Hidden Figures: A Film Review

“All three of you? NASA, now that’s something. I had no idea they hired… 

There are quite a few women working in the space program.” -Officer and Dorthy Vaughn

Hidden Figures set the bar with such memorable quotes as this one. I think that it set a powerful tone for this movie. Dorothy Vaughn, Mary Jackson and Katherine Goble are three Black women whose car breaks down again and a white police officer in 1961 pulls over in Hampton, Virginia. You can sense the tense atmosphere because the wrong word or look could mean worse for them. But once the officer learns they work at Langley for NASA or NACA as it was originally called, nerves are smoothed over. It’s an important task to get the crew of Mercury 7 in space and beat Russia. The entire country felt it in their bones. In fact, NASA knew at the time how important it was. 

During the 1960s, there was the space race but also the tumultuous Civil Rights Act with lots of southern states still adhering to Jim Crow laws. America at that time knew it was time to start to hire Blacks because not only was it the right thing to do, but America needed to pick up the pace to beat Russia.

Dorothy Vaughn, played by Octavia Spencer, leads the West Computing Group in assigning Black or colored women their assignments of each day at NASA. Women of all races were considered computers for NASA. They calculated the heavy math required for every piece of equipment to the trajectories of a rocket. Scientists and engineers realized that women could do this job besides being a secretary and it would free up their time into more building and research. Just as the 1960s was segregated, so too was NASA and in fact it was segregated since the 1940s when everyone was building airplanes to defend America during WWII.Vaughn desperately wanted to be supervisor of her group but she was only a fill in without the pay. Nothing is ever equal as she learns even the white women don’t always get to be promoted. 

Mary Jackson, played by Janelle Monaé, is an aspiring engineer. Her mind is always lost into figuring out how the capsule will keep its heat shield on. Her vibrant and daring personality brings thought provoking issues to the forefront. When her supervisor Karl Zielsinski looks at her with pride and gives her encouragement about applying for the engineering program. She replies that “I am a Negro woman and I’m not gonna entertain the impossible.” “I am a Polish Jew whose parents died in a Nazi prison camp. Now I’m standing beneath a spaceship that’s going to carry a man to the stars. I think we can say we are living the impossible. Let me ask you, if you were a white male, would you wish to be an engineer?” “ I wouldn’t have to. I’d already be one.” That conversation pushes Mary to go to do the impossible, be the first not only woman but also first Black woman to be an engineer at NASA. She put herself out on that platform to be heard and make a difference not only in the space race, but to the advancement in equality. 

Katherine Goble, played by Taraji P. Henson, is a widowed single mom of three wonderful girls who works hard to be a parent but also earns her place in the mathematical world. When Mrs. Mitchell, played by Kirsten Dunst asks for a colored computer to help with the Space Task Group with analytical geometry, Dorothy Vaughn knew Katherine was the gal for the job. Katherine’s mind works with an innate and unique ability to make math work for her in every situation and she breathes and eats numbers. Mrs. Mitchell lets it be known that no one will warm up to her, several computers have already quit after a few days and Al Harrison (Kevin Costner) had been through a dozen in many months. They probably couldn’t handle the workload and Mrs. Mitchell made it a point that this officer never had a colored girl before and not to embarrass her. That meant Katherine like Dorothy and Mary set a precedent and it was something to be proud of.

The film progresses showing each woman as she rides and falters and of course battling math, racism and technology.  Mary had to find her way to become an engineer. Katherine dealt with battling not only complicated math that constantly changed, blatant racism in the office and trying not to get lost in the numbers. Jim Parson (Big Bang Theory) played Paul Stafford, a staunch, passive-aggressive antagonist who did not think Katherine belonged. He didn’t think that it was right for a computer to recheck HIS math, but a colored one just topped the cake. He threw whatever he could at her to make her want to quit. Katherine rose to every occasion.  

Since the inception of a computer from WWII thanks to Alan Turing, NASA bought an IBM and it’s massive. Just as in WWII, it will take several women to feed code and information into the machine. Even this machine was going to replace Mrs. Mitchell’s East Computing Group. Progress meant loss of jobs and Dorothy Vaughn wasn’t having any of that. She learned Fortran, a program that teaches computer code and she secretly taught the women in her group who will lose their jobs. Dorothy has a knack of mechanics and mathematics and what better person who would be suited for the job than her. Despite her not fighting her way to the top loudly, she tells Mary and Katherine that “any upward movement is movement for us all.” Dorothy was making it a point that Blacks had been forever looked down upon to not rise above their ranks. Previously during WWII, Black men were not deemed skilled, disciplined or intelligent enough to fly an airplane. That obviously was proven wrong time and time again. In fact, the majority of the men and women who weren’t serving their country, were either teachers or working in industry. In the case of Hampton, Virginia, there were thousands who were one of the many working cogs to help win WWII and now the Space Race.

“That’s pretty heady stuff. They let women handle that sort of…That’s not what I mean. What do you mean? I’m just surprised that something is so taxing.”-Capt. James Johnson and Katherine Goble

This glimpse of a conversation between what started their love story was a pivotal scene. Not only were women used to hearing a demeaning and condescending talk about their work, but it riled them from the inside. Katherine and the other women at NASA proved their worth. You will have to watch the film to hear her reply. It took me back by surprise and Taraji delivers it with such gusto. 

