Welcome back to Movie Recap. Today I'm gonna show you a 2015 British historical drama film called,
Suffragette. Spoilers ahead. Sit back, relax and enjoy the video.
The movie starts with a man saying that women don’t have the calmness of temperament or the
balance of mind so they can’t exercise political rights, they are represented
by men. In a laundry factory, there are a handful of women lathering and ironing plenty of clothes.
The boss throws a package to Maud, a female worker, to deliver and pick it up.
With a worried face, Maud says it is for the deliverers, that is men’s work.
While walking along the busy streets of London, Maud stops to look in a shopping store window
with babies’ clothes. She sparks a smile but then a loud crack booms in the clear window,
a woman suddenly throws rocks in the glass window shouting “Votes for Women!” Maud hurriedly rides
on a bus without bothering to deliver the package assigned to her. Full of fear, she goes to her
home and tells her husband the happenings. The next day, she wakes up and immediately
dresses his son, then she goes again to her work, just like an infinite cycle.
Violet, her coworker that is involved in the Suffragette community gets scolded so Maud
distracts the boss saying that the machine needs to be checked, Violet gives her thanks.
Violet introduces her oldest daughter, Maggie, to Maud, who will be working in the laundry as
well at the age of 12. The MP’s wife is having an announcement outside their work area that
the prime minister has agreed to hear the testimonies of women in different places,
they need to have a laundry worker that will give their testimony and it will be Violet.
The two laundry workers are walking across the street and Violet asks her to give testimony
or just listen but Maud hesitates. She says that smashing windows is not respectable,
Violet responds that if they want to be respected, the law should be respected.
The next day, Mrs. Ellyn, a suffragette doctor, checks up on Maud’s son, George. She explains
that she is more of a soldier and they can make the difference as long as they do what
they can. She doesn’t ask charge for her son and advises her of some home remedies.
Another day comes, Maud goes to work but he sees their boss sexually assaulting Maggie.
She hastily escapes the office and works as nothing happened. While they are working,
the bosses and other men shout to Violet and mock her about giving the testimony.
Maud shows support by telling Violet that she will listen.
The day has now come, outside the court, Maud is waiting for her friend but she sees her full of
bruises on the face. As they enter the courthouse, Violet is being advised that she will not be heard
if she’ll give the testimony looking like that, so, Maud is going to read the testimony even
though she hesitates. She sits and tells the minister that she doesn’t know what to say.
As a result, they interview Maud and ask her about the wages, the effects of their work, and
the likes. She says that she doesn’t think that they will get the vote so she hasn’t thought about
it yet and the crowd laughs. However, she states that maybe there is another way of living life,
the minister commends her eloquence afterward and they will hear about the result very soon.
Maud comes home with a smell of brandy because of Mrs. Haughton's treat.
Her husband gets alarmed as she tells him that she spoke in court. He mocks her, saying that
she is now becoming one of “Suffragettes pranks.” Violet and Maud walk along the next day as Mrs.
Ellyn invites her to tea. She goes there and gets to have a little talk with her.
The result has now come and the two laundry workers go outside the courthouse together
with many women waiting for the change. The spokesperson goes out and tells that there
is no evidence for the suffrage bill to be changed. The women outside get mad outraged,
telling them that they are liars. The police tell them that they must go home but they are shouting
with grief as the result disappoint them. With the women refusing to leave, the policemen begin to
hurt them, punching and stepping on their faces. A few of the women get jailed because of fighting
back when they just want their rights. One girl gets bailed but the rest are left alone.
Maud gets to talk with the law enforcer, she tells him that he needs to pick up the son
and they will have some tea but the man says she will not go home for now. Maud says she is not
a suffragette and the enforcer tells her that good for her as she is a rough little diamond.
He says that he thinks the law is madness and the women are not less than men but he cannot
do anything as he only enforces the law. He advises Maud to go home with the husband once
they are free as she serves her time. She says that they lied to them, however, the law enforces
states that the court promised nothing and they give nothing, so technically, they didn’t lie.
