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Matewan (1987)
It takes more than
guns to kill a man.
Director: John
Sayles,
rated PG-13
  Starring:
Chris Cooper, James Earl Jones, Mary McDonnell, Will Oldham,
David Strathairn, Ken Jenkins, Gordon Clapp, Kevin Tighe, John
Sayles, Bob Gunton, Josh Mostel, Nancy Mette
DML Rating:
★★★★★★★★☆☆
- great
"You think this man is the
enemy? Huh? This is a worker! Any union keeps this man out ain't
a union, it's a goddam club! They got you fightin' white against
colored, native against foreign, hollow against hollow, when you
know there ain't but two sides in this world - them that work
and them that don't. You work, they don't. That's all you get to
know about the enemy."
- Joe Kenehan
Why watch this?
It's history. Learning history is a good thing.
Plot Summary:
This drama follows a union organizer who arrives in a small West
Virginia coal mining town to help local workers strike against
an oppressive, exploitative mining company. As the company
retaliates by bringing in armed union-busters and replacement
laborers of different racial backgrounds, the organizer strives
to unite the divided community peacefully. Tension steadily
escalates toward an inevitable and violent confrontation as the
miners fight desperately for their dignity and basic human
rights.
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Dad's Preview:
Some historical films just feel different, like you're
witnessing a recount that is completely raw and
unstylized. In an ode to the struggles of coal miners
across 1900's America, John Sayles creates a story
documenting a plight that is sadly plentiful from
generation to generation. The battle is the same: the
America's greedy, rich bastards exploit the hard-working
poor, using thugs to frighten, intimidate and murder the
unorganized. The cast here is incredible including Chris
Cooper, James Earl Jones, Mary McDonnell. Relative
unknown, Will Oldham, as a young preaching miner, is
wonderful. Another delight is the steady stream of
mountain folk music guiding our way. This film delivers
a proverbial gut-punch to audiences, but it's pain we
need to be reminded of. We The People have power
against the evils of corruption, and sometimes the fight
will get bloody. |
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Peggy Rajski,
Maggie Renzi; Cinecom Pictures
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