This PBS documentary recounts the life and career of controversial British prime minister Margaret Thatcher. Dubbed "The Iron Lady" by friends and foes alike, Thatcher (born Margaret Roberts in Lincolnshire in 1925) led her country through the hard times of the 1970s and the gaudy glitter of the '80s. Throughout her 11-year term (1979-1990), the first female leader of Britain's Conservative Party courted both admiration and denigration with her firm, uncompromising socioeconomic and foreign policies. This special overflows with vintage film clips and interviews with nearly 50 of Thatcher's contemporaries, and does not back away from the darker side of its subject -- nor does it take anything away from her considerable accomplishments. Maggie was first broadcast in the U.S. on June 29, 2003.
by Hal Erickson
synopsis