In the prison, the women jailed are getting their clothes off by women officers. They need
to wear the proper clothes for jail while some of them are saying that they have the right to
wear their own clothes, the heads don’t listen. At work, Sonny gets shamed because of her wife,
he lit his cigarette as he absorbs the humiliation. On the other hand, the women
gather as they wander outside the jail. Maud is missing her son and just stares at nothingness.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Edith tells her to be strong because they need to make sacrifices as they
fight for their rights. Maud gets introduced to their member that’s on a hunger strike, Emily.
Now, the arrested women are free, some are getting hugs from their husbands and children. Maud looks
with sadness but a suffragette greets her and gives her a commemoration medal and a flower.
She walks home removing the medal and knocks as she can. Her husband is mad and cannot look
at her, he says that the police were around and the neighbors were whispering about them.
The next day, Maud goes to work and the boss says he’s glad to see she’s well.
Violet gets fired and she shouts “Votes for women!” as she leaves the place.
Mrs. Pankhurst, the leader of suffragettes, will be speaking after long hiding, Violet invites
Maud for the gathering but she refuses. She wakes up in the morning with wonder,
she asks her husband about what their daughter's life would have been if they had one and he
answers that it’ll be the same as hers, then, she tells her husband that she will be working late.
Maud decides to go to the gathering as she already made an alibi to her husband.
Together with Violet and Emily, they hurry to see Mrs. Pankhurst for her speech.
The women’s right organizer starts her speech fearlessly with rage.
She empathizes with women that came for her as they are all dealing with sacrifices.
She says that sisters need to have equal rights for their brothers. As the speech is going on,
the police are alarmed and are now on their way to East London, where the gathering is happening.
She says that the government left them no chance so they need to resort to violence if they can.
Mrs. Pankshurst ends the speech with the statement “I would rather be a rebel than a slave.”
The policemen come to their place and Mrs. Pankhurst hurriedly hides,
while going to the carriage, she greets Edith and introduces her to Maud.
She tells her to never surrender and never give up the fight.
Maud and her fellow women get arrested, the law enforcer tells the police that
they shouldn’t bother arresting them but rather drop them in their husbands. Maud’s husband lit
a cigarette as he waits for her wife. He tells her that he’s just his wife and nothing more,
it’s where she’s meant to be. Maud replies that she is not that anymore then Sonny, his husband,
throws all of her things outside the house while Maud screams as she cries for help.
As she’s expelled from her own house, Violet comes to the rescue. She offers a small dormitory and
comforts Maud as she can until they can laugh. The next day after, the inspectors gather to
talk about the suffragettes especially when their leader goes on hiding again.
They decide to release the women’s pictures inclined with the fight.
A neighbor shames Maud as she walks through the street and gives her the newspaper with her face.
She comes to her work with no fear and she grabs her iron, Mr. Taylor calls her name as one of
Mrs. Pankhurst undesirables. He faces Maud as she tells her he wants her out, he grabs Maud’s waist
while saying “After all I’ve done for you.” Maud replies and how she paid for it. Then she grabs
her iron and presses it to her boss. Mr. Taylor screams in pain as Maud escapes to her workplace.
She goes through the police office and the law enforcer comes for her for a little talk.
He convinces Maud to join them and be a spy or a snitch about their doings. He
gives his details if ever she accepts his offer. Back to their camp, Edith gathers them up and
asks if anyone wants to leave. None answers and so they begin their plan to burn mails and offices.
The next day after, Maud stops for George as she misses him. They play, run around, and enjoy
each other’s company. She leads his son to their doorstep as her husband rages at the sight of her.
Maud says she wants her son but his husband says otherwise. For the law is
in favor of the father when it comes to the child. She goes back home with her fellow suffragettes,
in her room, she removes her ring and hides it. She writes a letter to the law enforcer
and tells him about her thoughts on the offer. She says no and quotes what Pankhurst said,
“If it’s right for men to fight for their freedom, then it’s right for women to fight for theirs.”
