The Help (film)

The Help is a 2011 American period drama film directed and written by Tate Taylor and adapted from Kathryn Stockett's 2009 novel of the same name. The film features an ensemble cast, including Jessica Chastain, Viola Davis, Bryce Dallas Howard, Allison Janney, Octavia Spencer and Emma Stone. The film and novel recount the story of young white woman and aspiring journalist Eugenia "Skeeter" Phelan. The story focuses on her relationship with two black maids, Aibileen Clark and Minny Jackson, during the Civil Rights Movement in 1962 Jackson, Mississippi. In an attempt to become a legitimate journalist and writer, Skeeter decides to write a book from the point of view of the maids—referred to as "the help"— exposing the racism they are faced with as they work for white families.
DreamWorks Pictures acquired the screen rights to Stockett's novel in March 2010 and quickly commissioned the film into production with Chris Columbus, Michael Barnathan, and Brunson Green as producers. The film's casting began later that month, with principal photography following four months after in Mississippi.
Touchstone Pictures released The Help worldwide, with a general theatrical release in North America on August 10, 2011. The film was a critical and commercial success, receiving positive reviews and grossing $216 million in worldwide box office. The Help received four Academy Award nominations including Best Picture, Best Actress for Davis, and Best Supporting Actress for both Chastain and Spencer, with the latter winning the award. The film also won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture.

Plot

In 1963, Aibileen Clark is an African-American maid in Jackson, Mississippi, and in intermittent voice overs she tells her "career" story to the aspiring writer Eugenia "Skeeter" Phelan, a recent graduate of Ole Miss and a friend of Aibileen's employer and fellow socialite Elizabeth Leefolt. Aibileen cares for the Leefolt's daughter, Mae Mobley, whom Elizabeth neglects. Aibileen's best friend is the plain-spoken Minny Jackson, who works for Mrs. Walters, the mother of Hilly Holbrook, the leader of the women's socialite group.
Skeeter is uncomfortable with the racist attitudes of her socialite friends towards their maids. She is shocked when Hilly forwards a letter to the Home Sanitation Initiative to install separate bathrooms for the help. Skeeter later learns that her mother Charlotte fired her childhood maid Constantine for unknown reasons.
During a terrible storm, Minny refuses to go out to use the help's toilet and uses the guest's bathroom, resulting in her getting fired by Hilly.
Minny finds a job with Celia, wife of Johnny Foote—Hilly's former beau. The two become friends through Minny's cooking lessons, though they keep Minny's employment secret from Johnny. Minny comes upon Skeeter's visiting Aibileen and joins in the book project effort. Skeeter is advised by her book editor at Harper & Row, Elaine Stein, that the stories of two maids are not enough, but potential retribution from the maid's employers hinders others from joining the project. Aibileen tells Skeeter about the pain she experiences about her son being fatally crushed while on the job. Aibileen has struggled to find closure from his death, and believes that helping with the book will enable her to find that closure.
Hilly refuses to lend more money to her replacement maid, Yule May, who is struggling to send her twin sons to college. One day, she discovers a discarded ring and pawns it. However, Yule May is brutally arrested after Hilly reports the theft. Following this and the assassination of Medgar Evers, more maids come forward with their stories, believing the book would put an end to the brutality against African-Americans.
Following the assassination of John F. Kennedy, Skeeter, Aibileen, and Minny fear that the maids' stories will be recognized. Minny then reveals the "terrible awful” that she did to Hilly. Following her termination, Minny baked her renowned chocolate pie and gave it to Hilly. Minny, however, prevented Mrs. Walters from having a slice and revealed that she baked her excrement into the pie. Its inclusion in the book would prompt Hilly to crusade in denial that the book is about Jackson.
Skeeter confronts her mother Charlotte about Constantine's termination. Charlotte revels that during a lunch with the local chapter of the Daughters of America, Constantine's daughter Rachel arrived. Rachel disobeyed Charlotte's orders of entering through the kitchen and embarrassed her. In order to save face, Charlotte fired Constantine and ordered them both to leave. Shortly afterward, Rachel took Constantine to Chicago, where she later died. Charlotte had every intention to bring Constantine back to Jackson.
The book is published anonymously, and it is a success. Minny reveals the "terrible awful" to Celia, who finally sees Hilly as the manipulative bully that she is. Celia lets on that she knows about the "terrible awful" by writing a check to one of Hilly's charity groups. Hilly attempts to intimidate Skeeter through threat of legal proceedings, but she reminds Hilly that "that" is in chapter 12. Charlotte then intervenes, lets on that she knows about the terrible awful and orders Hilly off the property. Charlotte and Skeeter reconcile when Charlotte tells her how proud she is about her courage, the book and the job offer in New York City.
Johnny approaches Minny and reveals that he knew that she'd been working at his house, how appreciative he is about her friendship with Celia, how it saved her life, and that she has permanent job security. This act of kindness gives Minny the courage to take her children away from her abusive husband and never look back.
In an attempt to seek revenge for helping Skeeter, Hilly pressures Elizabeth to terminate Aibileen, with Hilly present and trying to frame Aibileen for theft. But Aibileen stands up to Hilly, calling her a godless woman, never satisfied until she gets what she wants. Elizabeth orders Aibileen to leave. Aibileen bids farewell to Elizabeth's daughter and pleads with Elizabeth to give her daughter a chance. Aibileen reflects on the ordeal and finds closure. She looks to the future of becoming a writer.