Salt of the Earth (1954)

Based on an actual strike against the Empire Zinc Mine in New Mexico, the film deals with the prejudice against the Mexican-American workers, who struck to attain wage parity with Anglo ... See full summary »

Director:

Herbert J. Biberman

Writer:

Michael Wilson (by)

Stars:

Will Geer, David Wolfe, Rosaura Revueltas

3 wins.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Will Geer	...	Sheriff
David Wolfe	...	Barton
Mervin Williams	...	Hartwell
David Sarvis	...	Alexander
Rosaura Revueltas	...	Esperanza Quintero
E.A. Rockwell	...	Vance
William Rockwell	...	Kimbrough
Juan Chacón	...	Ramon Quintero (as Juan Chacon)
Henrietta Williams	...	Teresa Vidal
Ángela Sánchez	...	Consuelo Ruiz (as Angela Sanchez)
Clorinda Alderette	...	Luz Morales
Virginia Jencks	...	Ruth Barnes
Clinton Jencks	...	Frank Barnes
Joe T. Morales	...	Sal Ruiz
Ernesto Velázquez	...	Charley Vidal (as Ernest Velasquez)

Storyline

Based on an actual strike against the Empire Zinc Mine in New Mexico, the film deals with the prejudice against the Mexican-American workers, who struck to attain wage parity with Anglo workers in other mines and to be treated with dignity by the bosses. The film is an early treatment of feminism, because the wives of the miners play a pivotal role in the strike, against their husbands wishes. In the end, the greatest victory for the workers and their families is the realization that prejudice and poor treatment are conditions that are not always imposed by outside forces. This film was written, directed and produced by members of the original "Hollywood Ten," who were blacklisted for refusing to answer Congressional inquiries on First Amendment grounds.

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Plot Keywords:

strike | zinc mine | mexican american | feminism | new mexico | 

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Taglines:

The Only Blacklisted American Film

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Genres:

Drama | History

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

14 March 1954 (USA)

Also Known As:

La sal de la tierra

Filming Locations:

Bayard, New Mexico, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Independent Production Company (IPC), Intl Union of Mine, Mill & Smelter Workers

Technical Specs

Runtime:

94 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Because the producers feared both sabotage and destruction of the film, the exposed footage had to be developed in secret, and at night, by a sympathetic lab technician, with the film delivered in unmarked canisters.

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Goofs

When Ramon is in the bar, his hands change position several times between shots.

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Quotes

Esperanza Quintero: [opening narration] How shall I begin my story that has no beginning? My name is Esperanza, Esperanza Quintero. I am a miner's wife. This is our home. The house is not ours. But the flowers... the flowers are ours. This is my village. When I was a child, it was called San Marcos. The Anglos changed the name to Zinc Town. Zinc Town, New Mexico, U.S.A. Our roots go deep in this place, deeper than the pines, deeper than the mine shaft. In these arroyos my great grandfather raised cattle before the ...

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Connections

Referenced in Brush with Life: The Art of Being Edward Biberman (2007)

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Soundtracks

"We Shall Not be Moved"
(uncredited)
Traditional
Sung by the women on the picket line

User Reviews

Movies these days don't kick up as much dust as this one.

I had never worked a day of construction until the Summer of 2001. I applied, got hired, and immediately recieved rank of apprentice under the dumbest white guy I'd ever met. While I'm trying to learn maps and numbers, all the minorities were grouped together for the grunt work. I didn't know it, but it seems that there is a war between the whites and the Mexicans on most construction sites, and apparently the port-a-johns are used as the venue for slanderous discussion. Salt of the Earth is almost fifty years old. It illustrates inequality between whites & Chicanos, male & female, and rich & poor. Is it possible that fifty years later nothing has changed? We've achieved nothing as a human race. Sadly, this lack of achievement is what allows this film to have great meaning to modern-day viewers like myself. I've got a tag line for this movie: "Don't fight 'til the end. Fight to win."