Ask for Jane (2018)

 

 

 

 

Ask for Jane is a historical drama (based on a true story) which premiered in 2018. Here is the plot:

 

In 1969, a small group of female students at the University of Chicago sets up an underground abortion service for women who are in trouble. The secret network operates for several years and helps thousands of women who need an abortion.

 

Here is some basic information about this drama:

 

** Writer and director: Rachel Carey

** Run time: 108 minutes

 

The cast includes the following:

 

** Cody Horn as Janice

** Cate Cortelyou as Rose

** Sarah Steel as Donna

** Sarah Ramos as Maggie

** Chloe Levine as Barb

 

** Alison Wright as Ada

** Sophie von Haselberg as Joyce

** Megan Channell as Linda

** Margot White as Harriet

** Lilly Englert as Patty

 

** Ben Rappaport as Bill

** Michael Rabe as Charlie

** Phil Burke as Gary

 

Since this drama is based on a true story, the basic facts are part of the public record. They are not a secret. I could mention many of them here. But I am not going to do that. I do not wish to spoil the viewing for anyone. I will only mention a few basic facts.

 

While this drama is based on a true story, it is not a documentary film. It is a dramatized version of events. Not everything happened exactly as shown here. Some details may have been added or altered or excluded for practical reasons or for dramatic purposes. But the basic story is true.

 

In 1969, abortion is still illegal in most US states, including the state of Illinois.

 

The female students at the University of Chicago know that illegal abortions are often dangerous and expensive. The body of the woman may be injured, so she cannot have children again. In extreme cases, the woman will die as a result of unprofessional surgery.

 

The students in Chicago want to offer a service that is safe and not too expensive. They are not doing this to make money; they are doing this to help, but they still have to charge a modest fee for the service, because they have expenses:

 

** They need to pay the staff who perform the operation.

** They need to pay for an apartment where the surgery is done.

** They need to pay for transport: a driver will bring the patient from her home to the secret location and after the operation from the secret location back to her home.

 

The students have an extra phone installed for this purpose. There is a code word involved. When the students hear about a woman who needs help, they will give her a card with the phone number and say:

 

“Call this number and ask for Jane.”

 

Hence the title of the movie.

 

An important part of the service is counseling. Before and after the operation:

 

Before the operation, they will interview the potential patient. They want to be sure that she really wants to have this operation. The patient must understand the situation.

 

After the operation, they will talk about birth control. They want to be sure that the woman is fully informed. They want to be sure that this woman will never need to ask for an abortion again.

 

In 1973, the US Supreme Court issues a verdict in the case called Roe v. Wade which says abortion is legal in all US states. After this verdict, the underground service is no longer needed.

 

What do reviewers say about this historical drama?

 

On IMDb it has a rating of 53 per cent which corresponds to 2.7 stars on Amazon. If you ask me, this rating is too low.

 

On Rotten Tomatoes there are two figures:

 

50 per cent = the professional critics

88 per cent = the general audience

 

As you can see, there is a big difference between the critics and the audience. In this case, I have to side with the general audience. 

 

I do not understand why the critics do not like this film. The low rating is not fair. Why do I object to the low rating? I have three reasons:

 

# 1. The script is well-written and the actors play their roles well.

 

# 2. The story is captivating, dramatic and often highly emotional.

 

# 3. The topic is important and the drama is based on a true story.

 

I want to go all the way to the top with this drama. I think it deserves a rating of five stars.

 

REFERENCES

  

A WEBSITE

Chicago Women’s Liberation Union (CWLU)

Jane: An Abortion Service

 

A HISTORICAL DRAMA

** Call Jane (2022)

 

TWO DOCUMENTARY FILMS

** Jane: An Abortion Service (1995)

Directors: Kate Kirtz and Nell Lundy

Run time: 60 minutes

 

** The Janes (2022)

Directors: Tia Lessin and Emma Pildes

Run time: 101 minutes

 

TWO PUBLICATIONS

** The Story of Jane: The Legendary Underground Feminist Abortion Service by Laura Kaplan (1995) (1997) (2019)

** Clara Bingham, “Code names and secret lives: How a radical underground network helped women get abortions before they were legal,” Vanity Fair, 17 April 2019

 

TWO REVIEWS

** Kristin Lopez, “Ask for Jane is a mandatory and timely feature that demands seeing,” Citizen Dame, 13 May 2019

** Angela Bonovoglia, Review of Ask for Jane, Cineaste, vol. XLV, no. 2, 2020

 

*****

 

 

 A poster for the movie

*****

 

 

 The Story of Jane by Laura Kaplan

(1995) (1997) (2019)

*****