Suffragette (Sarah Gavron, 2015) is a historical period drama based on the early members of the British women's suffrage movement of the late 19th and early 20th century. Including real life stories and events involving Emily Davison, and leader of the Suffragette movement, Emmeline Pankhurst, the film also includes fictional characters who help convey the issues the film surrounds to a modern-day audience. Some prominent themes throughout the film are gender inequality, power, poverty and conflict, friendship, loyalty and police brutality.
The film depicts the story of the Suffragette foot soldiers, the women were forced underground to pursue a dangerous game of cat and mouse with an increasingly brutal state. These women were not from an educated class, they were working women who had seen their peaceful protests do nothing. Radicalised and turning to violence as the only route to change, they were willing to lose everything in their fight for equality-their jobs, their homes, their children and their lives.
The film follows the story of Maud Watts (Carey Mulligan) a working-class married woman who works in a factory in Bethnal Green who helps to provide for her son, George. Within the film, representation of women is a major theme, as they are negatively portrayed to be underprivileged and pressed within a patriarchal society. Set in 1912, Maud Watts and women just like her are suffering as they do not have the right to vote, and there for are inferior to their husbands and other 'powerful' males surrounding them. They are not taken seriously and so to create an inspiring effect to the audience, all of the main protagonists are female and are being represented as powerful and ruthless of any restrictions that may be standing in their way. The representation of women in Suffragette support the modern day stereotypes of women that are made today. They are seen as weak, unimportant and their sole purpose is to be a mother and a wife. This creates a contrast for the audience because as the film progresses we realise that these women are the complete opposite of these representations, and they are courageous and inspiring.
The use of close-ups in the film let the audience see how these women are really feeling, and lets them relate to the pain and suffering they are going through. The use of close-ups help the audience feel connected to the characters. The camera work made the audience feel as if they were within the scenes along with the other women. In particular, in the protest/riot scenes, the camera is placed as if the audience is standing along side the women, rather than watching from above like that government. The use of cold midtones and low-key lighting is used throughout the film. This is to help the audience identify the mood of the characters and portray the streets of London in a negative way.
The films visual codes helped suggest to the audience that the characters clothing connoted to how they felt during their lives. This is because during the 19th and 20th century women would only wear dark colours, this is because they were working-class and could not afford much else. This then reflected themselves as by significantly not wearing bright colours, it could mean that they have never had the opportunity to excel at anything, and so the grey and brown outfits drained their lives away.
Suffragette was a truly mesmerising film. The cast played their characters beautifully, and a predominantly female orientated cast was enjoyable to watch, especially with such strong leading ladies such as Carey Mulligan, Helena Bonham-Carter and Meryl Streep. Putting me through a wide range of all my emotions, I would happily go back and watch Suffragette 1,000 times again.
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