Introduction

The Six Triple Eight is a 2024 American war drama film written and directed by Tyler Perry, on the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, an all-Black and all-female battalion, in World War II. The film features an ensemble cast which includes Kerry Washington, Ebony Obsidian, Milauna Jackson, Kylie Jefferson, Shanice Shantay, Sarah Jeffery, Pepi Sonuga, Moriah Brown, Gregg Sulkin, Susan Sarandon, Dean Norris, Sam Waterston and Oprah Winfrey.

The film is based on the 2019 magazine article “Fighting a Two-Front War”, by Kevin M. Hymel, on the contributions of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, an all-Black and all-female battalion, in World War II.

The Six Triple Eight was released in select cinemas on 06 December 2024, before its streaming debut by Netflix on 20 December 2024.

Outline

A West Virginian mother waits every day for news about her two sons who are serving overseas. Meanwhile childhood friends Lena and Abram reckon with the difficulty of their budding romance (Lena is black and Abram is Jewish) in 1940s Philadelphia, as he prepares to deploy. Abram dies shortly after enlisting and a heart-broken Lena vows to enlist after her high school graduation.

On the train to basic training in Georgia, Lena meets other enlistees who will become her friends. There, the battalion is trained by Captain Charity Adams and Lieutenant Noel Campbell. Despite being well-trained, the battalion is never given any orders.

One day, the West Virginia mother travels to the White House to meet Eleanor Roosevelt and tells her that, across the country, no one is receiving mail from the war. President Roosevelt meets with two high-ranking officers, Mrs. Roosevelt, and Mary MacLeod Bethune to discuss the situation.

The general admits that mail is not being delivered but explains that, despite assigning several units to the job, including a women’s unit, the task is a logistical nightmare, and they have to prioritise actual fighting. Bethune maintains, however, that the Black Women’s Army Corps is up to the task, so Captain Adams’ unit is finally given orders.

In Europe, the battalion faces a racist commanding officer, General Halt, who has the unit cross the ocean in a private vessel without a military escort. Then they are to march through town immediately upon landing, and assigned to a disused, rat-infested, unheated grammar school.

The newly promoted Major Adams and her second-in-command Captain Campbell are given six months to turn the school into a post office and barracks and clear a two-year backlog of undelivered mail. The deadline is intended to ensure their failure.

Once the battalion has toiled to put together a liveable barracks, pristine mess hall and well-organised mail sorting hall, one day Lena loses her composure upon seeing nonchalant handling of dog tags. Later, she breaks down to a few close mates, revealing her connection to Abram was her reason for enlisting. As she had not received any correspondence from him, she hopes to find some now. Major Adams, now knowing this first-hand response toward the mail blockage, feels inspired.

Along with a notification that their first two months of sorted mail was undeliverable, the battalion is asked to host African-American soldiers to boost morale. Lena sees Hugh there, who she had met previously. They start to dance, but she soon leaves upon recognising a song she associates with Abram. So they decide to be friends.

When it is discovered that an occasional letter is opened, the battalion members point out various difficulties and challenges they face. These include multiple cases of identical names, multiple locator cards for soldiers as their units move, rats are damaging addresses and their contents and mould, among other things.

After FDR’s death, a white chaplain arrives, and delivers a sermon which undermines Major Adams’ qualifications and morals. She promptly finds the extremely negative report he has written about her, has his things packed and sends him off.

On the day Lena gets Abram’s letter, two women of their unit die from a UXB bomb en route back to the school. After their burial, Lena is able to visit his grave, reading his letter asking her to live a long life and finally gives him a proper goodbye.

General Halt visits the 6888, criticising them harshly. As they work around the clock, the night shift is sleeping when he arrives. He is not allowed in the showers lest someone is showering. After Halt inspects the mail sorting area, he declares Major Adams incompetent and says he will replace her with a white male. Adams responds “over my dead body”, on which she elaborates eloquently in the General’s face, makes clear that she will not step down. The soldiers who heard the exchange remain standing at attention until she comes down to get them to start work again, whereupon they give the Major a rousing applause.

As General Halt is trying to push Major Adams’ court martial through, he hears cheers from his unit as their mail finally arrives. The 6888 successfully straightened out the backlog of two years or 17 million pieces of mail in just 90 days, despite the challenges. They were later sent to Rouen, France, to clear another backlog. Lena later marries Hugh, living a long life.

Not especially appreciated when returning to US soil at the time, Michelle Obama oversees a ceremony honouring the 6888. Also, US Army Base Fort Lee was renamed partially in Adams’ honour.

