The Girl with the Rivet Gun 2021
Distributed by Bullfrog Films, PO Box 149, Oley, PA 19547; 800-543-FROG (3764)
Produced by Anne de Mare, Kirsten Kelly, and Elizabeth Hemmerdinger
Directed by Anne de Mare and Kirsten Kelly
Streaming, 15 mins
High School - General Adult
Labor; Women's Rights; World War II
Date Entered: 06/15/2021
Reviewed by Cori Biddle, Student Engagement and Outreach Librarian, Robert E Eiche Library, Penn State AltoonaThe Girl with the Rivet Gun profiles three woman who aided in the World War II war effort with factory jobs (often characterized by the “Rosie the Riveter” persona). These women though had much more complex experiences than the pop culture character often presents. Their stories touched on issues related to labor equality, racism, and sexism that are still very relevant to our modern society.
Interspersed with interview footage of the three women is stop motion animation that illustrates and expands upon their stories. While unique and visually stunning, the animation can be distracting at times, and may lead the viewer to lose focus on the extraordinary stories being told. However, with a high school or lower-level college audience, the animation will help students engage with the material.
Overall, the short film provides a powerful and engaging introduction to women’s impact on the United States victory and the effect their pioneering role had in the state of labor and woman’s rights in the decades to come. The film will serve well as an entry point to many informative classroom discussions. One only wishes that the film was longer and contained more stories from these and other remarkable women.
This film is highly recommended especially for high school or lower-level college audiences.
Awards:
Jury's Choice Award, Black Maria Film Festival
Published and licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. Anyone can use these reviews, so long as they comply with the terms of the license.