Katherine’s boss, Al Harrison pushes her and his team to look beyond the math because Russia was always ahead in the Space Race. He wondered who would help them reach the stars because time was running out. It was a vital moment in American history to show that not only do they have the technical know-how to get there, but also the spirit. Every working body at NASA was pushed to the extreme to get Mercury 7 led by John Glenn (Glen Powell) to orbit the Earth without failure.

Hidden Figures is inspired by a true story and the music that accompanied it did an extraordinary and masterful job with matching it to every emotional scene.  Pharrell Wiliams did a phenomenal job at creating 10 original songs, he also scored most of the songs. The music he selected, he was already writing when this movie found its way to him. He incorporated a lot of gospel into the songs and one of his catchiest tunes “Runnin’” takes a fast lane turn to draw you in. 

Director Theodore Melfi took everything he had to help tell this untold story about not only women working at NASA, but Black women. He helped shape not only an entertaining, but also an educational and powerful story. I only briefly heard of Katherine Johnson in high school; but not the others. I am learning more of forgotten backstories of women and men in the past who helped pave the way to creating life for everyone for the better.

This movie would not have been made if it wasn’t for Margot Lee Shetterly. In fact, she had not even finished writing this book while the film was being made! She grew up in Hampton, Virginia and her father worked at Langley. Katherine Johnson was a person she knew growing up. Shetterly decided it was time to tell these women’s stories. 

Reading this book helped me to understand not only how important it was for Americans to reach the far expanse of space, but also to deal with issues at home. The Civil Rights Movement was in full swing and NASA actually realized they needed everyone to help win the SpaceRace. Shetterly dives deep into the Jim-Crow era as opportunities for elite jobs were slim. Blacks weren’t considered fit for the job. Time and time again they proved that and NASA needed every brain power they could muster. Yet, it was still a segregated world and that included women of every race. Not many women were promoted, or seen as top of their class. These women of all races by the time we went into space, proved their worth. It was women like Katherine, Dorothy and Mary who helped shake things up, calmly or loudly to be heard. 

Each chapter in this book led to a different world of learning, experience and wonderment. How can we as human beings achieve these miraculous feats while working together in a common goal? However, at the same time try to make sure our voices are heard and not be stomped on and be treated as equals. I love this one NASA interview by the cast in how they didn’t know about these legendary women and it hit me, how much education is valued and stories like this should be told?

I dived into the front seat of a rocket to see how fast technology changed and paved its way for the betterment of our lives. Shetterly’s insight is one for the books and I am happy and proud to say I enjoyed her work. 

One of the best things that has arisen out of this film and book is the talk of highlighting the importance of S.T.E.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) in the world. These men and women were the forerunners of this and it should be encouraged to continue. Who knows what life saving piece of equipment can be created because of someone who works in this field? Janelle Monaé and Pharrell were in Talks with Google interview and they highlighted the importance of S. T. E. M., studying code, the influence it has even on music and empowering women.

If you want to see and read several interesting ways this movie was developed and how the book was written, then you have to watch this video. In this interview hosted by the Library of Congress, they commemorated Women’s History Month by interviewing both author Margot Lee Shetterly and film producer Donna Gilgliotti. I found this interview to be educational, witty and moving.

NASA propels you to space with its riveting and educational talks of Hidden Figures and how they led them to great things. NASA also shares in this video about the stories of Hidden Figures and also talks of going further into exploration.

The Science Museum Blog in the UK actually dug deeper into Dorthohy Vaughn’s story. By now, everyone knew about Katherine, but what about Dorothy? She helped lead the way into computers at NASA and her mind worked just as fast into understanding it. There is even a scholarship at North Central University in honor of her. Interesting Engineering Magazine dives in deep into the world of computer coding with Dorothy Vaughn in this article.

One of my favorite actresses, Geena Davis, formed an institute that not only helps showcase the importance of women empowerment, equal pay, but also S.T.E.M.. One of the most important pieces that they showcase is representation. If more kids, see that there is a field for them and it is possible, then it can be achieved. Her theme is “If they can see it, they can be it.” It’s so important to show there are opportunities out there in various fields of study. The Geena Davis Institute has a vast resource for you to check out, and in regards to Hidden Figures, there’s a whole lot to sponge onto.

Check out behind the scenes of this inspiring film as it helped open eyes of wonder and intrigue into a hidden story at NASA. You can also purchase a copy from Bookshop.org  of Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly.

This story HAD to be told, many in the scientific community already knew about her, but what about everyone else? I may have had an inkling about Katherine but, I am of the age when you really started using the Internet for research and dial up was still a thing….I lived for the library as a child but had I known about this woman, I would have asked for more books about her and other trailblazing and inspiring people. I may not like math, or understand how it is constantly used in various ways with its subtle to extreme calculations, but it’s there. It led women such as these famous three to help get us not only into space, but also the moon.

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