Nathalie Madrigal

Professor Michaele Smith

History 1700-406-Su22
July 5th 2022
Movie Review: Iron Jawed Angels

This movie was based on the time surrounding Wilsons presidency when there was no

justice for women. Women were not allowed to vote, the men that ran the political parties felt

that it would cause a disaster if women had a say in who ran things. Shortly after 146 women

died in a factory fire because there were no fire escapes for them Alice Paul the main character in

Iron Jawed Angels got a number of women together to march for women rights. Alice felt that

women had to follow all the same laws as men, written by men but they had no voice in making

the laws. Alice ran a democratic paper called “Suffragest” where she reported suffrage news and

wrote about all the injustices they were having to face because of the laws and the men in place

to enforce them. Women who surrounded Alice took turns “picketing” in front of the White

House with their signs asking to be heard. They stood there for hours in the rain and snow

through all conditions. They had numerous peaceful protest such as a parade where all these

women marched. Their main goal was to get an amendment passed that would allow women to

vote and or run as governing officials. The women were all imprisoned and treated very badly

after choosing not to leave the front of the White House and while in prison Alice Paul decided

to go on a hunger strike to demand better treatment and then she was force fed along with

another. Somehow the political parties got the message out about all the unfair treatment and

they were all released. And later in 1920 congress passed the 19th amendment allowing women

the right to vote.

I believe that the way Alice Paul was portrayed in this movie and the events that took

place are historically accurate. I remember hearing about the suffrage movement in the past I just

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don’t think I ever knew how bad it was. The way the women were picked up and thrown in the

cells and they weren’t allowed to speak or say anything. The women were treated so unjust it

made me feel bad for them. I couldn’t believe they weren’t allowed basic clean water or good

food. The women argued about not being allowed to have lawyers or talk to anyone about the

conditions they were in.

This movie fit into what we have been learning in class because it has to do with women

rights and how they have changed throughout history. Women had to do a lot for us to get to

where we are today. Back then women didn’t have the resources to fight or defend themselves

other than to form strikes and form protests to get what they wanted similar to the Lowell girls or

the Daughters of Liberty fought for women and other things in different times in history.