The Six Triple Eight Review

It’s one of the lesser-known stories from World War II, one that only came to public attention well after the guns had gone silent yet, attitudes being what they were at the time, there were no flags, no cheers and no medals. Because the The 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion was the US Women’s Army Corps only unit of colour. Tyler Perry’s The Six Triple Eight aims to redress the balance.

Constantly overlooked for active service overseas, despite the efforts of their determined Captain, Charity Adams (Kerry Washington), the battalion was eventually sent to Glasgow to sort out a problem that affected both the troops and their families back home. A three-year backlog of mail – 17 million pieces – had built up and was going nowhere. It seemed an impossible task. Others had failed and Adams was convinced she and her troops were being set up to do the same yet, in the face of discrimination and tough conditions, the 855 women set about bringing order to chaos – and hope to the soldiers on the front lines.

While it’s a comparatively small story, it’s no less important, given the obstacles placed in the women’s way. But, while Perry’s heart is clearly in the right place in bringing their story to the screen, the result falls well short of being inspirational and ends up being more soapy than soaring. It’s apparent from the opening sequence, one that clearly has classics like Saving Private Ryan in its sights, but is so clumsy and unconvincing that the unfortunate soldiers seem to have shooting targets on their chests. And the contrived plot device connecting it to the rest of the film does little to help: from that moment on, you know exactly what’s coming.

The film’s only real saving grace is Washington as the fearless captain, challenging the blatant racism and sexism doled out by high-ranking white officers. She gives a fiery performance, so the film has a much-needed anchor, but we learn very little about her as a person. Most of the time, she barks orders and makes motivational speeches: you can see why she commands the loyalty of her troops, but she’s still an enigma. It’s to Washington’s credit that she manages bring some life to what is, on paper, a one-dimensional character. But the rest of the line-up are stereotypes, with the bigger names on the cast list providing little more than cameos. Sam Waterston and Susan Sarandon (who suffers under a near-laughable make-up job) as the Roosevelts, and Oprah Winfrey as a civil rights campaigner seem to have simply showed up for Tyler.

It’s also impossible not to raise an eyebrow when Washington complains about their working conditions. Stationed in a deserted school, they transform a ruined shell into something functional and homely, as neat as a pin and with all the mod cons of the day. It’s all part of the gloss smeared over what is essentially a military soap opera. Meeting some of the real-life of the Six Triple Eight reinforces that, despite setbacks and opposition, they represented a significant step forward in the battle for equality. It also makes it all the more apparent that, while Perry’s intentions are good, he’s sold these women short. They deserve better.

★★

On Netflix UK and US from 20 December (in selected UK cinemas now) / Kerry Washington, Ebony Obsidian, Milauna Jackson, Shanice Shantay, Sam Waterston, Susan Sarandon, Dean Norris, Oprah Winfrey / Dir: Tyler Perry / Netflix / 12