Ruby Bridges Movie Review (2024)

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

  • Positive Messages

    a lot

    Spiritual faith and strong family ties can provide people with confidence, emotional strength, and a sense of purpose. Don't judge people by the color of their skin. Everyone deserves equal education and fair treatment, no matter their race or social standing. Fighting for change can be difficult but can also bring great rewards. Forgive your enemies because anger can be futile and self-defeating.

  • Positive Role Models

    a lot

    Ruby's parents make personal sacrifices so their daughter can pursue a better education. Mrs. Henry treats Ruby and her mother with respect and kindness, standing up to the principal and other teachers on Ruby's behalf. U.S. Marshals protect Ruby with care and dedication. A psychiatrist, moved by Ruby's fortitude in face of protestors -- as well as the potential of doing "important" work in his career -- offers to counsel her free of charge, while his wife encourages him to treat Ruby's family as people, not patients.

  • Diverse Representations

    a lot

    The movie explores a key moment in U.S. history in the fight for racial equality and brings attention to an important Black figure. Ruby is strong and determined but also given nuance and shown to have moments of fear and confusion. A scene in a bar involves White and Black characters discussing race with warmth, intelligence, and openness. Female characters are portrayed as strong, though still with some element of traditional gender roles (as was more typical for the time period). Ruby's father takes a commanding tone toward her mother on occasion but also shows great vulnerability, crying and being comforted by her, which counters male, and particularly Black male, stereotypes. Some elements do lean a little into the "White savior" cliche, with Mrs. Henry delivering a grandstanding diatribe about ignorance and hate toward the end of the movie. A Jewish shop owner shows kindness but also bends to White pressure not to allow the Bridges into her shop, though there's a sense of understanding based on shared experiences of bigotry. Many Black neighbors show support for Ruby's family, but there's also some resentment, leading to a few local people breaking ties.

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  • Violence & Scariness

    some

    Ruby has to be escorted to school and protected by armed U.S. Marshals. Protestors outside school, who carry signs like "Whites only" and "No coloreds here," spit on Ruby and shout threats like "I'm gonna hang you 'til you choke to death" and "I'm gonna poison you." One protestor holds up a small coffin with a doll in it. Another throws a tomato at a wall, scaring Ruby. Ruby reenacts some of these threats, including appearing to choke her own doll with a ribbon. Enslavement is explained by a teacher in very basic terms.

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  • Sex, Romance & Nudity

    none

    Ruby's parents show affection with hugs and kisses, placing hands on each other's hips and shoulders.

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  • Language

    some

    Racial taunts include "jigaboo," "pickaninny," "cracker," and "Black trash"; terms such as “colored” and “negro” are also used frequently. "KKK" and the "N" word are scrawled on a column outside the school. Protestors chant "2, 4, 6, 8, we don't want to integrate." One child tells another she's going to "whip her butt" in a game.

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  • Parents Need to Know

    Parents need to know that the true story behind Ruby Bridges is historically important and inspiring but emotionally intense. Ruby was only 6 years old when she became the first Black child to attend an all-White school in New Orleans in 1960, yet she withstood daily threats and insults as she entered the grounds and had to be escorted by armed guards. Most viewers will find the scenes of adults aggressively threatening and name-calling a first-grader disturbing. They use racist insults like the "N" word, among other slurs. Enslavement is also mentioned and explained in very basic terms by a teacher. Depending on the viewer and their personal experience with racism, the film could incur a variety of reactions, ranging from recognition and anger to surprise and sadness. But it's important for kids to gain a wide understanding of U.S. history, particularly the uglier aspects that are often glossed over, in order to offer context for some issues that endure today. At one point, Ruby refuses to eat and hides her lunches due to a fear of poisoning, which could be difficult for children who have a tricky relationship with food. The film also has a strong Christian message of the power of faith and belief in Jesus, although characters also question the portrayal of Jesus as a White man. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.

What's the Story?

RUBY BRIDGES is based on the real-life story of a 6-year-old Black girl (Chaz Monet) selected by the NAACP due to her high test scores to attend an all-White school in New Orleans in 1960. Although desegregation of schools was national law, many areas in the South were slow or resistant to carry out the policy. In the film, Ruby's parents (Michael Beach and Lela Rochon) agree to send her to the school, even though she has to be protected by U.S. Marshals due to increasingly violent protests outside. Other parents pull their White children out of classes, and Ruby's presence causes resentment among the all-White staff. Mrs. Henry (Penelope Ann Miller), a recent transplant from Boston, is assigned as Ruby's teacher and advocates on behalf of her student's rights and integration. Ruby's family also receives support from the NAACP, their local community, and a White psychiatrist (Kevin Pollak) who volunteers his services. Thanks to this support, along with the love and strong faith instilled by her family, Ruby is able to weather the experience and make an important impact.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the history of desegregating schools in the United States, as well as the life story of the real Ruby Bridges. Where could you learn more?

  • Why do you think Ruby was so brave? Can you imagine living an experience like hers? How would you get through it?

  • Do you think Ruby's parents made the right decision to send her to the all-White school? Why or why not?

  • Why do you think the protestors were so hateful toward Ruby? How do you feel about the other children's reactions to Ruby?

  • Did you find Mrs. Henry's explanation of slavery appropriate for a first-grader? Do you know anything about the history of the KKK?

