We
forget how much effort once went into telecommunications (a word we hardly use
anymore). These days, we can take a phone out of our pockets and call anyone we
want, but why bother when we can just text? Yet, during the early 20th
Century, a live person was physically required to connect parties. These people
were called telephone operators and for reasons that are now obscure, it became
socially acceptable job for women. Of course, communication was critically important
for the American military chain-of-command during WWI, so a small but dedicated
contingent of operators was dispatched to Europe. Their largely forgotten
service is chronicled in James Theres’ The
Hello Girls: America’s First Female Soldiers (trailer here), which screens
during the 2018 Heartland International Film Festival.
It
is nice to have troops that are crack shots, but nothing beats communication. That
is why Gen. John J. Pershing had telephone lines set up, connecting him to his
officers along the front. However, someone had to connect those calls—and there
were very few men who knew how. Like two-hundred-some other women, Grace Banker
answered the call for volunteers, but much to her surprise, she was appointed
their commander.
At
the time, the so-called “Hello Girls” were issued uniforms to serve as part of
the Signal Corps. Banker and the first wave of volunteers survived an air raid
soon after their arrival and remained well after most of the troops had been
shipped home. Yet, it took decades for their service to be officially
recognized by the U.S. Army. In fact, it would take an act of Congress,
sponsored by the great Sen. Barry Goldwater (as part of a larger bill also granting
recognition to the WASP pilots of WWII).
The
story of the Hello Girls is a fascinating episode of military, sociological,
and tech history. It obviously demonstrates how far women have progressed
within the American military, but it also vividly illustrated the importance
role information technology plays in successful warfighting.
Theres
devotes as much time to the Hello Girls’ fight for recognition as he does to
their wartime service, which is understandable, but it would be nice too hear
more about their boots-on-the-ground contributions to the Allied victory.
Frankly, at just over fifty-five minutes, it feels all too brief. Yet, it
should be easy for local PBS stations to find an hour to program it, if that
hopefully becomes an option for them eventually.
In
production terms, Theres mostly makes respectful but safe aesthetic choices. He
incorporates some terrific archival stills, but the soundtrack sounds like blah
stock music. Regardless, the important thing is telling the women’s stories—and
Theres and his talking heads do right by them in that respect. Highly
recommended, The Hello Girls screens
today (10/14), Wednesday (10/17), and Saturday (10/20), as part of the
Heartland International Film Festival.