Matewan

1987
PG-13
2h 15min

NOTE IMDb

7,9/10

9,7 k

MA NOTE

A labor union organizer comes to an embattled mining community brutally and violently dominated and harassed by the mining company.

Lire trailer1:40

1 Video

76 photos

Period Drama Political Drama Drama History

Un organisateur syndical se présente dans une communauté minière assiégée, brutalement et violemment dominée et harcelée par la société minière.Un organisateur syndical se présente dans une communauté minière assiégée, brutalement et violemment dominée et harcelée par la société minière.Un organisateur syndical se présente dans une communauté minière assiégée, brutalement et violemment dominée et harcelée par la société minière.

Voir les informations de production sur IMDbPro

NOTE IMDb

7,9/10

9,7 k

MA NOTE

Voir les informations de production sur IMDbPro

Nommé pour 1 Oscar
- 3 victoires et 8 nominations au total

Avis des utilisateurs70

Commentaire à la une

10/10

An overlooked masterpiece

Looking back to 1987 I have to wonder why this masterpiece was not nominated for Best Picture. But then again, this is the same institution that voted for films such as Braveheart and Forrest Gump. Is the Academy afraid of John Sayles?

See Matewan for its wonderful portrayal of the events that occurred in West Virginia in the 1920's. See this film for its phenomenal cast. See it for its beautiful cinematography. There is an ethereal glow that envelopes the characters and buildings of Matewan.

There is also an underlying allegorical depiction of Christ and his followers. Chris Cooper is a saint. He reminds me of Gary Cooper a little bit. He has such an unusual handsome face. He is the protagonist joined by James Earl Jones, Mary Mcdonnell, and Will Oldman. Perhaps the most fascinating character is that of the Sheriff portrayed by Strathairn. He is the angel on the black horse who carries with him the wrath of God. Just watch him stand up against the bad guys.

The main antagonistic characters are pure evil. They terrorize the inhabitants of Matewan with juvenile antics.

Please see this film and be prepared to have it imbedded in your mind for the rest of your life. This is what great film making is about

vic-45
3 mars 1999
Permalien

Anecdotes
The miners' union was broken by 1921, after President Warren G. Harding put the entire state of West Virginia under martial law and sent the army to the coalfields to defend the companies against their employees. By then, hundreds of miners had been killed, thousands arrested and jailed. It was not until 1935, under Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal, that union organizing was legally protected in the United States.

Gaffes
Look for the sheriff to remove a gun from someone's hand (by holding the gun by the barrel) after it's been fired four or five times.

Citations
Joe Kenehan: 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.