Matewan

1987

Action / Drama / History

12
Rotten Tomatoes Critics - Certified Fresh 94% · 34 reviews
Rotten Tomatoes Audience - Upright 93% · 2.5K ratings
IMDb Rating 7.9/10 10 9845 9.8K

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Plot summary

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.

Director

Top cast

Mary McDonnell as Elma Radnor
James Earl Jones as Few Clothes
Chris Cooper as Joe Kenehan
Bob Gunton as C.E. Lively
720p.BLU 1080p.BLU
1.12 GB
1280*682
English 2.0
NR
23.976 fps
2 hr 15 min
Seeds 3
2.05 GB
1920*1024
English 2.0
NR
23.976 fps
2 hr 15 min
Seeds 49

Movie Reviews

Reviewed by JohnSeal 8 / 10

A memorable drama

Matewan is a somewhat over-earnest depiction of a coal strike in 1920s West Virginia that is carried by some outstanding acting and fine cinematography. Chris Cooper made his acting debut here, and he's since proven in American Beauty and October Sky that he was no flash in the pan. Also on hand is a young Will Oldham of alterna-country group The Palace Brothers, the always reliable David Strathairn as the town sheriff, and Kevin Tighe--he of TV's 'Emergency'!--as a particularly loathsome company goon. Matewan makes its point bluntly and would be an outstanding introduction of labour history for teenagers---if they're willing to pay attention.
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Reviewed by GethinVanH 8 / 10

A great history lesson!

You might say we have it pretty good today, we don't have to pick up a rifle to form a union. This movie is based on the Battle of Matewan that took place in Matewan, West Virginia in 1920.

The conditions these workers faced were brutal. Miners had to pay for all their own equipment, their housing was owned by the mining company and they also paid for it, workers were also paid in credits which they could only use at the mining company store. Workers who went strike were subsequently evicted from their homes.

This movie is great. It's a page from history which should be told much more often. James Earl Jones is terrific as a black miner who is signed up as a scab but he's actually a union sympathizer who encourages the black scabs to strike with the West Virginia workers.

Chris Cooper is also great as a union organizer. I think he's a highly underrated actor. He was very good in American Beauty as the hick next door neighbor and he's great in Matewan as well. Proof, I believe that he can really take on any role.

Bob Gunton is also a great actor. This movie was made long before he was playing every two bit villain of the week. I think that was due to his role as the warden in The Shawshank Redemption where he just let it all out.

I liked one scene in particular early in the film where the union men on strike try to weed out Cooper by finding out how much he knows about union history. Where was Joe Hill buried? In which eye was Big Bill Haywood blind in? Cooper also quips, "I was a Wobbly, back when that meant something" But he does support the notion of One Big Union. The IWW will rise again!

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