While watching FEDS, I realized I hadn’t seen the movie before. Had I assumed it was a silly comedy not worth my attention and dismissed it out of hand? If so, I was wrong.
I was surprised to discover FEDS is a movie with a message. One movie critic even wondered if the film’s director was “uncertain whether he was aiming for slapstick or an earnest docu-drama about sexism in the FBI.”
Here’s the premise: As a former Marine, Ellie De Witt (Rebecca De Mornay) is used to pushing herself — but nothing has prepared her for the challenges of becoming an FBI agent. As she trains at the academy, De Witt encounters rampant sexism among her smarmy, mostly male, classmates. And, while she’s a consummate athlete, De Witt’s study skills are abysmal. But, with the help of book-smart trainee Janis Zuckerman (Mary Gross), as roommates and teammates during the tough 16-week FBI training course, Ellie and Janis might just show their macho cohorts the error of their ways.
There is little doubt that the real-life first women agents hired by the FBI in modern-day served as the inspiration for the movie’s two main characters.
On July 17, 1972, Joanne Pierce, had been a nun in New York for 10 years before joining the FBI in 1970 as a researcher, and Susan Roley, was a 25-year-old former Marine, were sworn in as FBI special agents.
There were a few cringeworthy moments when the women trainees were depicted unflatteringly, but FEDS is mostly an uplifting portrayal of two women recruits determined to control their careers and lives despite obstacles placed in the path. Who knew?
Several of the movie scenes triggered flashbacks to when I attended the FBI Academy.
FEDS takes place six years after I joined the FBI in 1982. The dismissive attitudes of a handful of male classmates and instructors were vividly familiar.
During the opening scene, Ellie is told, “Under present guidelines, we are required to admit a certain number of women in our training academy. Quite frankly, I don’t think you have a prayer.”
Later, one trainee remarked, “This whole equal rights business is lowering the caliber of new FBI agents coming in.” During my early days in the Bureau, similar statements were said to me.
Was the movie perfect? Of course not. It was definitely a comedy and not a documentary. It depicted training as a hiring process designed to weed out unqualified candidates, where 31 of 40 students were expected to fail. In reality, on average, a new agent class loses only one or two trainees, usually because they failed the academics or firearms sessions.
The movie is correct regarding dating among classmates. It is allowed, but discretion is advised. Two of my classmates got married a few months after graduation.
Today, women make up 23.5 percent (as of 3/1/2024) of the FBI agent workforce, taking on well-respected roles as case agents, team leaders, field office heads, and senior directors at headquarters. Young girls are dreaming about being special agents when they grow up.
At the graduation ceremony at the end of the film FEDS, Ellie spoke one of the best lines in the movie.
“I hope the people of the United States of America will be able to sleep better knowing that women like us have guns.”
As a listener of FBI Retired Case File Review, you know she’s absolutely correct. Retired women agents have reviewed many of their exciting and complex investigations on the podcast.
FEDS is currently streaming on Amazon Prime, Apple TV, Google Play, Vudu and YouTube. Click here to watch the official trailer.
Reading this review of FEDS and watching the movie is a fun way to celebrate the 50th anniversary of women agents.
But did you know the very first female agents were actually hired between 1922 and 1924 and were on staff prior to J. Edgar Hoover being named acting director on May 10, 1924? Listen to the special FBI Retired Case File Review series commemorating the 50th anniversary of women agents.
