Sports Heroines: Early Women Sports Stars

"A celebration of what little girls are really made of," this intriguing black-and-white documentary showcases pioneer female athletes who broke barriers to pave the way for others to compete. Focusing on the 1920s through the 1960s, the film offers vintage footage of women playing field hockey and tennis, bowling, and racing powerboats, usually encumbered by long skirts. In addition to traditional individual and team sports, viewers will see women as stunt pilots, airplane wing walkers, and greasing up to swim the English Channel, as well as more off-the-beaten track sports such as dog sledding, polo, weight lifting, table tennis, and fencing. One illustrative segment depicts the fierce competition between women golfers in the 1950s (at the time, golf was one of the few sports in which women could make a living as professional athletes), while old newsreel footage mocking female athletes by showing women competing in dishwashing and bedmaking contests illustrates the prevailing attitude of much of the 20th century. Alhtough there's not a lot of in-depth biographical information on any particular sport or athlete, and precious little interview footage, this is an entertaining hour for audiences of all ages interested in sports and women's history. Highly recommended. Aud: J, H, C, P. (J. McDaniel)