Aug 28, 1987 matewan borrows its title from the name of the small mining community in the west virginia hills where, in the opening sequence, the stone mountain coal company is attempting to smuggle in a. Matewan brings to life an important moment of solidarity in labor history. A couple of minutes later, the miner yells out, shootin coal. The small town of matewan has been the spotlight for two major films. Filmed in the coal country of west virginia, matewan celebrates labor organizing in the context of a 1920s work stoppage. The film was nominated for the academy award for best cinematography. The battle of blair mountain was the largest labor uprising in united states history and the largest armed uprising since the american civil war. This backward situation has begun to change slightly with john sayles film matewan in 1987.
Oct 09, 2017 matewan, directed by john sayles, depicted a bloody chapter in the fight to organize coal miners in the 1920s, exploring themes of class struggle and pacifism in a style that evoked classic. Matewan is an earnest and sympathetic look at both the universal tragedy of the exploitation of workers and the specific tragedy of the struggle of the matewan townspeople to find some dignity in. Matewan is a superb film, good acting, excellently shot, and a rivetting story. Mining has all the elements that make for a good movie. A labor union organizer comes to an embattled mining community brutally and violently dominated and. Union organizer, joe kenehan chris cooper, a scab named few clothes johnson james earl jones 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. In the actual 1921 battle the mayor of matewan, cable testerman, was killed. The film dramatizes the events of the battle of matewan, a coal miners strike in. Felts, who was connected with the baldwin felts detectives, incorporated, and who was also a deputy sheriff of mingo county, west virginia, with twelve other men went to matewan to evict about half a dozen men who were unlawfully holding possession of some houses belonging to the stone. Dec 27, 2016 matewan is a peaceful little town of 500 with a railway depot, homey restaurants, and scenic hiking trails. Every resident of the town worked for the stone mountain coal company. The matewan massacre is important though, as part of the continuing civil strife between union sympathizers and coal mine operators and their hired gunmen. Lewis, matewan, journal of american history 75 1988. Jan 29, 2017 though john sayles does take some poetic license, matewan is a respectful telling of the story of the labor struggle coal miners had with the coal owners and the start of the coal wars in bloody mingo.
It is, however, an interesting movie and it portrays pennsylvania coal miners life around the turn of the century. The film dramatizes the events of the battle of matewan, a coal miners. At the time i didnt think it was a great movie and i still dont. Matewan tells the story of a bitter 1920 strike in the coal mines of southern west virginia. With chris cooper, james earl jones, mary mcdonnell, will oldham. The gunfight in downtown matewan on may 19, 1920, had all the elements of a highnoon showdown.
Happily continuing what has become, for me, a mini john sayles retrospective, i settled in with a treasured old friend, matewan, sayless absorbing and exquisitely rendered recreation of the battles fought to bring the union to a coal mining town in 1920s west virginia. Over the course of the film, this seemingly american township reveals itself as the site of feudal hardship for its citizens. The battle of matewan also known as the matewan massacre was a shootout in the town of matewan in mingo county and the pocahontas coalfield mining district, in southern west virginia. It occurred on may 19, 1920 between local coal miners and the baldwinfelts detective agency. The company wants to gain complete control over the town of matewan and is willing to do whatever it takes to achieve control. Mar 25, 2012 mining has all the elements that make for a good movie. Then the matewan massacre in 1920 led to the shooting of chief hatfield. The feudal society of matewan 998 words 123 help me. Where is the ken burns of the coal mine wars, or of the labor movement, or of appalachian history. 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 matewans vested interests so that justice and workers rights need not take a. Besides blair mountain, the biggest battle was the three day battle of the tug river, from may 12 through may 14, 1921.
The struggle culminates in the matewan massacre, a violent and historically accurate confrontation in which the towns mayor, seven armed guards hired by the coal operators, and two miners lost their lives. The film tells the story of a union organizer named joe kenehan. I dont know why i saw matewan at its theatrical release in 1987, but i did. The movie takes place in the 1920s in the small mining town of matewan, west virginia. All but unnoticed are four gruesome relics of the bloodbath. Written and directed by john sayles, matewan is a historical dramatization which centers on the true story of miners in the west virginia coal town of matewan struggling to form a union, eventually resulting in the bloody battle of matewan in 1920. Matewan, the 1987 movie directed by john sayles, is a movie about loyalty and betrayal, war and freedom, fighting for job and coming together, and most importantly about defeat and independance. Matewan is chris coopers first of two films with a west virgina coal mining town as the backdrop. Although in matewan he plays a heroic union leader, as in october sky he plays a skeptical father. Changes come to matewan with new focus on tourism west.
Tensions and strife in 1920 west virginia coalmining town, via john sayles. The power sruggle in the film, matewan 727 words 123 help me. John sayles mines the coal wars the new york times. Bituminous coal mining spread throughout the newly formed state of west virginia in the years following the civil war. Kim mccoy shows them to visitors at th e w est virginia mine wars museum, where shes a guide. Union organizer, joe kenehan chris cooper, a scab named few clothes johnson james earl jones and a sympathetic mayor and police chief heroically fight the power represented by a coal company and matewans vested interests so that justice and. The mothman prophecies 2002 starring richard gere and laura linney. The story behind the movie, political affairs january 1988 and r. Coal miners had been seeking to organize a union in response to practices like being paid in scrip. This film is a must for anyone who is interested in appalachian history, coal mining, and the union movement. Apr 25, 2017 the coal mining massacre america forgot. Matewan the citizens of matewan, a coal mining town in west virginia lived amidst a feudalistic class process.
