Hidden Figures (2016)

The story of a team of female African-American mathematicians who served a vital role in NASA during the early years of the U.S. space program.

Director:

Theodore Melfi

Writers:

Allison Schroeder (screenplay by), Theodore Melfi (screenplay by)

Stars:

Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monáe

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 37 wins & 84 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Taraji P. Henson	...	Katherine G. Johnson
Octavia Spencer	...	Dorothy Vaughan
Janelle Monáe	...	Mary Jackson
Kevin Costner	...	Al Harrison
Kirsten Dunst	...	Vivian Mitchell
Jim Parsons	...	Paul Stafford
Mahershala Ali	...	Colonel Jim Johnson
Aldis Hodge	...	Levi Jackson
Glen Powell	...	John Glenn
Kimberly Quinn	...	Ruth
Olek Krupa	...	Karl Zielinski
Kurt Krause	...	Sam Turner
Ken Strunk	...	Jim Webb
Lidya Jewett	...	Young Katherine Coleman
Donna Biscoe	...	Mrs. Joylette Coleman

Storyline

As the United States raced against Russia to put a man in space, NASA found untapped talent in a group of African-American female mathematicians that served as the brains behind one of the greatest operations in U.S. history. Based on the unbelievably true life stories of three of these women, known as "human computers", we follow these women as they quickly rose the ranks of NASA alongside many of history's greatest minds specifically tasked with calculating the momentous launch of astronaut John Glenn into orbit, and guaranteeing his safe return. Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, and Katherine Gobels Johnson crossed all gender, race, and professional lines while their brilliance and desire to dream big, beyond anything ever accomplished before by the human race, firmly cemented them in U.S. history as true American heroes.

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Plot Keywords:

1960s | nasa | space program | segregation | african american | 

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Taglines:

Genius has no race. Strength has no gender. Courage has no limit.

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | History

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for thematic elements and some language

Details

Official Sites:

Official site Official site [Japan]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

6 January 2017 (USA)

Also Known As:

Hidden Figures

Filming Locations:

Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$25,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$515,499, 25 December 2016

Gross USA:

$169,607,287

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$235,956,898

Company Credits

Production Co:

Fox 2000 Pictures, Chernin Entertainment, Levantine Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

127 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital DTS (DTS: X) Auro 11.1 SDDS

Color:

Color Black and White (some sequences)

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

When Dorothy and her girls are called to the IBM room, the camera angle shows them marching down a long hallway. This scene is very similar to the one in The Right Stuff when the Mercury 7 astronauts are slowly marching together.

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Goofs

In the NASA press conference NASA flags are interspersed with U.S. flags, which would have been unthinkable at the time. Such an affectation did not become commonplace in the U.S. government until 50 years later.

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Quotes

Dorothy Vaughan: [At a church picnic, speaking about Colonel Jim Johnson while fixing plates at the food table] I hear he's planning on staying in the area.
Katherine Johnson: Well... Well, that's good for him.
Mary Jackson: [Looking at Colonel Johnson, who is talking with a group of men] Katherine, go find your way over there. That Colonel Jim is a tall glass of water.
Dorothy Vaughan: That he is. Tall, strong, commanding.
Katherine Johnson: Oh...
Mary Jackson: And I bet he's like that day and night.
Katherine Johnson: Mary, it's Sunday.
[Mary scoffs]
Katherine Johnson: Please have some shame.
Mary Jackson: I will not.
[...]

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Connections

Referenced in Saturday Night Live: Aziz Ansari/Big Sean (2017)

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Soundtracks

Higher Ground
Written by Johnson (Rev.) Oatman, Jr. and Charles Gabriel
Vocal Arrangement by Edie Lehmann Boddicker

User Reviews

Really Good Movie

Hidden Figures is a really good movie. I never read Margot Lee Shetterly's book, but I might now. This is a wonderful movie about civil rights, space travel, and new technology. It pulls in many different characters and personalities. Theodore Melt did a wonderful job directing. The story focus on the technical aspects. However the movie is never slow, it keeps moving and keeps you interested. The casting was good. Octavia Spencer, Taraji Henson, Janelle Mona, and Kevin Costner did an incredible job. There was also wonderful performances by Jim Parsons and Kirsten Dunst. Hidden Figures is a fun and exciting movie about advancement in ideas and technology. Its is also a very uplifting movie about bravery and taking chances. It is really good. I enjoyed it.