoon-
MARGARET sits, silently working.
HOWE enters, MARGARET barely looks up from working-
MARGARET
Geoffrey-
GEOFFREY
My letter of resignation.
HOWE slides a letter down on her desk-
MARGARET looks down at the thick envelope.
SILENCE
GEOFFREY HOWE
Our differences, I'm afraid,
cannot be reconciled.
MARGARET resumes working-
HOWE waits and waits and waits-
The SCRATCH of MARGARET's pen, she works on, refusing to
stop for him.
INT. CHAMBERS. HOUSE OF COMMONS. LONDON.
Howe stands in Parliament, reading his resignation
speech:
HOWE
I have done what I believe to be
right for my party and my country.
The time has come for others to
consider their own response to the
tragic conflict of loyalties with
which I have myself wrestled for
perhaps too long.
85
INT. HALLWAYS. HOUSE OF COMMONS. LONDON.
MARGARET walks alone down the hall.
MINISTER 1 (O.S.)
Geoffrey's speech in the House of
Commons was devastating.
MINSTER 2 (O.S.)
- just couldn't take any more of
the bullying.
INT. CORRIDOR - HOUSE OF COMMONS. LONDON. 1990. DAY.
MARGARET's POV as she moves along the corridors of power.
MINISTER 3 (O.S.)
He was almost inviting someone to
challenge her for leadership of
the party.
Fellow CABINET MINISTERS, unfamiliar backbenchers, the
men in suits, all seem to avoid her gaze...then PYM in
conversation with HOWE, abruptly terminated, as both men
acknowledge her...
MINISTER 4 (O.S.)
She behaved appallingly. I
wouldn't have spoken to my
gamekeeper like that.
MINISTER 1 (O.S.)
I don't think she can survive
this.
INT. STUDY. DOWNING STREET. LONDON. 1990. NIGHT.
MARGARET stands, watching the evening news, HESELTINE
just visible on the TV screen-
HESELTINE ON TV
I'm here to announce my decision
to put my name forward as leader
of the Conservative party. I have
nothing but admiration for our
Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher,
but I believe our party and our
country need a new leader.
MARGARET turns to DENIS, who stands, clearly shocked,
worst fears confirmed.
86
TV JOURNALIST
It's extraordinary. The rules of
the Conservative Party make it
possible for Conservative MP's to
depose a sitting Prime Minister.
MARGARET and DENIS on the sofa. She unwraps a sweet, eyes
locked on the TV.
MARGARET
I am the Prime Minister.
Turning to Denis.
MARGARET (CONT'D)
(offering the packet)
Sweetie?
(STOCK FOOTAGE) WESTMINSTER in the moonlight -
NEWS JOURNALIST (O.S.)
As Conservative MP's gather in
Westminster to discus who they
will back in the leadership
contest, the Prime Minister said
she would not be diverted from
critical international affairs
EXT. PARIS STREET. NIGHT
With the Eiffel Tower illuminated behind him, Trevor
MacDonald makes his report.
TREVOR MACDONALD
Tonight in Paris Mrs Thatcher is
among thirty four world leaders
who came together to celebrate the
end of the Cold War and herald the
start of a peaceful new age of
East/West cooperation.
INT. GRAND HALL. PARIS. NIGHT.
A magnificent painted hallway-
MARGARET sweeping away from a dining room, regal in
evening dress.
INTERCUT -
PARIS - A news journalist makes his report.
87
NEWS JOURNALIST
There's a general feeling that Mrs
Thatcher is going to win on the
first ballot. We're going to put
it to bed tomorrow night, is how
one of her campaign staff puts it.
INT. GRAND HALL. PARIS. NIGHT
MARGARET walks through a grand hall with her fellow
PRESIDENTS and PRIME MINSTERS of the world, a lone woman
amongst a sea of men.
DENIS ON PHONE
M, I really think you should come
home and defend yourself old girl.
Heseltine is campaigning
ferociously.
MARGARET ON PHONE OOV
I do think my time is best spent
seeing an end to the Cold War,
don't you? After all this time
they know what I stand for.
PARIS -
TREVOR MACDONALD
Will she, or will she not, be in
the job tomorrow?
A GRAND HALL - a formal dinner, MARGARET flanked by bow-
tied Prime Ministers and Heads of State.
HEAD OF STATE 1
Margaret, they can't touch you.
LONDON STREETS - CABINET MINISTERS walking along trying
to hide their features from prying eyes.
NEWS READER (O.S.)
Mrs Thatcher has failed to win
enough votes to secure an outright
win in the leadership contest and
must now decide whether to put her
name forward for the second round.
