Movies About Coal Miners

From Barbara Kopple, starring John L. Lewis, Carl Horn, Norman Yarborough, Logan Patterson
Rated PG

Harlan County U.S.A. is an Academy Award-winning documentary film released in 1976. Directed by Barbara Kopple, the film follows the attempts of a group of coal miners and their families in Harlan County, Kentucky to unionize and fight for better working conditions in the late 1970s. The film chronicles the coal miners' strike against the Brookside Mine of the Eastover Mining Company, which lasted for over a year. The workers are portrayed as heroic figures standing up to corporate greed, and the film highlights the real-world consequences of the coal industry's mistreatment of workers, from low wages and dangerous workplaces to outdated equipment and dangerous working conditions. The film also documents the union's eventual success in securing a better contract for the miners. The film was a critical and commercial success, winning the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 1977.

From Edward Zwick, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Djimon Hounsou, Jennifer Connelly, Kagiso Kuypers
Rated R

Blood Diamond is a 2006 American political war thriller film directed by Edward Zwick, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Djimon Hounsou and Jennifer Connelly. The film is set against the backdrop of civil war and blood diamond trade in Sierra Leone during the 1990s. It follows the story of Danny Archer (DiCaprio), an ex-mercenary from Zimbabwe turned smuggler, and Solomon Vandy (Hounsou), a Mende fisherman who is taken captive and forced to work in the conflict diamond mines of Sierra Leone. When Solomon discovers an incredibly large diamond in the war zone, Danny and Solomon team up to recover it and sell it to fund their respective causes. Along the way, they must survive the constant threat of violence from both sides of the conflict and navigate the treacherous world of the illegal diamond trade. The film illustrates the urgency of the struggle for control of the diamond industry in Sierra Leone, its connection to arms trafficking, and the resulting violence which ensues.

From John Sayles, starring Chris Cooper, James Earl Jones, Mary McDonnell, Will Oldham
Rated PG-13

Matewan is a 1987 American drama film written and directed by John Sayles, based in part on the true story of the Battle of Matewan, a coal miners' strike in 1920 in Matewan, a small town in the hills of West Virginia. The film tells the story of a heroic union organizer, Joe Kenehan (played by Chris Cooper), who comes to the town of Matewan to help the miners and their families in their struggle against their oppressive employers. He quickly finds himself caught in a power struggle between the local miners, the coal company, and the town's corrupt sheriff. Ultimately, the miners' struggle for justice culminates in a violent showdown that leads to a historic trial, with Kenehan's fate hanging in the balance. The film was nominated for two Academy Awards, including Best Original Screenplay.

From Herbert J. Biberman, starring Juan Chacón, Rosaura Revueltas, Will Geer, David Bauer
Rated Not Rated

From Peter Hyams, starring Sean Connery, Frances Sternhagen, Peter Boyle, James Sikking
Rated R

From Joshua Logan, starring Lee Marvin, Clint Eastwood, Jean Seberg, Harve Presnell
Rated PG-13