The Help

What better way to spend a cold, rainy day in Durban? Well of course, to position yourself on the couch with some tea and watch the film ‘The Help’ for the umpteenth time. I found myself with salty, wet checks after bawling my eyes out several times over the heartbreaking beauty that this story is. I do confess to having watched the movie first when it was released, before I actually read the book, but either way it gets me every time. It follows the lives of two sides of the community of Jackson, Mississippi during the 1960s – The Civil Rights era in America. Miss Eugenia "Skeeter" Phelan (played by Emma Stone, one of my very favourite actresses.) is a gutsy, noble, sincere white woman that stands out from the majority of the harsh white society. She decides to write a book telling the sides of the mistreated black maids who spend their lives raising white children. She becomes their voice that so desperately needs to be heard and ultimately a hero.

This film actually got me thinking of South Africa’s history of racism during apartheid and really put my life into perspective. I know we are still facing some issues as a country but I think I speak for every child born into this new democracy when I say how extremely blessed I am to grow up with such a diversity of race. One very special friend of mine comes to mind and I thank God for putting such a shining light into my life.

This film will make you laugh and cry all in one so if you haven’t seen it or read the book, I urge you to! It is such an honest and humbling portrayal of the lives hurt during this era and the magnitude of strength that one person has to stand up for her fellow human.  

I especially love this scene when Constantine says to Skeeter, “Ever morning, until you dead in the ground, you gone have to make this decision. You gone have to ask yourself, "Am I gone believe what them fools say about me today?” 

And of course courageous Aibileen with the memorable line she reminds young Mae Mobley of daily, "You is kind. You is smart. You is important." It certainly touched my heart.