Iron Willed Women

The HBO network has once again produced a timely, powerful, first rate, original film that reveals the very fabric of American life, in their 2004 release Iron Jawed Angels. Coincidentally, this film aired on election night 2004, a testament to the importance of the movement that led to the passing of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, commonly known as the Womens' Right To Vote. Interesting, the time period was not much different than our own. The country was at war, deeply divided, and voting rights were an issue at the forefront of American politics.

Director Katja von Garnier (Bandits) takes advantage of an all star cast in chronicling the women's suffrage movement, through the lives of a group of defiant and determined activists with the courage to challenge the male dominated political system in the early 1900's. She attempts to modernize the story with a contemporary musical score and creative, non-traditional, filming techniques such as montages and stop motion photography, that, rather than detracting from the story, makes it much more appealing to the modern audience.

The film opens in 1912 when a young, college educated, feminist spitfire, Alice Paul, (Hilary Swank) joins forces with the old guard of the National American Women's Suffrage Association to campaign for an amendment to the constitution allowing women the right to vote. She makes the point that after the civil war black men were granted the right to vote, while women are still considered second class citizens, and have no voice. Although she gains approval from the association to join the crusade, the head of the movement, Carrie Chapman Catt, (Anjelica Huston) does not approve of her radical tactics that include organizing a parade on President Wilson's inauguration day, and picketing in front of the White House.

Paul is joined by Lucy Burns (Frances O'Connor) and Inez Mulholland (Julia Ormond) in the crusade, as they attempt to recruit women from all walks of life, from factory workers to the wife of a U.S. Senator, Emily Leighton, (Molly Parker) to further their cause. Facing opposition from the majority of American citizens, including President Wilson, Paul and her cohorts, are eventually jailed on trumped up charges, and become embroiled in a hunger strike, earning the label "the iron jawed angels." Pressure from their highly publicized mistreatment which includes force feeding, eventually results in President Wilson's persuading congress to pass the 19th Amendment, more as wartime concession, than a measure of extending equality to the female citizens of America.

Garnier brings to life a major, and largely neglected, chapter in American history, by building her story around the two central characters, Alice Paul and Lucy Burns. Both Paul and Burns agonize over the sacrifices they must make in their personal life to dedicate themselves fully to the cause of women's rights. Although the men, for the most part, are exposed as narrow minded chauvinists, Gariner treats them fairly by portraying Senator Layton, (Joseph Adams) as a conflicted husband, who initially reacts to his wife's involvement in the movement with scorn, but is eventually able to empathize with the women and help them by publicizing their mistreatment. Paul's potential love interest, Ben Weissman (Patrick Dempsey) is also portrayed with a certain amount of detached sensitivity. On the negative side, Garnier includes a gratuitous steamy scene of Paul reclining in a bathtub of water moving her hands over her body, implying masturbation, which seems out of character for a woman with a Quaker background, and adds nothing to the story line.

The lead actresses, Hilary Swank (Boys Don't Cry/Insomnia) and Frances O'Connor (Mansfield Park/The Importance of Being Ernest) deliver vibrant performances as two diverse women (one a Quaker and one an Irish girl from Brooklyn) who are not afraid to clash with the establishment and risk their lives for a just cause. Julia Ormond (Legends Of The Fall) and Anjelica Huston also (The Royal Tenenbaums) add strong supporting performances.

While Iron Jawed Angels, may come across a bit more stylish and pretentious than the typical historical period drama, it is full of energy, passion, and relevance. Creativity is often necessary in order to make a bold statement, and this film should serve as a stirring inspiration for those who are still amazingly, in the 21st century, fighting for basic human rights.