Kopple's rather terrifying film rocked its minuscule audience and instantly became a cultural touchstone.
Harlan County U.S.A.
Which Side Are You On?
1977 · 1h 45m · PG
Documentary
Directed by
Barbara Kopple
Overview
This film documents the coal miners' strike against the Brookside Mine of the Eastover Mining Company in Harlan County, Kentucky in June, 1973. Eastover's refusal to sign a contract (when the miners joined with the United Mine Workers of America) led to the strike, which lasted more than a year and included violent battles between gun-toting company thugs/scabs and the picketing miners and their supportive women-folk. Director Barbara Kopple puts the strike into perspective by giving us some background on the historical plight of the miners and some history of the UMWA. Preserved by the Academy Film Archive in partnership with New York Women in Film & Television in 2004.
Director and cast
- Barbara Kopple Director
- Norman Yarborough as Himself - Eastover Mining President
- Houston Elmore as Himself - UMW organizer
- Phil Sparks as Himself - UMW staff
- Bessie Lou Cornett Parker as Herself
- Lois Scott as Herself
- Sudie Crusenberry as Herself
- Mary Lou Fergerson as Herself
- Basil Collins as Himself - mine foreman
- Florence Reece as Herself
Critics on Rotten Tomatoes
Top critics, in their words
More films
Billy Elliot (2000)
Comedy · Drama · Music · R
County Durham, England, 1984. The miners' strike has started and the police have started coming up from Bethnal Green, starting a class war with the lower classes suffering. Caught in the middle of the conflict is 11-year old Billy Elliot, who, after leaving his boxing club for the day, stumbles upon a ballet class and finds out that h...
- Runtime
- 1h 51m
- Director
- Stephen Daldry
- Cast
- Jamie Bell, Gary Lewis, Julie Walters
Man of Iron (1981)
Drama · History · PG
In Warsaw in 1980, the Communist Party sends disgruntled radio reporter Winkel to Gdańsk to dig up dirt on the shipyard strikers - particularly on Maciek Tomczyk, an independent labour union leader whose father was killed in the December 1970 protests. Posing as sympathetic, Winkel interviews the people surrounding Tomczyk, including h...
- Runtime
- 2h 27m
- Director
- Andrzej Wajda
- Cast
- Jerzy Radziwiłowicz, Krystyna Janda, Marian Opania
Gandhi (1982)
Drama · History · PG
In the early years of the 20th century, Mohandas K. Gandhi, a British-trained lawyer, forsakes all worldly possessions to take up the cause of Indian independence. Faced with armed resistance from the British government, Gandhi adopts a policy of 'passive resistance', endeavouring to win freedom for his people without resorting to bloo...
- Runtime
- 3h 11m
- Director
- Richard Attenborough
- Cast
- Ben Kingsley, Candice Bergen, Edward Fox
The Lorax (2012)
Animation · Family · PG
A 12-year-old boy searches for the one thing that will enable him to win the affection of the girl of his dreams. To find it he must discover the story of the Lorax, the grumpy yet charming creature who fights to protect his world.
- Runtime
- 1h 26m
- Director
- Kyle Balda, Chris Renaud
- Cast
- Danny DeVito, Zac Efron, Ed Helms
Home Makeover (2010)
Animation · Comedy · Family · N/A
When a social worker visits Gru’s house to assess its suitability for children, chaos ensues. Margo, Edith, and Agnes, along with the ever-mischievous Minions, scramble to give the home a makeover in record time. Their attempts to create a warm and inviting environment quickly spiral into hilarity as the Minions’ unorthodox methods lea...
- Runtime
- 5m
- Director
- Kyle Balda, Samuel Tourneux
- Cast
- Miranda Cosgrove, Dana Gaier, Elsie Kate Fisher
Orientation Day (2010)
Animation · Comedy · Family · N/A
The Minions embark on their first day of work, eager to prove themselves in their new roles. After watching a hilariously outdated 'Initiation Video,' three rookie Minions take on bomb-carrying duty. Predictably, their enthusiasm quickly spirals into chaos as they bungle the simplest of tasks. Packed with slapstick comedy and the Minio...
- Runtime
- 4m
- Director
- Kyle Balda, Samuel Tourneux
- Cast
- Pierre Coffin, Rob Huebel

Comments
Talk about the film with other members