NEWS READER 2
As Mrs Thatcher leaves Paris for
London to make a last ditch
attempt to pull together support
for her leadership, the ship may
have sailed.
88
INT.DINING ROOM.CHESTER SQUARE.PRESENT.
MARGARET pushes through the double doors into her dining
room.
MARGARET
Treachery!
Her cabinet are all around her dining room table. There
is no seat for her. She moves round the table.
MINISTER 1
We will never win another election
led by that woman.
MINISTER 2
We need a leader who listens.
MINISTER 3
This isn't about her, it's about
the party.
MINISTER 4
One must know when to go.
MINISTER 1
The question is, how does anyone
put it to her?
INT. DRAWING ROOM. CHESTER SQUARE. LONDON. PRESENT.
Close on a minister's face in the dim light.
MINISTER
If you were to stand, I of course
would vote for you Prime Minister
-
She is at her desk in the PRESENT in Chester Square as
one minister after another in interchangeable glasses
slide into the chair in front of her.
MINISTER 2
- of course would vote for you
Prime Minister but I don't think
you can win. The loyalty of my
colleagues cannot be counted upon.
MARGARET
It was the people who put me here -
MINISTER 3
The loyalty of my colleagues
cannot be counted upon.
89
MARGARET
- it's up to them to tell me when
to go.
INT. STUDY. DOWNING STREET. LONDON. 1990. NIGHT.
MARGARET stands, watching the evening news.
DENIS
Margaret, you can't let them do
this to you. Please, boss.
MARGARET looks at DENIS, with quiet surprise, hears the
desperation in his voice, the crack-
DENIS (CONT'D)
They'll destroy you.
MARGARET looks at DENIS, sees he is near to tears-
DENIS (CONT'D)
Throw in the towel now, love.
Don't let those bastards see you
humiliated. You just won't win,
darling. Not this time.
MARGARET
Oh Denis.
DENIS, fingers touch hers, she looks at him, sees the
tender concern in his eyes. MARGARET smiles, determinedly
steely under his gaze.
MARGARET (CONT'D)
154 I am the Prime Minister. 154
On her face as CASTA DIVA breaks through.
INT. HOUSE OF COMMONS. DAY
MARGARET sits alone on the front bench. A stream of
voices from the past -
SPEAKER (V.O.)
Order! Order!
MARGARET (V.O.)
The Right Honourable gentleman is
afraid!
NORTHERN VOICE (V.O.)
This is a naked strategy of
closing some coal mines and then
selling off -
90
MARGARET (V.O.)
They believe in striking, I
believe in working!
IRISH VOICE (V.O.)
This is the woman who's watched
ten men on hunger strike starve
themselves to death and never
flinched!
MARGARET (V.O.)
Despicable and cowardly -
MALE VOICE (V.O.)
Cynical Falklands war -
MINISTER (V.O.)
More homeowners, more
shareholders, more savings -
The voices begin to blend into one another, white noise.
INT. DOWNING STREET STUDY. 1990. EVENING
MARGARET sips a whisky.
MARGARET (V.O.)
I offer my resignation after
eleven and a half extraordinary
years -
INT. CORRIDOR. DOWNING STREET. LONDON. 1990. DAY.
MARGARET descends the stairs like an operatic heroine,
her hand gripping the banister of the staircase. Below
the Downing St staff waiting to say goodbye. Many are in
tears.
MARGARET
-proud to have left Britain in a
much better state than when we
took office.
She passes the photographs of her predecessors and stops
to receive a gift, opening it-
MARGARET (CONT'D)
What's this then? A radio... How
useful.
She moves down the receiving line of staff. The floor is
carpeted with roses. Men's wet eyes. The door ahead. She
is crying.
91
Finally reaching the door, MARGARET stands bracing
herself. Denis's hand on her shoulder standing behind.
DENIS
Steady, MT.
MARGARET nods, bracing herself. A hand on the door
handle. As it swings open-
INT. BEDROOM. CHESTER SQUARE. LONDON. PRESENT. NIGHT
MARGARET stands staring at herself in the mirror.
DENIS (O.S.)
The greatest Prime Minister since
Churchill deposed by a bunch of
spineless pygmies!
MARGARET VO
All those years of taking the
tough decisions, does any of it
matter now?
DENIS
It's all been turned to mush!
MARGARET
What?
DENIS lies on the bed behind her with the newspaper.
DENIS
By these fools! These lily-livered
pinkos!
MARGARET
These inept placators.
DENIS
Very good! These vacillators.
MARGARET
Vacillators! Poll takers.
DENIS
Popularity seekers.
MARGARET
So busy taking the pulse of the
public!
DENIS
Weak -
92
MARGARET
(pulling down a rack of Denis's
black oxford shoes onto the floor)
These...weak...weak...weak...wea..