Movie Details

  • In theaters: May 8, 1998
  • On DVD or streaming: January 18, 1998
  • Cast: Penelope Ann Miller, Kevin Pollak, Michael Beach, Chaz Monet
  • Director: Euzhan Palcy
  • Inclusion Information: Black directors, Female actors, Black actors
  • Studio: Disney
  • Genre: Drama
  • Topics: Activism, Great Girl Role Models, History
  • Character Strengths: Courage
  • Run time: 96 minutes
  • MPAA rating: PG
  • Last updated: February 27, 2022

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Ruby Bridges Movie Review (2024)

FAQs

Is Ruby Bridges movie accurate? ›

The main historical events are accurately portrayed, but I didn't think the movie captured the spirit shown by Ruby Bridges and her family.

Does the Ruby Bridges movie have the N word in it? ›

Great historical movie but it has the N word

I don't recommend showing a movie with the N word to Children.

What is the moral of the story of Ruby Bridges? ›

Ruby Bridges is an inspiring reminder that our entire nation owes a huge debt of gratitude not just to the adults who took a stand during the Civil Rights Movement but to the thousands of extraordinary children and youths who were frontline soldiers in the war to overthrow Jim Crow in American life from the Birmingham ...

Did Florida parent file complaint to stop teachers from showing the Ruby Bridges movie in school? ›

Now, more than six decades after Bridges endured that treatment, the parent of a second-grader at North Shore Elementary in St. Petersburg, Fla., filed a formal objection against the film after it was played in her child's class as part of a Black History Month lesson, as first reported by the Weekly Challenger.

Was Ruby Bridges polite? ›

There were no other children to keep Ruby company, to play with and learn with, to eat lunch with. But every day, Ruby went into the classroom with a big smile on her face, ready to get down to the business of learning. “She was polite and she worked well at her desk,” Mrs. Henry said.

How many people passed the test with Ruby Bridges? ›

Ruby and five other students passed the test. Two students decided to stay at their school. The others, including Ruby, were sent to the all-white McDonough Elementary School. On November 14, Ruby and her mother were escorted into the William Frantz Elementary School by four federal marshalls.

Who was the first black girl to go to a white school? ›

Ruby Bridges - First Black Child to Integrate an All-White Elementary School in the South. On November 14, 1960, at the age of six, Ruby Bridges changed history and became the first African American child to integrate an all-white elementary school in the South.

What is Ruby Bridges 4 sons name? ›

Answer and Explanation:

Following her marriage to Malcolm Hall, Ruby Bridges had four sons. Her sons are named Sean Hall, Christopher Hall, and Craig Hall, as well as a fourth, publicly unnamed son.

What was Ruby Bridges famous words? ›

Ruby Bridges Quotes
  • "Don't follow the path. ...
  • "Each and every one of us is born with a clean heart. ...
  • "My message is really that racism has no place in the hearts and in the minds of our children."

What happened to Ruby Bridges when she was 4? ›

When she was four years old, her family moved to New Orleans. Two years later a test was given to the city's African American schoolchildren to determine which students could enter all-white schools. Bridges passed the test and was selected for enrollment at the city's William Frantz Elementary School.

What was Ruby Bridges real name? ›

Ruby Nell Bridges was born on September 8, 1954, in Tylertown, Mississippi. She grew up on the farm her parents and grandparents sharecropped in Mississippi.

What was Ruby Bridges motto? ›

Ruby Bridges Foundation

Through education and inspiration, the foundation seeks to end racism and prejudice. As its motto goes, "Racism is a grown-up disease, and we must stop using our children to spread it."

Who helped Ruby Bridges go to school? ›

On November 14, 1960, at the age of six, Ruby became the very first African American child to attend the all-white public William Frantz Elementary School. Ruby and her Mother were escorted by federal marshals to the school.

Is the Ruby Bridges movie appropriate for school? ›

Teachers across the country have told her the movie is a “valuable teaching tool,” she said. “The reason I think that second grade is not too young is that by that age, children are recognizing racial differences. Ruby was 6 years old when she desegregated William Frantz,” Johnson said.

How did Ruby Bridges parents feel about her going to school? ›

Her parents were torn about whether to let her attend the all-white William Frantz Elementary School, a few blocks from their home. Her father resisted, fearing for his daughter's safety; her mother, however, wanted Ruby to have the educational opportunities that her parents had been denied.

Is the movie A Bridge Too Far accurate? ›

Regarding the course of historical events during the operation, A Bridge Too Far is as accurate as one movie can be. Not only because it presented events the way they happened, but because it also depicted the bad relations between officers and other reasons that contributed to the operation ending up as a failure.

Is the story of Ruby Bridges fiction or nonfiction? ›

Parents need to know that Arlisha Norwood's The Story of Ruby Bridges: A Biography Book for New Readers is a nonfiction chapter book for kids age 6 to 9. Bridges was the first African American student to attend an all-White public school in the southern United States.

What is the original Ruby Bridges movie? ›

Ruby Bridges is a 1998 television film, written by Toni Ann Johnson, directed by Euzhan Palcy and based on the true story of Ruby Bridges, one of the first black students to attend integrated schools in New Orleans, Louisiana, in 1960.

Did Ruby Bridges face discrimination? ›

Ruby faced blatant racism every day while entering the school. Many parents kept their children at home.

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