By Danielle Cherry
The true story of “Six Triple Eight” follows a battalion of black women tasked with the impossible mission of sorting out seven million pieces of mail piled up over ten months. Facing discrimination and feelings of unworthiness, the women push on fighting to make both the deadline and their ability known.
Following the life of Lena Derricotte (Ebony Obsidian), the film begins when Lena receives the tragic news that the love of her life, Abram David, died in battle. Lena has a delicate spirit, never seeking conflict, and always staying on the good side of people. At the same time, she is stubborn and fights for what she believes in, resulting in her admission into the army.
The film is set during the Second World War, and the coloring of the film draws the viewer to the past. The saturation is low and the desert reds and yellows flow from the screen. The sweeping sets and huge ensemble of soldiers transport the viewer right into the middle of the war.
The characters in this story set it apart from other wartime stories. Instead of focusing on action and violence, “Six Triple Eight” prioritizes the discrimination the women face and the bond they form.
Charity Adams (Kerry Washington), commander of the Six Triple Eight Battalion, presents herself as an immovable force. She seeks to prove the worth of the African American women under her command. She, like Lena, is a fighter, but while Lena fights with her heart wide open, Charity fights with her words and her position. The two characters are drastically different in approach and personality and yet a strong kinship forms between them.
Charity is initially offended by the task of sorting the mail, feeling put down and ridiculed, but when Lena speaks up for the first time Charity realizes that their mission is more than sorting mail: it’s uplifting the morale of the soldiers and families back home.
Kerry Washington’s emotional range truly made this film what it is, a tragedy and triumph. Her fierce speech to a white soldier about the hardships her battalion had been through brought tears to my eyes, and was truly moving to see her determination in the face of discrimination.
Segregation and its psychological effects punctuate this film. I was horrified to see the hardship these ladies had to endure with a straight face. In a truly heart-wrenching moment Johnnie Mae, a foul-mouth bully stands rigid with tears streaming down her face as she endures shouts of anger from a white soldier calling her stupid.
After her loss, Lena is unable to move on with her grief. She has visions and moments of hallucinations where she sees Abram David once more, holding and speaking to her in her desperation. Lena represents the psychological trauma of losing someone in the war.
Charity, however, represents the revolution and the fight against discrimination, which was also heavily impacted by the war. Instead of choosing to give up, Charity fights with every means she has. She outranks all of the white soldiers and yet is ridiculed and takes criticism with a stoic posture.
Oftentimes feminism in films can result in a powerful female cast with weak male characters. While in “Six Triple Eight” the male cast might not be the main focus, but each male character in the film plays a critical role. Personally, I felt feminism to be a necessary part of the storytelling, as it was focused on portraying both the hardships African Americans and women alike faced in the military during this time.
As a white viewer of this film, I could not fully relate to the hardships and unthinkable discrimination the black community has been through, yet films like this inform people like me of what has been done and what is still happening in the world and in our history, as well as telling long lost stories of triumph to the populace.
I cannot imagine the impact this film had on the women acting in it nor the impact it had on the African American community. At the end of the film, a tribute to all the women who served in the Six Triple Eight Battalion fills the screen. Hundreds of names of people long forgotten scroll endlessly, reminding us of their service and heroism.
Retellings of true events are not only good reminders of our history but also teach us new lessons. “Six Triple Eight” is not a casual watch on a Sunday afternoon, rather it is a story that pierces right to the heart. It shows that real heroism isn’t an epic action adventure, but the sacrifices of everyday people seeking something greater than themselves.
Six Triple Eight is currently streaming on Netflix
Danielle Cherry is a freshman Communications major and writer for Cedars A&E and Sports. She is a Missionary Kid from Germany and loves a good cup of coffee.
Images courtesy of Netflix
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