Salt of the Earth -- September 2, 2024

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Happy Labor Day, everyone.

Salt of the Earth told the story of Mexican-American mine workers standing up to a big corporation demanding fair treatment. The movie was sponsored by the International Union of Mine, Mill, and Smelter Workers. Director Herbert Biberman was blacklisted in Hollywood. Most of the actors were not professionals. During the McCarthy Era, the film was widely attacked, but it never went away.

The Molly Maguires -- September 4, 2023

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Happy Labor Day, everyone.

The Molly Maguires was a 1970 movie directed by Martin Ritt and starring Sean Connery and Richard Harris. It was distantly based on real events when oppressed coal miners in Pennsylvania created a secret society to fight back against mine owners. The movie gives a good example of working conditions in the late 19th Century. 

À Nous la Liberté -- September 5, 2022

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Happy Labor Day, everyone.

À Nous la Liberté was director Rene Clair's third sound film. Two prisoners grow tired of the monotonous work making toy horses and decide to bust out. Louis gets away but his friend Emile is caught. Louis works his way up from selling phonograph records to owning a record factory. His workers are treated just like the prisoners. Emile gets out of prison and finds a job in the factory. Louis is betrayed by a former prisoner and flees with Emile after opening a fully automated factory. The workers live in paradise, which doesn't sound like what happens in the US when we open an automated factory. Louis and Emile make money by busking. They are happier than they were in prison.

The Apartment -- September 6, 2021

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Happy Labor Day, everyone. 

Billy Wilder's The Apartment is hard to watch. Jack Lemmon is an office worker who thinks he can get ahead by letting executives use his apartment for assignations. His boss, played by Fred MacMurray is a creep who uses the apartment to meet with Shirley MacLaine's character, an elevator operator whom Lemmon has a crush on. When she gets dumped by the boss, she tries to kill herself. Jack Lemmon saves her life and nurses her back to health, but gets blamed for all of her troubles. At last he realizes that his aspirations are worthless and he happily gets fired. 

Bound for Glory -- September 7, 2020

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In honor of Labor Day, here is Bound for Glory, a 1976 biopic about Woody Guthrie. Hal Ashby directed and David Carradine played Woody. Most of the events in the movie are fictional but they reflect his real interest in social justice and helping migrant workers, who were mostly fellow Okies. Of course, the music is the best part.  

The Organizer -- September 2, 2019

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In honor of Labor Day, hers is I compagni, a 1963 Italian film starring Marcello Mastroianni.  His character is on the run from the police, but meets a group of Turninese factory workers who are starting a strike.  He helps them organize.

Matewan -- September 3, 2018

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In 1987, John Sayles directed a cast including James Earl Jones in Matewan, the story of the 1920 Battle of Matewan.  Miners tried to organize the Stone Mountain Coal Company. The Company cut wages and brought in scabs. The Baldwin-Felts agency sent goons to evict the miners from their homes. Shooting broke out and seven goons and two miners died.

Harlan County, USA -- September 5, 2016

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In honor of Labor Day, here is Barbara Kopple's 1976 documentary Harlan County, USA.  Growing up in San Francisco, I heard about Bloody Thursday and other violent events in the past, but this movie helped me to understand how evil coal mine owners could be.  The workers wanted better workplace safety, fair treatment and living wages.  The owners wanted a no strike clause n the new contract.  Management countered union proposals with gun thugs.  Watch the movie. 

Modern Times -- September 7, 2015

Motion Picture Herald, 07-March-1936

In honor of Labor Day, I am writing about Charlie Chaplin's Modern Times, one of the most famous movies about labor.  I have a new blu ray from Criterion, but I haven't been able to get the television long enough to watch it.  When I do, I'll write more about the movie. 

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Some scenes seem familiar to us today. 

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I eat at my desk every day. 

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I have never done this at work, but I understand how he feels. 

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I wish I could be this graceful. 

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The scene with the red flag was funny, but many people found it controversial.  I remember a school friend's mother who thought Chaplin was a communist. 

Germinal -- September 1, 2014

Moving Picture World, 03-January-1914.

In honor of Labor Day, I am writing about Germinal, Pathé's major production of 1914, based on the novel by Émile Zola.  Zola wrote about coal miners.  The mine owners treat the miners the way coal mine owners usually treat miners, cutting their wages and making their work conditions worse.  The families of the miners sink into poverty and hunger.  The miners strike.  The owners respond with violence. 

The novel is regarded as a classic in France and has been filmed at least three times. 



Moving Picture World, 10-January-1914.

Moving Picture World, 17-January-1914

Moving Picture World, 24-January-1914

Be sure to click on the images to see larger versions.