After sending the letter, she goes to their house and plays with George through the window.
Even if it’s raining that night, she keeps her goofiness as she makes her son laugh.
His father notices and gets him back to bed and closes the curtains.
The suffragettes are beginning to bomb the post office together with the telegraph wires cut.
The inspector gets a warrant of arrest and hastily goes to Edith’s office.
There, is Miss Withers, who will be arrested for she was photographed bombing the mails.
As the women walk through the park, they talk about the jailed having her six months there.
Edith asks Violet to go through the Minister’s home but she refuses and complains about it
being too far. She walks away and Maud runs for her, saying that she can’t let her join
then leaves her behind. Violet explains that she cannot fight for now while rubbing her stomach.
She is pregnant and has a living child inside of her. Maud comforts her
and hugs her tightly as she tells her that she is due in summer.
Maud comes home because it is now the birthday of her son. She knocks on their door but her husband
doesn’t let her in. She pleases to greet her son and she sees a couple with George.
Sonny says he cannot take care of their son, so, he goes into adoption. Maud cannot believe what
she heard and just started crying. She goes to her son as she gives her final farewell
and presents him her gift, she tells her son her full name, “Maud Watts,” she then states he must
never forget that name as it is her mother’s. The couple grabs George as they cry together.
Later then, Emily and Maud go to the Minister’s office to blow dynamite off the place.
They hurriedly come back to the carriage with the medical couple as they go home.
The next day, Maud gets arrested, while the inspector’s group is fuming with rage
as the women continue to fight. She talks with the law enforcer as she
defends her doings, they will keep on fighting. Maud is not eating in prison for about five days,
the heads decide to punish her by pouring milk onto her nose. She screams for help while the
law enforcer just walks through her. Not just her, but plenty of women go on hunger strike.
Inspector says that they cannot go on barbaric treatments or else the suffragettes will win.
The women arrested are now free, Maud decides to sleep in a church. Violet hears it and visits her.
She also gives a broth and bread, for Maud has been on a hunger strike since she’s in prison.
In the women’s suffrage office, they gather together as they talk about their next move.
The government will not pardon Mrs. Pankhurst so they need to move again to be heard.
Emily sees the newspaper wherein it states that the prince will be on
the Derby by Wednesday. There will be thousands there and with this crowd,
they will go unnoticed. They decide to go there and raise their flag.
At night, they sew their flag neatly to prepare for tomorrow’s event.
Emily gives a book to Maud entitled “Dreams.” it was passed through generations of women
fighting for their rights. She tells her that no matter the risk, they must not fail.
The next day, the event is now going to happen, they are now preparing for their mission.
Edith comes to the pantry and her husband takes it as a chance to lock
her wife because he does not want her to go through the event due to her heart problems.
At the Derry, Emily and Maud meet while they are looking for Edith who is also not in the station.
Still, they walk through because they need to be at the front for them to be seen by the cameras.
They go through the line and enter without any problems, they see the king riding a horse.
They hurriedly come to the front but they can’t, the guards tell them that only the
green badges are allowed. They walk more as they will find another way.
The law enforcer also goes to the Derry as he suspects that the suffragettes might make
a move there. Through the crowds, he goes to make a way to the front.
Emily and Maud are now on the front as they seek their way on the other side to the cameras.
Emily says “Never surrender, never give up the fight.” as she goes her way through the
barricade. She knocks herself in front of the king’s horse as she fights for women’s suffrage.
Maud is stunned by the quick happenings as her friend comes on dying with a handful of injuries.
Maud goes back to London and retrieves Maggie from the laundry workplace.
She takes her to the home of Alice Haughton, where Maggie can work into. Maud later participates in
Emily's memorial service parade where thousands of women come to the march.
The movie ends by stating that Emily's burial service was accounted for around the world and
women above thirty years old are now given as well as changing it to the same age,
the chance to vote and rights for their children has also come to the law.
The bill has changed throughout the world because of the movement made by the Suffragettes.