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Matewan (1987)
Director: John Sayles
Cast: Chris Cooper, James Earl Jones, Mary McDonnell, Will Oldham
Runtime132 min
RatingPG-13
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Filmed in the coal country of West Virginia, "Matewan" celebrates labor organizing in the context of a 1920s work stoppage. Union organizer, Joe Kenehan, a scab named "Few Clothes" Johnson and a sympathetic mayor and police chief heroically fight the power represented by a coal company and Matewan's vested interests so that justice and workers' rights need not take a back seat to squalid working conditions, exploitation and the bottom line.
Critical Reception & Ratings
Matewan (1987), directed by John Sayles, is a critically acclaimed drama that chronicles labor organizing in 1920s West Virginia coal country. The film has been praised for its nuanced portrayal of the challenges faced by union organizers and workers fighting exploitation. While not a box office hit, Matewan has developed a strong reputation over time and is considered an important work in the director's filmography.
Why you might like this:
Directed by acclaimed filmmaker John Sayles, Matewan (1987) offers a gripping and nuanced portrayal of the struggles between coal miners and the company that exploits them. With powerful performances from Chris Cooper, James Earl Jones, and Mary McDonnell, the film delivers a rich historical drama that explores the complexities of labor organizing and the fight for workers' rights.
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About
Matewan is a 1987 American independent drama film written and directed by John Sayles, and starring Chris Cooper, James Earl Jones, Mary McDonnell and Will Oldham, with David Strathairn, Kevin Tighe and Gordon Clapp in supporting roles. The film dramatizes the events of the Battle of Matewan, a coal miners' strike in 1920 in Matewan, a small town in the hills of West Virginia.
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