Women’s rights and the power to exercise choice was a recurring topic at this year’s Sundance Film Festival seen in more than just a couple of the films showcased. Two in particular are Phyllis Nagy’s Call Jane as well as Tia Lessin and Emma Pildes’ The Janes.
Both films are centered around the incredible real life story of an underground group in the 70s that provided thousands of women access to receive illegal abortions. This network of women who risked arrest and their livelihoods simply called themselves “Jane” or “Jane Collective”.
They would post discreet but to-the-point ads: “Pregnant? Don’t want to be? Call Jane”, followed by a telephone number. The secretive process included rotating safe houses, code names, blindfolded car rides and operations conducted by unqualified persons in dimly lit rooms. They were women helping and fighting for women, and they were in this fight no matter the cost. It is a story surely worthy of a few film adaptations.
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Call Jane was one of those films at this year’s Sundance. It stars Elizabeth Banks as Joy, a married woman with an unwanted pregnancy, who is denied a legal abortion despite the fact the pregnancy is harmful and dangerous to her health. Banks’ character receives help from The Janes and soon finds herself involved with this group of women, volunteering and fighting alongside them for women’s reproductive rights.
Other notable appearances include Sigourney Weaver with an excellent portrayal of a kick-ass “Queen of The Janes”, if you will, and Kate Mara who gives a solid performance as well. Though the film could’ve ultimately been trimmed a bit, which would’ve in turn helped its lack of a real kicker climax, it does hold its own throughout.
Call Jane is educational, uplifting and gives an extraordinary perspective on how far we have come in such a short amount of time. It also gives insight into how much work we have yet to do when it comes to reproductive rights, health and education.
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The next film, The Janes, tackled this era, these women and this story in a documentary style picture that really highlights the urgency and importance of what women were going through. The documentary includes interviews from many of the women involved in the underground abortion network.
These are the women who taught themselves how to conduct abortion procedures and, in turn, were able to lower the price from around $1,000 (a man’s asking price) to $100 – or even free to any women who needed one. They were fearless, resilient and determined to assist anyone who wanted help without asking why or questioning a single woman in need.
The clandestine ring of sorts wasn’t without close calls though. In one instance during a police raid and arrest, The Janes tore off and ate the names and addresses of their clients from index cards in order to protect their identities. The Janes were then placed under arrest until Roe vs. Wade passed, and they were ultimately cleared of all charges and set free.
The Janes is an excellent and eye opening look at the ugliness of the not-so-distant past. It’s able to expertly shine a light on what is at stake if something like Roe vs. Wade is threatened or overturned. It does so in a factual manner that serves as a warning to be heeded, lest we ever revert back in time. These women boldly faced off the mafia, the church and the entire state for what they believed was right. And it’s our duty to watch and hear their story and make sure their efforts and bravery weren’t all for naught.