Revisiting and reviewing 2011’s 'The Help,' a timeless classic still more relevant than ever

By Faith T.

In today’s generation no one knows about how African Americans got treated and how bad segregation was in the 1900’s, so I wanted to review a movie that could help Airport High School students and staff really see how things were back then and how some whites tried to help blacks get their story out to the world so oppression could end. 

The Help is a movie about African American maids and how they were getting treated during the civil rights movement. The movie was set in 1963, during a time when African American activists and NAACP leaders were working toward gaining rights for African Americans at the time and also trying to put an end to segregation. 

First of all, I would love for Airport High School students to watch this movie because it shows how Blacks were treated unfairly and not equal.  Every race should watch “ The Help” . It will educate you on how poorly the maids would get treated daily, the maids would have to take care of the children, clean the house and cook like they were married into the family. Even though the maids worked and had relationships with their bosses they still got treated differently. If they would have to use the restroom they would have a special restroom just for the “ black women” to use, you could not eat from the same silverware and could not drink out of the same cup they would have their own cabinet where the cups and silverware  for the maids would be. 

The film also showcases economic disparity.  In the 1960’s minimum wage for maids was $1.24 an hour and the average earnings would be $ 3.50 to $5.00 a day for twelve to fourteen hour shifts, the NDWUA demanded higher wages and within two years the maids made an average of $13.50 to $15.00 a day. 

The best part about the movie was the acting.  Specifically, Viola Davis played her part very well, Emma stone was great as well. I loved how she tried to help the African American women tell their truth and get their story out there. Both characters felt very believable, and their dynamic together was also compelling. 

Lastly, one specific scene was especially powerful.  They had one specific seen when Minnie was the maid for Mrs.Walters and Her Manipulative daughter Hilly Holbrook and hilly had accused minnie of stealing some items from her and later on in the movie they had an banquet and after the banquet Minnie brought a “Special Pie” over to Mrs. Hilly’s house because hilly had accused her of stealing something that she didn’t and she always Mistreated Minnie, Minnie sat down and told Mrs. Hilly to have some pie when hilly proceeded to eat the pie Minnie Said to Mrs. Hilly “ eat my ****” in literal terms. Minnie was telling them that she had put some of her waste inside of the pie. 

I asked my mom what her favorite part of the movie was, and she said when Minnie went to work for Celia Fote. Celia was very sad and depressed and she couldn't cook, so Minnie came and helped lift her spirits and she taught Celia how to cook, and later on Celia surprised minnie with a huge dinner. The relationship between the women from different backgrounds, and especially the part about the black woman being better at something than the white woman and wanting to help her, was really special to my mom.

To reiterate, kids need to watch the help because it is showing how segregation was terrible still after slavery, things never changed and I don’t think things ever will change. But I hope and pray that this Specific movie will help change the world and end segregation for good after all these years.