Black Fury (1935)

Director:

Michael Curtiz

Writers:

Abem Finkel (screenplay) and
Carl Erickson (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

18 May 1935 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Romance

Plot:

An immigrant coal miner finds himself in the middle of a bitter labor dispute between the workers and the mine owners. |

Plot Keywords:

Coal Miner | Immigrant | Pennsylvania | Tear Gas | Force

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Paul Muni	...	Joe Radek
Karen Morley	...	Anna Novak
William Gargan	...	Slim Johnson, Company Policeman
Barton MacLane	...	McGee
John Qualen	...	Mike Shemanski (as John T. Qualen)
J. Carrol Naish	...	Steve Croner (as J. Carroll Naish)
Vince Barnett	...	Kubanda
Tully Marshall	...	Tommy Poole
Henry O'Neill	...	John W. Hendricks
Joseph Crehan	...	Johnny Farrell (as Joe Crehan)
Mae Marsh	...	Mrs. Mary Novak
Sara Haden	...	Sophie Shemanski (as Sarah Haden)
Willard Robertson	...	Mr. J.J. Welsh
Effie Ellsler	...	Bubitschka
Wade Boteler	...	Mulligan

Runtime:

94 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Norway:16 (1935) | Finland:(Banned) (1935) | USA:Approved (PCA #579)

Filming Locations:

Samuel Goldwyn/Warner Hollywood Studios - 1041 N. Formosa Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

First National Pictures

Trivia:

Charles C. Wilson is credited in studio records for the role of "Welch", but that role was played by Willard Robertson. Also, Harry Tyler in the role of "Johnny" was not seen in the print.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in Porky's Party (1938)

Soundtrack:

Young and Healthy

Trouble in the mines...trouble with Muni's accent and overacting...

BLACK FURY could have been a straightforward story of miners being exploited by greedy bosses and directed by Michael Curtiz, that's what it ought to be. But at its centerpiece is the character of PAUL MUNI as a cheerful "honkie" coal miner with an accent thick enough to cut with a knife and chewing all the scenery in sight. Performances around him are uniformly good under Curtiz' strong direction, but he lets Muni get away with the some of the wildest bits of overacting he's ever done.

If you can sit through this one without cringing at Muni's overbaked job of acting, you may be able to watch the film more objectively than I did. Did I mention that the story is strictly on the depressing side? For starters, Muni's sweetheart (KAREN MORLEY) runs off to Pittsburgh with another man, police officer WILLIAM GARGAN, turning Muni's world upside down when he planned on marriage.

Disgruntled miners are upset by union bosses and the plot thickens as one of the miners (J. CARROLL NAISH) sets up Muni and his friends for trouble as he collaborates with the union leaders. Muni doesn't know he's being used as a scapegoat for the union. He only realizes it after Croner (Naish) leaves town with Muni held responsible for the resulting mess and riots. Every plot turn from then on plunges the story into darker territory with Muni caught up in a skirmish with police that causes the death of his best friend.

For the finale, Muni gets out of a hospital bed to bring about an explosive climax at the mine with girlfriend Morley returning to redeem herself in his eyes.

Summing up: Melodramatic mess despite strong direction by Curtiz, hampered by Muni's overwrought performance which some commentators have mistaken for good acting.