Cast

• Kerry Washington as Major Charity Adams
• Ebony Obsidian as Lena Derriecott Bell King
• Dean Norris as General Halt
• Sam Waterston as Franklin Roosevelt
• Oprah Winfrey as Mary McLeod Bethune
• Susan Sarandon as Eleanor Roosevelt
• Milauna Jackson as Captain Noel Campbell
• Kylie Jefferson as Bernice Baker
• Shanice Shantay as Johnnie Mae Burton
• Sarah Jeffery as Dolores Washington
• Pepi Sonuga as Elaine White
• Sarah Helbringer as Mary Kathryn
• Jay Reeves as Private Hugh Bell
• Jeanté Godlock as Vera Scott
• Moriah Brown as Inez Bright
• Gregg Sulkin as Abram David
• Donna Biscoe as Emma Derriecott
• Baadja-Lyne Odums as Susie
• Jeffery Thomas Johnson as Colonel Davenport
• Nick Harris as Chaplain Clemens

Production

It was announced in December 2022 that Tyler Perry would be writing and directing the film Six Triple Eight for Netflix. The film is based on historian Kevin M. Hymel’s article, “Fighting a Two-Front War”, published in the February 2019 issue of WWII History magazine. In January 2023, the cast, including Kerry Washington, Sam Waterston, Susan Sarandon and Oprah Winfrey was announced, with Washington also joining as an executive producer.

Filming began on 17 January 2023, in Atlanta. Production also occurred in Little Germany, Bradford and at Imperial War Museum Duxford in February. Filming took place in Cedartown, Georgia on 28 March 2023.

Music

The film score was composed by Aaron Zigman, who had previously scored 13 Perry films, starting with Why Did I Get Married? (2007), in collaboration with music supervisor Joel C. High, film editor Maysie Hoy, and music editor Johnny Caruso. For The Six Triple Eight, Zigman was influenced by the big band era, as well as composers Aaron Copland and Samuel Barber, with most of his creative process being done at the piano. The first cue written for the film was for the scene where the battalion come off the ship after arriving in Europe. The Six Triple Eight (Soundtrack from the Netflix Film) was released digitally on 06 December 2024, through Netflix Music. “The Journey”, the song that plays over the film’s end credits, was written by Diane Warren and performed by H.E.R., who also played guitar and piano on the track. The ballad was previously used to soundtrack ESPN’s coverage of the 2023 NBA Finals. A music video, featuring H.E.R. performing in concert intercut with clips from the film, was released in November 2024. For the 97th Academy Awards, Zigman’s score was shortlisted in the category of Best Original Score while Warren’s “The Journey” was shortlisted in the category of Best Original Song.

Release

In February 2024, Six Triple Eight was reported to be part of Netflix’s 2024 release calendar, with a specific date yet to be announced. In August 2024, Netflix announced that the film, now titled The Six Triple Eight, would be released in a limited theatrical release on 06 December 2024, with a streaming release two weeks later on 20 December on Netflix.

Trivia

• As of 2024, there are two remaining members of the 6888th: Fannie McClendon and Anna Mae Robertson.
• Of the more than 140,000 women who served in the Women’s Army Corps during World War II, about 6,500 of them were Black.
  • The Army created the 6888th in late 1944 and included five companies totaling about 850 Black women.
  • They were commanded by Army Major Charity Adams, who finished the war as a lieutenant colonel, becoming the highest-ranking Black woman during the war.
• In October 1945, the unit was sent to Paris, where they faced the added challenge of package thefts, which was a result of hardships endured by the French people during the war.
  • The women of the 6888 had to investigate these thefts and work with local civilians to recover the stolen packages.

Production & Filming Details

• Director(s):
  • Tyler Perry
• Producer(s):
  • Nicole Avant … producer (p.g.a)
  • Angi Bones … producer
  • Andrew Bonner … line producer: United Kingdom
  • Carlota Espinosa … producer
  • Peter Guber … executive producer
  • Greg McManus … line producer: United Kingdom (as Greg Mcmanus)
  • Andy Norman … associate producer
  • Tyler Perry … producer (p.g.a)
  • Keri Selig … producer
  • Tony L. Strickland … producer
  • Kerry Washington … executive producer
  • Carole Wurst … associate producer
• Writer(s):
  • Kevin Hymel … (article) (as Kevin M. Hymel)
  • Tyler Perry … (written by)
• Music:
  • Aaron Zigman
• Cinematography:
  • Michael Watson … director of photography
• Editor(s):
  • Maysie Hoy
• Production:
  • Netflix
  • Georgia Department of Economic Development (Georgia)
  • Tyler Perry Studios
  • Mandalay Pictures
  • Her Excellency Productions
  • Netflix (present)
  • Tyler Perry Studios (present)
  • Mandalay Pictures (production)
  • Intuition (production)
  • Her Excellency Productions (production)
  • British Film Institute (BFI)
• Distributor(s):
  • Netflix
• Release Date:
  • Select cinemas on 06 December 2024.
  • Streaming debut by Netflix on 20 December 2024.
• Running Time: minutes.
• Rating: 12A.
• Country: US.
• Language: English.

Video Link(s)