Claim: The 84th Academy Awards' winners included The Iron Lady.

The Iron Lady is a 2011 British-French drama film based on the life and career of Margaret Thatcher -LRB- 1925 -- 2013 -RRB- , a British stateswoman and politician who was the longest-serving Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of the 20th century . The film was directed by Phyllida Lloyd . Thatcher is portrayed primarily by Meryl Streep , and , in her formative and early political years , by Alexandra Roach . Thatcher 's husband , Denis Thatcher , is portrayed by Jim Broadbent , and by Harry Lloyd as the younger Denis . Thatcher 's longest-serving cabinet member and eventual deputy , Geoffrey Howe , is portrayed by Anthony Head .   While the film was met with mixed reviews , Streep 's performance was widely acclaimed , and considered to be one of the finest of her career . She received her 17th Oscar nomination for her portrayal and ultimately won the award , 29 years after her first Best Actress win . She also earned her third Golden Globe Award for Best Actress -- Motion Picture Drama award -LRB- her eighth Golden Globe Award win overall -RRB- , and her second BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role . The film also won the Academy Award for Best Makeup and the BAFTA Award for Best Makeup and Hair .   The film was loosely based on John Campbell 's biography The Iron Lady : Margaret Thatcher , from Grocer 's Daughter to Prime Minister   In flashbacks we are shown Thatcher 's youth , working in the family grocery store in Grantham , listening to the political speeches of her father , whom she idolised it is also hinted that she had a poor relationship with her mother , a housewife and announcing that she has won a place at the University of Oxford . She remembers her struggle , as a young lower-middle class woman , to break into a snobbish male-dominated Tory party and find a seat in the House of Commons , along with businessman Denis Thatcher 's marriage proposal to her . Her struggles to fit in as a `` Lady Member '' of the House , and as Education Secretary in Edward Heath 's cabinet are also shown , as are her friendship with Airey Neave , her decision to stand for Leader of the Conservative Party and eventual victory , and her voice coaching and image change .   Further flashbacks examine historical events during her time as Prime Minister , after winning the 1979 general election , including the rising unemployment related to her monetarist policies and the tight 1981 budget -LRB- over the misgivings of `` wet '' members of her Cabinet -- Ian Gilmour , Francis Pym , Michael Heseltine , and Jim Prior -RRB- , the 1981 Brixton riot , the 1984 -- 1985 UK miners ' strike , and the bombing in Brighton of the Grand Hotel during the 1984 Conservative Party Conference , when she and Denis were almost killed . We also see -LRB- slightly out of chronological sequence -RRB- her decision to retake the Falkland Islands following the islands ' invasion by Argentina in 1982 , the sinking of the ARA General Belgrano and Britain 's subsequent victory in the Falklands War , her friendship with U.S. President Ronald Reagan and emergence as a world figure , and the economic boom of the late 1980s .   By 1990 , Thatcher is shown as an imperious but aging figure , ranting aggressively at her cabinet , refusing to accept that the `` Poll Tax '' is unjust , even while it is causing riots , and fiercely opposed to European Integration . Her deputy Geoffrey Howe resigns after being humiliated by her in a cabinet meeting , Heseltine challenges her for the party leadership , and her loss of support from her cabinet colleagues leaves her little choice but reluctantly to resign as Prime Minister after eleven years in office . A teary-eyed Thatcher exits 10 Downing Street for the last time as Prime Minister with Denis comforting her . She is shown as still disheartened about it almost twenty years later .   Eventually , Thatcher is shown packing up her late husband 's belongings , and telling him it 's time for him to go . Denis 's ghost leaves her as she cries that she actually is not yet ready to lose him , to which he replies `` You 're going to be fine on your own ... you always have been '' before leaving forever . She is finally shown in her kitchen , alone , contentedly washing a teacup -LRB- a wifely role she had told Denis she would never accept -RRB- , having finally overcome her grief .