Watch Mary White

Mary White is a 1977 television movie that tells the true story of a women's suffrage activist named Mary White Ovington. The film stars Ed Flanders as William Lloyd Garrison, Fionnula Flanagan as Mary White's mother, and Tim Matheson as Oswald Villard. The movie focuses on Mary's journey as she becomes involved in the fight for women's rights and equality during the early 20th century.

The story begins in 1905 with Mary White as a young woman who is passionate about social justice. She is the daughter of a white abolitionist and a black mother who died in childbirth. Despite her privileged upbringing, Mary is keenly aware of the struggles of working-class women and people of color. She moves to New York City to teach at a settlement house, where she meets W.E.B. Du Bois and other activists fighting for civil rights.

Mary becomes increasingly involved in the women's suffrage movement and is eventually invited to join the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). She helps to organize the first meeting of the organization in her Brooklyn apartment and becomes a close friend and ally to some of the most important figures in the movement, including Garrison and Villard.

The film is rich in historical detail and brings to life the vibrant political and social milieu of early 20th century New York City. We see the suffragettes in their long dresses parading down Fifth Avenue, the famous Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, and scenes from the suffrage movement. Mary and her friends attend rallies and demonstrations and organize petitions to push for reforms like voting rights and the abolition of child labor.

Throughout the film, Mary's personal life also undergoes significant changes. She falls in love with a white man, Max, who is supportive of her work but struggles to come to terms with the social taboos that govern their relationship. At the same time, Mary's relationship with her mother becomes strained as her activism and commitment to social justice put her at odds with her mother's more conventional views.

The film does an excellent job of capturing the tension and drama of the suffrage movement, as well as the ways in which class, race, and gender intersected to create complex political and social dynamics. Mary White is portrayed as a complex and dynamic figure, driven by a deep commitment to social justice but also struggling to navigate the complex and changing political landscape of her time.

Overall, Mary White is a thought-provoking and engaging film that offers an insightful look at an important moment in American history. The performances are strong, the period detail is well-rendered, and the script manages to balance historical accuracy with an engaging and moving narrative. Anyone interested in the history of women's suffrage or the civil rights movement will find this movie to be a valuable and illuminating window onto a fascinating time in American history.

Mary White is a 1977 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 42 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.5.