Hidden Figures is a groundbreaking book. But the film? Not so much

Has Hollywood's need for the feel-good factor done Margot Shetterley's book - and the history of Nasa's black women mathematicians - a disservice?

In the opening scenes of Hidden Figures, released in the UK on Friday, we are introduced to Dorothy Vaughan - played with verve and wit by Octavia Spencer - as a pair of legs sticking out from under the bonnet of a broken-down car. One detail immediately stands out: Vaughan's legs are light beige and shiny. She is wearing stockings that don't match her skin tone, presumably because that was all that was available to her.

Related: Hidden figures: the history of Nasa's black female scientists