Iron Jawed Angels
November 2004 Reviewed by: Anthony Di Marco Format: DVD	(all ratings out of 5): Overall Enjoyment Picture Quality Packaged Extras Sound Quality

It’s ironic to think, that while the presidential candidates in this 2004 election are taking out ads and enlisting the service of celebrities in order to win the women’s vote, there was a period in American history when it was against the law for women to vote. It was a time when women were treated like second-class citizens and considered less mentally capable and physically weaker than men. That all changed when a Quaker by the name of Alice Paul and her childhood friend Lucy Burns mounted a campaign against President Woodrow Wilson and the United States government to insure a woman’s right to vote.

A top-flight cast gives credibility and heart to the final push that ends in women’s suffrage. Hilary Swank rides a precarious line between being totally unlikable and absolutely lovable as Alice Paul, the head of the National Women’s Party. Frances O’Connor plays her friend and moral compass Lucy Burns. Frances O’Connor is particularly good here and does a nice job at expressing the sadness of forfeiting companionship for the cause.

The story is straightforward in its construction but unique in the way it mixes visually rich 1920s society with an impressive collection of progressive music and creative film editing techniques. At first the latter seem like shameless gimmicks. As the story progresses, however, the approach reveals itself as a clever means of propelling the sometimes-dry exposition of this emotional story.

The film builds slowly until it explodes into a heart-wrenching second and third act. To think that the constitutional rights of human beings were so categorically and strategically violated is frightening. Corruption among the ranks of police and lawmakers finds its root in the office of a spineless and downright stupid president. What is even more infuriating is Woodrow Wilson’s concluding speech, which argues that women deserve the right to vote because of their wartime service. His words are a smokescreen for his true incompetence and for the real truth: that such a simple decision was bogged down in red tape for the sake of ego and power; so much suffering because the powers that be don’t want to admit defeat or appear weak.

Image and sound on this DVD are universally excellent. Video is stunning with superb resolution and color balance. Many images were so crisp and clear that I had a hard time believing this was a made-for-television film. Audio shared the same crispness with an excellent dynamic range. The Dolby Surround mix sounded more like a well-produced 5.1 mix. Dialogue was always clean and clear. I later found out that the fantastic soundtrack is not available on CD. That is a shame.

A feature-length commentary is the only meaningful extra on this DVD, but it’s a very good one. Director Katja von Garnier and writer Sally Robinson offer insightful observations about how they chose to mount the story and display the details identifying the era. Everything is discussed from the choice of make-up to the social significance of corsets and smoking. It is apparent that the filmmakers cared deeply about this period and did the research required to make it an accurate and engrossing account. Both should be extremely proud of what they accomplished.

• Go Back