Okay, I have to take a moment to wipe the tears from my eyes. I cried three times while watching Tyler Perry’s tour de force, The Six Triple Eight. The story about eight hundred and fifty-five black women who join the war effort to address a three year mail backlog, was educational, enlightening, powerful, and deeply heartfelt. Like most people, I had never heard of this battalion of black women. Prior to the movie debuting, I remember reading about Mr. Perry’s desire to bring this story to the big screen. Since that time, I have been waiting on bated breath for its release. It did not disappoint.
The movie stars powerhouse actress, Kerry Washington, who brilliantly portrays Major Charity Adams. She leads an ensemble of actresses who bring their A games to this film. Milauna Jackson, who is Washington’s right-hand woman, superbly plays her role as the stern but compassionate Captain Campbell. Ebony Obsidian as Lena Derriecott King, is the main protagonist, a young woman in an interracial relationship that’s short lived after her sweetheart, Abram David, is shot down during combat. Greg Sulkin, who plays the role, appears in subsequent scenes inspiring Obsidian’s character to stay the course. His death compels Obsidian, who’s acting chops are on full display in the film, to enroll in the army where she’s befriended by fellow soldiers, Shanice Williams, who plays a feisty Johnnie Mae, Pepi Sonuga, who plays Elaine White, a preacher’s kid, Jeante Godlock, who plays Vera, Kylie Jefferson, who plays Bernice Baker, Sarah Jeffery, who plays Dolores Washington, and Moriah Brown, who plays Inez.
There’s never a dull moment in the film. Perry has created an inspirational masterpiece that is beautifully written and directed. It sweeps you up from the beginning and holds you in a grip until the triumphant end. I watched with pride while the women came up with ingenious ways to sort through and deliver the mail while at the same time battling racism and deplorable conditions. When they arrived in Europe after enduring a grueling voyage, they marched with pride and precision in the freezing cold and I burst into tears. Another scene that caused me to cry was after Washington was berated by General Halt, played by Dean Norris, in front of her soldiers. In return she gave him a brutal and much deserved tongue-lashing. He stormed off. Washington commanded her soldiers to return to work but they refused, causing her to leave her office and to stand on a podium demanding them to return to work, at which point they gave her a standing ovation.
Other notable actors in the film are Sam Waterson, who plays President Franklin, Susan Sarandon, who plays Eleanor Roosevelt, Oprah Winfrey, who plays Mary McLeod Bethune, Donna Briscoe and Lyne Odums, who play Obsidian’s mother and aunt, respectively.
The Six Triple Eight is a must see. Bravo Mr. Perry, cast, and crew!
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