.weak...Men!
DENIS's clothes are all over the room and the main
cupboard is open and empty apart from shoes. There are
several bin liners already filled with clothes.
MARGARET (CONT'D)
Don't they know if you take the
tough decisions, yes people will
hate you today but they'll thank
you for generations.
DENIS
Or forget you entirely and chuck
you out with the rubbish!
MARGARET turns away from this thought and opens a last
big chest of drawers.
MARGARET V/O
(seizing shirts and
jerseys and putting
them on the floor)
All I wanted was to make a
difference in the world.
DENIS
And you did, love, you did.
She sits at the end of her bed and opens a box she has
found in Denis's cupboard. There is a programme from `The
King and I' and a faded blue rosette from some long
forgotten election campaign. A small flyer `Margaret
Roberts. Conservative Candidate for Dartford' and some
childrens cards "to the world's greatest Daddy love Mark
and Carol."
MARGARET V/O
All I wanted was for my children
to grow up well and be happy -
happier than I was certainly. And
I wanted you to be happy of
course. Were you happy, Denis?
Tell me the truth.
There is no response. MARGARET is momentarily lost in the
room.
Then, seized by some compulsion, she begins to pull out
the rest of his clothes, shoving them into black bags.
As shirts and trousers go in, quick flashes of Denis -
93
His youthful face, smiling at her at the opera.
Laughing on the beach in Cornwall.
At the door of Number 10, smiling at her.
Sharing her bed.
MARGARET looks up. Denis's suitcase is on the bed. His
coat and hat lying beside it. She folds his dressing gown
- the one from the bathroom hook - tenderly and puts it
on the top of the case.
MARGARET
Denis? Denis?
And there he is by her side.
MARGARET V/O
Here's your bag. You're all
packed, sorted.
She walks him to the bedroom door and gives him a gentle
kiss. DENIS starts to walk away.
MARGARET
(seeing he is walking away in his
socks)
Denis wait...Where are your shoes?
You can't go without shoes! Not
yet.
DENIS straightens his hat.
DENIS
Steady.
MARGARET
Yes...Steady...
DENIS
Steady the buffs -
MARGARET
Steady...Steady the buffs...
DENIS heading out.
MARGARET (CONT'D)
154d NO...Not yet...Denis. Wait...I 154d
said I don't want you to go yet.
The endless corridor, MARGARET calling after DENIS-
94
MARGARET (CONT'D)
Denis...Please...No...Not...Don't.
..NO...I don't...I don't want to
be on my own.
DENIS turns back for a moment -
DENIS
You're going to be fine on your
own, love.
(beat)
You always have been.
MARGARET calling out as DENIS reaches the window at the
very far end of the house and appears to disappear into
the white light-
MARGARET
(calling out)
Denis!!
INT. BEDROOM. HOUSE. CHESTER SQUARE. LONDON. PRESENT.DAWN
From above we see MARGARET lying dead asleep on the bed
on a pile of DENIS' clothes. The bed is surrounded by
bulging black bin bags.
CAROL OOV
Mummy-
CAROL looming over Margaret, looking horrified.
CAROL
My God, Mum. Are you alright?
(opening the
curtains)
Mummy you should have called for
help, silly old sausage. Have you
not even been in your bed
properly? You've done all this?
MARGARET
Yes, all sorted. Finished.
MARGARET looks around her.
CAROL
Yes well don't worry about all
this. June and I will crack on
with it.
MARGARET
I was just going to get dressed.
95
CAROL
...Shall I call someone, see if
anyone can come over and do your
hair?
MARGARET looks at her warmly.
MARGARET
Oh. No, you do it.
CAROL reacts, surprised but pleased.
INT. KITCHEN. CHESTER SQUARE. LONDON. PRESENT. DAY.
MARGARET sit finishing a cup of tea. Hears Carol's bustle
in the downstairs hallway.
CAROL OOV
Right, I'm off June.
JUNE
OK. `Bye.
She stands, picking up the cup.
From behind-
JUNE (O.S) (CONT'D)
Oh let me do that, Margaret.
MARGARET's turns for a moment-
It is JUNE. MARGARET shakes her head.
MARGARET
No, dear, I'll do it.
JUNE
Carol said you might go to the
House of Lords today?
MARGARET
No no. I'm not going anywhere.
The sound of hot water running. CHINK of a teacup-
MARGARET stands, washing up a tea cup.
The SQUEAK of her wet cloth, working on a stubborn tea
stain, puncturing the silence.
The sound of birdsong and children playing drifts from
the street outside.
96
MARGARET sets the cup aside, turns and walks out of the
room, and out of sight.
THE END
