Norma Rae (1979)

A young single mother and textile worker agrees to help unionize her mill despite the problems and dangers involved.

Director:

Martin Ritt

Writers:

Irving Ravetch (screenplay), Harriet Frank Jr. (screenplay)

Stars:

Sally Field, Beau Bridges, Ron Leibman

Won 2 Oscars. Another 10 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Sally Field	...	Norma Rae
Beau Bridges	...	Sonny
Ron Leibman	...	Reuben
Pat Hingle	...	Vernon
Barbara Baxley	...	Leona
Gail Strickland	...	Bonnie Mae
Morgan Paull	...	Wayne Billings
Robert Broyles	...	Sam Bolen
John Calvin	...	Ellis Harper
Booth Colman	...	Dr. Watson
Lee de Broux	...	Lujan (as Lee DeBroux)
James Luisi	...	George Benson
Vernon Weddle	...	Reverend Hubbard
Gilbert Green	...	Al Landon
Bob Minor	...	Lucius White

Storyline

Norma Rae is a southern textile worker employed in a factory with intolerable working conditions. This concern about the situation gives her the gumption to be the key associate to a visiting labor union organizer. Together, they undertake the difficult, and possibly dangerous, struggle to unionize her factory.

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Plot Keywords:

textile worker | labor | union | factory | single mother | 

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Taglines:

Academy Award Winner SALLY FIELD Best Actress 1979

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

31 May 1979 (Spain)

Filming Locations:

Auburn, Alabama, USA

Box Office

Gross:

SEK 1,617,267 (Sweden)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

110 min 96 min (Ontario) 123 min (TCM print)

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Martin Ritt:  as a disgruntled factory worker.

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Goofs

In the scene in Reuben's hotel room after Norma Rae has been hit, you see her take the ice pack away from her nose. The shot changes and she takes it away a second time.

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Quotes

Norma Rae: Forget it! I'm stayin' right where I am. It's gonna take you and the police department and the fire department and the National Guard to get me outta here!

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Connections

Referenced in Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip: Breaking News (2007)

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Soundtracks

"It Goes Like It Goes"
(1979)
Music by David Shire
Lyrics by Norman Gimbel
Recorded by Jennifer Warnes
Courtesy Arista Records

User Reviews

An American classic

The first time I saw this film was at an advance screening when I was a film student, and director Martin Ritt was there to speak and answer questions. I remember that he seemed like a very down-to-earth, nice guy. He patiently answered the students' questions and explained why the story attracted him. Maybe some of the affection I have for the film is because of that original positive experience, but I've probably seen it at least a dozen times and it hasn't worn thin.

Some people may find some of the characters and situations lacking in depth, but for me the movie is chiefly about Norma Rae's transformation as she becomes passionately devoted to unionizing the mill workers and, secondly, her interesting friendship with Reuben. It succeeds brilliantly on both counts, largely because of Sally Field's amazing performance. The scene where she stands on the table with the "union" sign is a classic, and it's Field's raw emotion that draws you in. Her fear and anger, and the power she feels when her coworkers show their support, are so apparent and so real that I'm always deeply moved.