Roller Derby Girl (1949)

Did you know that in 1949, a woman prepared to travel the USA could make up to $10,000 a year going round and round on roller skates knocking seven bells out of her fellow racers and/or ending up on her own backside instead? Taken from the perspective of rookie Jean Porter; featuring the more established “Toughie” Brasuhn and thanks to quite well placed cameras, we get a sense of not just the skills and tenacity involved in racing and winning, but also of the baying masses watching, cheering and jeering from the packed stands. The men take part too with many a married couple taking to their wheels, and it becomes quite dangerous stuff when the safety barriers start to becomes props in your or your opponent’s armoury. It’s not really a documentary, this. More a short and a little repetitive newsreel feature that might have filled gaps between a couple of afternoon features at the drive-in, and though interesting enough for five minutes won’t stick in your memory unless you, too, are into it.