MWsMC: The creative destruction of "Hidden Figures" (2017 film)

My wife’s movie club watched “Hidden Figures” a 2017 Disney film. IBM (International business Machines) is about to change things at NASA,
Fortran will be the new language the mathematicians need to speak. The segregation laws don’t allow black women to attend engineering college - but extenuating circumstances allow for people to step up and change the law. Brilliant minds don’t divide to accomplish their goals, they unite with others to achieve even greater things.

[@MindyT135]

Cool! I like the added quotes

[@te4186]

An interesting analysis, thank you. My response to the descriptions of "creative licence" you highlighted as taken by the writers/makers of the film ? I'd probably start by considering the lasting thoughts I have from having seen this film twice now, which was/is a profound respect and admiration for the three main characters.... And the collective achievements of NASA as a whole as they were breaking new ground 'reaching for the stars' in almost everything they were doing.... Does the truth, as you describe, diminish their achievements in any way ? I doubt it. But it is indeed a shame that the NASA of the time - and indeed some of the other people that would have worked with them were painted in a negative light.
BTW, as an amusing aside: In the past week I stumbled upon an interesting analysis of a $160 Apple USB-C cable that had embedded within it more processing power than they used to put men on the moon (and bring them home) ! Mankind's progress in some ways is truly astounding (It's just a shame that we so often get let down in the simpler things by many who seem to take, take, take without contributing...)

[@mwsmc]

Movies have to make choices on how to display the story, and make changes due to timing and effectiveness of the story telling. I suppose the response would be; being true to the story, not necessarily the historical accuracy. In this movie, as i see it, the additional non-historical stories were added to highlight the triumph of the three main characters, but also to make social commentary. If I understand you, I agree, it was not needed. But then again, it would have been quite a different movie without it.
Another thing i was considering for the review, was how many stories there could be about, not widely know nor celebrated contributors to amazing things in the world. I had a list of names that I know about but suspect they are not well known. Ultimately I decided to cut it out, and leave it focusing on the historical figures in the film. Also interesting note, Christine Darden is another of the Human Computers, data analysis, and leading expert in sonic booms... her story is highlighted in the book 'Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race', but she is not portrayed the movie (possibly due to time difference for her contributions...)