Last Thursday, I attended the screening of Hidden Figures, followed by a discussion with Professor Kim Weeden. Although I knew the gist of the story, I refrained from reading about it online because I wanted to watch the movie before reading a synopsis/review. Post-movie, I was curious about the the real people behind them.I read more about all three women: Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson. In addition, I read about the movie itself.
Although Hidden Figures did not win any Oscars, it has gotten recognition greater than a couple of awards. For one, Hidden Figures was the highest-grossing Best Picture Nominee.Additionally, Twentieth Century Fox, in partnership with Journeys in Film (a non-profit) and the USC Rossier School of Education, plans to design a free syllabus (Which includes complementary copies of the movie) with eight lessons based on the film. The curriculum is said to include lessons on the context surrounding the film: segregation, the Cold War and the Civil Rights Movement. Although movies are often played in classes, this is one of the first times that I have heard of a film studio commissioning a curriculum based on a movie.
On further thought, it seemed like a really good idea. When I first watched the movie, I was engrossed in the narrative. Internally, I cheered on at every win for the three women and was annoyed at the fictional characters that embodied various racial and sexist prejudices. I was so invested in the plot and the subsequent happy ending that my curiosity, after the movie, extended only to the three women, and I did not think much further about the context of the story.
I feel like the curriculum is a good way to encourage greater analysis. It stops the audience (At least the students that might take lessons in this curriculum) from disengaging with the narrative after the movie is over. It also provokes reflection on aspects of the movie other than the plot, like subtext and so on.
Wow, I didn’t know that USC designed a course around Hidden Figures! It’s a great film to develop a curriculum around, because it touches on a wide variety of subjects and on certain subjects that most Americans don’t know much about (and should know more about!). Do you know if the course includes lessons on the math and science of the film, or just on its social and historical context? I think understanding more about the calculations and the different roles of the scientists in the film would both enhance one’s experience of the film and improve one’s understanding of the time period. For example, knowing exactly what types of calculations Johnson’s role entails would teach us much about NASA’s operations, the difficulty of sending a man into space, the education available to black women at the time, and Johnson’s genius.
I agree! I think that some of the complex details can be overlooked in the film. I did wonder about the math and science the actual mathematicians performed to get to their goal. I think developing an actual interest in math and science should have been part of the goal of the film, as well as garnering appreciation for the people behind these calculations, which the film succeeded in doing.