The Help: Mixed Feelings

Yes, this past weekend, a group of friends and I decided to see the movie “The Help” starring Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer working as maids in Jackson, MS during the Civil Rights Movement. The movie included other Hollywood heavyweights such as Cicely Tyson and Sissy Spacek. Do you remember watching the movies The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman and Carrie? Awesome! I will not give away the plot of the movie because I do wish to encourage others to see it and make a decision for themselves. But, the goal for us as a group was to watch the movie and then sit down and “analyze it” over a bite to eat.

The consensus of the group is that the movie had some good moments, but there were scenes that were either unrealistic and/or troubling to watch. That’s Hollywood for you, right? Moreover, the handling of the Civil Rights Movement and the impact of the assassination of the late Medgar Evers, was kind of a “back drop” to overall theme of the movie. Honestly, “The Help” was better than I thought it was going to be, but I do have mixed feelings about it.

First, I look at this from the perspective of the number of quality film roles for African American women in Hollywood. We know these roles are few and far between, so when we have the opportunities to get meaningful roles that can make an impact, we absolutely should take them. Second, I don’t have a problem with African American women playing the role of a maid in 2011. My grandmother has talked to me on numerous occasions about the lack of career opportunities for African American women during her time. Your options were limited to be a maid, seamstress, or maybe a teacher if you had the opportunity to pursue higher education. That’s about it. This is a part of our history. Remember the late Hattie McDaniel who won an Oscar for her role in Gone with the Wind? When McDaniel couldn’t find work in Hollywood, she often worked as a maid. She was also criticized for playing subservient roles, and was quoted as saying “Why should I complain about $700 a week playing a maid? If I didn’t, I’d be making $7 a week being one.” Thelma “Butterfly” McQueen also played a maid alongside McDaniel in Gone with the Wind. McQueen would later earn an undergraduate degree in political science from the City College of New York.

But, I admit that I did have a problem with some of the dialogue in “The Help” and how the historical aspects of the Civil Rights Movement were depicted. However, I would recommend that others see the movie to formulate their own opinions. I believe that Viola Davis is an amazing actress and I hope that this movie leads to more meaningful roles for her career.

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