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Matewan
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by Evergreen Ent
Sales Rank: 883
Price: $14.98
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A little-known chapter of American labor history is brought vividly to life in this period drama from writer-director John Sayles. It's a fictional story about labor wars among West Virginia coal miners during the 1920's, but every detail is so right that the film has the unmistakable ring of truth. The tension begins when the Stone Mountain Coal Company of Matewan, West Virginia, announces a lower pay rate for miners, who respond by calling a strike under the leadership of a United Mine Workers representative (Chris Cooper). Proving strength in numbers, the miners are joined by black and Italian miners who initially resist the strike, and a fateful battle ensues when detectives hired by the coal company attempt to evict miners from company housing. Violence erupts in a sequence of astonishing, cathartic intensity, and <i>Matewan</i> achieves a rare degree of moral complexity combined with gut-wrenching tragedy. The film salutes a pacifist ideal while recognizing that personal and political convictions often must be defended with violence. To illustrate this point, Sayles enlisted master cinematographer Haskell Wexler, who creates the film's authentic visual texture--a triumph of artistry over limited resources. The result is a milestone of independent filmmaking, and <i>Matewan</i> remains one of Sayles's finest achievements. <i>--Jeff Shannon</i>
Viewer Reviews
This is a great movie. That being said, the events it is alleged to portray are only a small part of THIS film. There's a story being told by Mr. Sayles about the conditions in which the miners and their families lived, what their prospects for improvement were, the efforts to unionize the coal fields, and the efforts to thwart the unionization of the same, but beware that you understand that Mr. Sayles was telling a story that only refers to what happened in Matewan and Bloody Mingo in 1920-1921. This is not a documentary nor does Mr. Sayles intend for it to be. His vision of the story is certainly true, but not historically accurate. It is one of those films that makes you think about the message, but be sure you understand that Sayles has a message and you may or may not agree with it. As a piece of drama, it is first-rate. As an account of a series of historical events, it takes great liberty with the details to make a point.
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Matewan
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