The cinematography pales in comparison to other period pieces of note such as Netflix’s Ratched. But I think this was a story that needed to be told, if anything to encourage viewers to research the real Radium Girls’ tale for themselves. While the historical premise itself carries the story somewhat, it gets bogged down by lackluster characters. The writing leaves something to be desired. In fact, I’d be interested to see a spin-off film that centers on her. Heyward proffered a memorable turn as Etta. Yet Minifie injects Doris with an infectious tenacity that shines through the brief time she’s on screen. She can no longer walk without assistance. Doris is in the late stages of radium poisoning. Minifie only had a supporting role, but it was a memorable one. Without the gripping story, I don’t think I’d feel much for the other characters. Bessie is really the only character who evolves in Radium Girls. Quinn’s character was far more intriguing, although she had less screen time and less development. But her performance here isn’t anything to write home about. King is always a dependable performer who steps up to the plate. Performance-wise, I wasn’t particularly dazzled. Radium Girls‘ lessons are clear and ever present throughout its 102-minute run. The privileged, like Bessie, are blissfully unaware of the struggles minorities (like Etta) face. The lesson? Corporate greed will always take precedence over “the little guy.” History is doomed to repeat itself, as it already has. ![]() Strangely enough, this film was initially released at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2018, two years prior to the Coronavirus pandemic sweeping the globe. The United States’ blatant negligence regarding virus containment is quite similar to American Radium’s handling of the poison cases. The Radium Girls’ fight to ban radium usage and seek justice is akin to our own battle against COVID-19. We see 1920s protestors taking to the streets, flaunting signage that condemns police brutality and uplifting a woman’s right to vote with impunity. Black and white footage of Etta’s filming is spliced between scenes throughout the film. She meets Etta ( Susan Heyward), a Black filmmaker who’s keen on pulling back the veil regarding injustice. Along the way, Bessie learns about social injustice plaguing the world over through her boyfriend’s advocacy group. ![]() Two other women, Paula ( Olivia Macklin) and Doris ( Colby Minifie), join the fray in bringing American Radium to justice. Now, her other sister, Josephine ( Abby Quinn), has fallen ill.īessie and Josephine decide that enough is enough. Joey Kingstars as Bessie, a young woman who’s lost her older sister to radium poisoning that American Radium, the company she works for, claimed was merely “syphilis.” She noticed that an awful lot of deaths at the hands of American Radium were being categorized as syphilis. Additionally, it led to better workers compensation and strict radiation regulations for industrial settings. Their historic victory paved the way for radium to be banned from watches and, well, just about everything. The company was forced to pay any financial damages incurred on behalf of these women for as long as they lived. ![]() A handful of women decided to take a corporation called Radium Dial Company to task. Unfortunately, several died from said radium poisoning. Of course, at the time, everyone assumed radium was good for you. Why? They were encouraged to lick the brushes they were using to paint these watch dials. Some of the women who worked at these factories fell violently ill due to radium poisoning. Nowadays, hearing the word “radium” is enough to instill a sense of pervasive fear. Radium was “liquid sunshine.” It could cure cancer! It’ll bring an ethereal glow to your cheeks! The real-life event involved a slew of factory girls in the 1920s who painted watch dials. I had no idea that these “Radium Girls,” as they were dubbed by the press at the time, existed. However, I didn’t know the full extent of the story explored therein. Prior to watching Radium Girls, I was aware that it was based on true events. DISCLAIMER: Spoilers lie ahead for Juno Films’ Radium Girls.
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