Matewan is an american drama film directed by john sayles and was released august 28th, 1987. In the movie matewan, the citizens of matewan, a coalmining town in west virginia have to fight against the stone mountain coal company to keeps their town and homes. Matewan pg by desson howe washington post staff writer october 16, 1987 john sayles breaks big ground with matewan, a fictional story of coal mining and union busting in west virginia. Coal miners, struggling to form a union, are up against company operators and. Matewan is a 1987 american 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 making of the movie matewan, which was released. Sounding a bit like one of the oldtimers in his most recent film, matewan, about a coal field union war in the 1920s, john sayles. While an old favorite of many, a fresh packaging of the movie matewan may help open up the important film to a larger audience. In the name of god and humanity, one coal operator wrote to the secretary of war in washington, please hurry federal aid to matewan. A pair of state historical markers recall the matewan massacre, a 1920 shootout that left 10 men dead in this old west virginia coal mining town. The plot concerns a fictional 1920 labor action against the stone mountain coal company of matewan. A labor union organizer comes to an embattled mining community brutally and violently dominated and harassed by the mining company. You wouldnt guess it, but in 1920, a bloody battle took place on these peaceful streets. A labor union organizer comes to an embattled mining community brutally and.
However, the movie was actually filmed at other locations in southern west virginia. One may think of medieval times in connection with feudalism, but the film matewan directed by john sayles was based on historical events that took place in 1920. The battle of matewan was a shootout in the town of matewan in mingo county and the pocahontas coalfield mining district, in southern west virginia. Chris cooper, mary mcdonnell, will oldham, david strathairn plot. The miners are trying to organize a union, much to the dismay of the company that employs them. Cooper is only one of the factors that makes this 1987 film a masterpiece.
The coal miners, for their part, blew up mines and other coal company property. Its a brilliant portrayal of what our forefathers went through to get where we are now. Coal was used to heat homes, generate cheap electricity, and produce steel. The stone mountain coal company was the sole employer in matewan. Stone mountain, as the town was called, existed for mining exclusively. Matewan, directed by john sayles, depicted a bloody chapter in the fight to organize coal miners in the 1920s, exploring themes of class struggle and pacifism in a style that evoked classic. Matewan borrows its title from the name of the small mining community in the west virginia hills where, in the opening sequence, the stone mountain coal company is attempting to smuggle in a. Matewan in the film, matewan, director john sayles paints a 1920s picture of a small, west virginia coalmining town.
The conflict occurred in logan county, west virginia, as part of the coal wars, a series of early20thcentury labor disputes in appalachia. There have been a couple of books by journalists about the era, only one or two by historians. On may 19, baldwinfelts agents arrived in matewan to evict miners and their families from stone mountain coal company housing. The film dramatizes the events of the battle of matewan, a coal miners strike in 1920 in matewan, west virginia. The gunfight in downtown matewan on may 19, 1920, had all the elements of a. Markers, museum recall matewan massacre kentucky state afl. See more ideas about west virginia, history and virginia.
The struggle culminates in the matewan massacre, a violent and historically accurate confrontation in which the towns mayor, seven armed guards hired. See more ideas about west virginia, west virginia history and virginia. Unlike a typical western, the story begins with a stranger coming to town. The matewan police chief, sid hatfield, was shot on the court house steps by company operatives after he was indicted for his role in the matewan massacre. The film is about a coal miners strike in 1920s usa. The battle of matewan scene, shown here, was actually filmed in thurmond, wv. Matewan 1987 is an american drama film written and directed by john sayles, illustrating the events of a coal mineworkers strike and attempt to unionize in 1920 in matewan, a small town in the hills of west virginia. The coal mining massacre america forgot history smithsonian. On the morning of the 19th day of may, 1920, albert c. Dec 17, 2017 matewan dramatizes the events of the battle of matewan, a 1920 coal miners strike that occurred in the titular town. The power sruggle in the film, matewan the film matewan brings to life the workings of a small west virginia coalmining town in the 1920s. Matewan follows the vintage sayles formula, depicting a large canvas of. Matewan is a 1987 american drama film written and directed by john sayles, and starring.
This film is based on solid historical events in west virginia coal mining country, variously known as the matewan massacre or the battle of matewan, and dramatizes for both adults and young people the sacrifices made by american laborers as they fought for unionization and, ultimately, for the power to collective bargain. Matewan, directed by john sayles, depicted a bloody chapter in the fight to organize coal miners in the 1920s, exploring themes of class. Watch the mine wars american experience official site pbs. In 1987 a movie was made about the minersunions struggles in matewan. Child coal miners with mules in gary, west virginia in 1908. Matewan pg by desson howe washington post staff writer october 16, 1987 john sayles breaks big ground with matewan, a fictional story of. As a union man, i was swinging between pride and anger throughout the film. Coal accounted for about onethird of all the jobs in the county and more than half of the total income.
A labor union organizer comes to an embattled mining community. Matewan dramatizes the events of the battle of matewan, a 1920 coal miners strike that occurred in the titular town. This 1987 film aims to document real events that concerned a small coal mining community called matewan in west virginia in 1920. John sayles coal strike epic is grand american filmmaking bolstered by fine haskell wexler cinematography, great performances by dedicated actors, and a screenplay that avoids the common pitfalls of liberal filmmaking by assuming the structure of an action western. 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. Oct 29, 2019 matewan brings to life an important moment of solidarity in labor history. The appalachian miners learn to get along with the black and italian men and their families who have been relocated to mingo county by the coal companies, all to the tune of the italian labor anthem avanti popolo. The downturn of the coal industry hurt matewan, like much of southern west virginia. Matewan is a peaceful little town of 500 with a railway depot, homey restaurants, and scenic hiking trails. Filmed on a shoestring not far from the site of historical events, the pro union picture revs up viewer. Though john sayles does take some poetic license, matewan is a respectful telling of the story of the labor struggle coal miners had with the coal owners and the start of the coal wars in bloody mingo.
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