Harlan County War (2000)

Directed by: Tony Bill | 101 minutes | drama | Actors: Holly Hunter, Stellan Skarsgård, Ted Levine, Wayne Robson, Alex House, Charlotte Arnold, Ker Wells, Jennifer Irwin, Rufus Crawford, Cliff Saunders, Deborah Pollitt, Tim Burd, Tom Harvey, Reginald Doresa, Helen Hughes, Kirsten Kieferle, Tom Barnett

In the summer of 1973, workers at Duke Power’s Eastover Coal Company’s Brookside Mine & Prep Plant in Harlan County, eastern Kentucky, decided to join the United Mine Workers Association (UMWA). Eastover management refused to sign the collective bargaining agreement, so the miners went on strike. Not wanting to take losses, Duke Power called in scabs, non-union workers, much to the ire of the striking miners, of course. Since the local judge himself once ran a coal mine and sided with Eastover, the penniless miners had no option but to resign until their employer agreed. In time, their wives and children also joined the fray. Many of them were arrested, some were beaten with baseball bats, and some were even shot or hit by a car. One striking miner was shot dead by a scab. The grim events in Harlan County were big news across America.

Director Tony Bill made the TV movie ‘Harlan County War’ in 2000, in which a dramatized version of the strike is central. He focuses on Ruby (Holly Hunter), the proud, hard-working wife of miner Silas Kincaid (Ted Levine), one of the drivers of the strike. In addition to her husband, Ruby’s father Tug (Wayne Robson) and brother Floyd (Tom Barnett) work in the mine, as do many other men from Harlan and the surrounding area. The men risk their lives every day for a meager wage. After a fatal accident, which Silas barely manages to escape, the men have had enough. Led by Warren Jakopovich (Stellan Skarsgård), a union leader of the UMWA, they decide to give up work. Although Ruby initially has her doubts about the effect of a strike, she becomes more and more actively involved. When her father threatens to perish from dust lung, her doubts are gone and she decides to commit herself one hundred percent to fair treatment of the miners. With her persuasiveness and intransigence she also knows how to persuade others to join the fray.

‘Harlan County War’ is very similar to the film ‘Norma Rae’ (1979), in which a cotton factory employee played by Sally Field rebels against the appalling conditions in which she has to work. Field won an Oscar and a Golden Globe for her convincing role. ‘Harlan County War’ also relies heavily on its lead actress, Holly Hunter, who puts down a compelling performance (although her accent is perhaps a bit too strong). As actually all roles in the film are properly filled. For a television movie, the production values ​​are quite decent, although ‘Harlan County War’ doesn’t quite shake off the ‘made for TV’ stamp. The story is of course somewhat dramatized, but the characters remain quite one-dimensional. They are sympathetic, but flat. A little more depth would have done the film well. Camera work is decent but not very exciting. The authentic soundtrack, on the other hand, is a hit.

‘Harlan County War’ is a great success for a television movie. The acting is more than decent and in the case of Hunter and Skarsgård even excellent and the story is compelling enough to keep you interested for the full playing time. However, you always remain aware of the fact that you are watching a television movie, because depth and complexity is lacking and the entire production feels a bit dull and ‘safe’. Nevertheless, a very nice attempt to dramatize the events of 1973. Incidentally, for those interested in the mining strikes of Harlan County, the documentary ‘Harlan County, USA’ (1976) by Barbara Kopple is recommended.