Blue Death: The 1918 Influenza in Montana

At first Montanans were not alarmed; influenza came and went with the seasons. But this virus was lethal. The 1918 influenza killed more people than WWI & WWII combined.

This film explores six individual stories of how Montanans met this public health crisis. People helped each other in unexpected ways. What was the balance of trauma and resilience?

  • Dee Garceau
    Director
    We Sing (2017), A Massacre in Memphis (2017), Stepping: Beyond the Line (2011), Remember Fort Pillow (2014), Honor Song (2016)
  • Dee Garceau
    Writer
  • Ashby Glover
    Writer
  • Dee Garceau
    Producer
  • John D. Nilles
    Producer
  • Ashby Glover
    Producer
  • Leon Rattler
    Cultural Advisors
  • Cheryle Cobell Zwang
    Cultural Advisors
  • Reno Charette
    Cultural Advisors
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Runtime:
    55 minutes 41 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    October 30, 2023
  • Production Budget:
    85,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Dee Garceau

Dee Garceau makes historical documentary films, based on original research in newspapers, letters, oral histories, and diaries. Dee earned a Ph.D. in American Civilization from Brown University and served as a Professor of History at Rhodes College in Memphis, TN, 1995-2017. Currently, she is affiliated with the Public History Program at the University of Montana, Missoula. Dee has produced and directed five films, three of which involved university students in the process. She loves hearing and sharing stories.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

How do people meet the challenges of a frightening public health crisis? The 1918 influenza killed more people than World Wars I and II combined. Oddly, this flu proved most lethal to young people ages 18-34. Obituaries crowded the newspapers every day.

Crises reveal the fault lines in a society. World War I upended gender norms, racial boundaries, and Americans' sense of safety. In this charged atmosphere, the pandemic was even more terrifying. There was no vaccine and no cure for the 1918 influenza.

I was moved by the ways that Montanans met this crisis. Gender and race became secondary to saving lives. Neighbors rode miles in the snow to help each other. Makeshift hospitals sprang up in hotels, gyms, and fraternal halls. Still there were tremendous losses. This is a story of the human spirit, how we experience trauma, and how the heart is resilient.

Dee Garceau
Producer/Director
Dance River Productions, Missoula