Harlan County War

This is a powerful movie with superbly crafted characters. It's beautifully shot and captures the gritty realism of Appalachia, its hardships, its humanity, its humour. Holly Hunter has created an endearing character. But so are all the other principles. No stereotypes here but honest portraits of real working class people. This is one of the best labour movies I've ever seen.

I have spent my entire life in Harlan County, Kentucky. Growing up, working and now raising my own children here. To those of you who believe this movie has anything real to teach you about my home, I can tell you it has only a minimal similarity to reality. It is based on a nearly thirty-year-old Oscar-winning film, Harlan County USA, which for a documentary about the 1970s-era strike at Eastover Mining Company was one of the most complete works of fiction ever created. This admittedly fictionalized version of that original fiction doesn't look like Harlan County, sound like Harlan County, or even remotely evoke Harlan County, which at least the documentary did, even though most of its details were way out of whack. Although stereotypes abound, I can recommend this movie as a competent piece of fiction and a satisfying, though somewhat overwrought, drama. In short, typical made-for-TV fodder. But don't for one minute think it resembles real people or real life in Harlan County, Kentucky in any useful way. That story doesn't exist yet in the minds of producers anywhere. Appalachia and the entertainment industry have yet to understand one another.

Pretty ironic that a supposedly pro-union Kentucky story was filmed in Canada, isn't it? Meanwhile LA filming crews go jobless.

The original documentary is a better, more compelling film - because it's "real" and you're in the trenches with the camera, however I still found Holly Hunter's performance to be remarkable. This suffers from the usual TV drama problems; from the very first scene they're begging for the viewer's pity, and we learn that Hunter's character is a strong woman, but we never learn how the fight is really won. The power struggles with her husband are hinted at, but never fleshed out and developed or resolved. If you're a fan of Hunter's you might enjoy her performance, but otherwise skip it. Put the effort into finding the original documentary, "Harlan County, USA." Or else watch the news.

Lowest-class working people go on strike for better conditions. Outside agitator helps foment discontent. Working class wife expands personally by taking part in the struggle. To a large extent this sounds like, and is, a 2000 remake of NORMA RAE, which is graced with a fine lead by Holly Hunter, and looks quite good considering it is set in Harlan County, KY, but filmed "on location in Toronto, Canada." Stellan Skarsgard as the labor organizer, and Ted Levine as Hunter's miner husband also deliver good performances, and entire cast is fine though most roles are smallish vs Hunter. Nice musical score.

This film takes off from the documentary HARLAN COUNTY USA and has plot resemblances to NORMA RAE. The slant is unabashedly left of center and the performances and details ring true (except the dogs don't look like mountain dogs to me). Hunter is given a fairly brief, mostly-in-the-dark seminude scene that I found a little gratuitous (possibly the first time those words have ever crossed my lips). I didn't catch the credit, this viewing, for the little guy (he's about as short as Hunter) who plays her father, but he looks exactly right as a used-up coal miner and might have been cast right off the street in my neighborhood.

Picture is set in the 1970s, with Nixon references and talk of wage scales that will sound unbelievable today. Sneak previewed on Showtime the night of 5/29/2000, this is a commendable fictionalization of the story told even more dramatically in HARLAN COUNTY USA, and easily the best premium cable original film I've seen in a long time. Martin Ritt would have made it even better but he wouldn't have been ashamed of this version. And which side are *you* on, buddy?

In the tradition of "Norma Rae," this honest and commendable account of the on-going "class warfare" in Bloody Harlan County between the coal mine workers and the mine owners provides a gritty history lesson, especially for young viewers unfamiliar with this vital chapter in our labor struggles. Holly Hunter is nothing less than magnificent, as is the entire cast superbly directed by Tony Bill. The authetic music of Appallachia aids considerably to this must-see film.