Sarah Storer
Helen Mirren brings Golda Meir, Israel’s ‘Iron Lady’, back into the limelight in new biopic Golda.
Depicting the first female Israeli Prime Minister’s perspective of the Yom Kippur War, Golda attempts to show a complicated character study of those not directly on the frontline.
Casting
Doubts over Mirren’s casting were in discussion long before the film’s release. Criticism came from Jewish actresses such as Maureen Lipman over Mirren’s decision to play Golda Meir, as Mirren herself is not Jewish. In spite of this important debate, Mirren plays her with confidence to the point of being unrecognisable.
“Mirren is given the tricky task of creating a strong, leading role with an incredibly weak script”
Donned in heavy prosthetics, there are clear similarities to Gary Oldman’s transformative portrayal of Winston Churchill in 2017’s Darkest Hour. And much like Oldman’s performance, Mirren is given the tricky task of creating a strong, leading role with an incredibly weak script.
Despite being in charge of such important decisions, Golda’s all-male cabinet appears indifferent to any stark losses or challenges. Even with titles to tell you who is who, each cabinet member is so underdeveloped that they all merge into one. There are no challenges to Meir’s decisions, nor are there any depictions of rampant everyday sexism in the 1970s.
It almost feels like they didn’t want to show how it may have felt to be an important woman in a highly political environment. And although Meir showcases a stoic personality, it would have been interesting to see how this would have affected her decision-making throughout the film.
“Liev Schreiber’s small supporting role as Henry Kissinger brings only moments of humour”
Liev Schreiber’s small supporting role as Henry Kissinger brings only moments of humour, as Meir attempts to assure Kissinger of America’s support against the Egyptian and Syrian offenses. Schreiber’s Kissinger appears to be the only one with any internal conflict that matches that on the outside, summed up in a sweet scene where he is convinced to eat a housekeeper’s Borscht. In doing so, Meir has managed to achieve what she needs.
Mirren As Meir
In contrast to the one-tone characterisations of her cabinet members, Meir feels slightly more fleshed out. It is hard not to mention the excessive chain smoking. Until the very last scene, there is a cigarette in her hand, creating an extension for her movements. Director Guy Nattiv ensures there is always smoke billowing around her, a comforting presence whilst watching the conflict unfold. It’s visually pleasing to look at and, rather than the constant looks at the back of her head, showcases her anxieties. Minute references to Meir’s Lymphoma are made, walking to chemotherapy via the Morgue, yet again leaving room for more development that never arrives.
“Mirren has clearly studied Meir’s mannerisms”
Mirren has clearly studied Meir’s mannerisms, and it is shown no better when she recreates real-life footage. This is the only time Mirren really shines, as it is one of the few times she isn’t trapped in a room watching something happen. Allowing her interactions with soldiers is one of the few times her character has any real personality or charisma.
Yet despite Mirren’s strengths in mimicking Meir’s mannerisms, Nattiv decides to use footage of the real Meir, as she watches herself on the television. This felt like a wasted opportunity for Mirren, as it truly shows Meir’s personality which had been non-existent until then. Allowing Mirren to re-enact the footage would have allowed her to properly shine in the role, instead, she is left to lie in a hospital bed, overshadowed by the real Golda Meir.
Golda Overall
So much of the film is spent watching the characters watch the war from various rooms and bunkers. It doesn’t make for exciting viewing and becomes dull and repetitive after the first viewing. It would be more interesting to see the attacks on the frontline, corresponding with the multiple audio clips of soldiers losing their battles.
“The film is clearly trying to subvert the stereotypical war film, but it just doesn’t work”
The film is clearly trying to subvert the stereotypical war film, but it just doesn’t work. The viewers are given something that’s quite dull, and they are left wanting more. Simply watching people watch a war leads to no emotional connection with the soldiers. We don’t know them, so there’s no real sense of loss to hearing about their destruction.
Films that rely too much on their leading star can be quite risky, especially when the working material is not enough to develop any real substance. Mirren does her best, but unfortunately it’s not enough.
Screened at the Berlinale Film Festival.
Image courtesy of GR Stocks via Unsplash. See image license here. No changes were made to this image.
sarahstorer
Sarah has recently graduated from Newcastle University with an MA in International Multimedia Journalism. When she’s not editing the Opinions Section, you can find her at the cinema or on the beach with her dog.