Norma Rae (1979)

Director:

Martin Ritt

Writers:

Harriet Frank Jr. (writer)
Irving Ravetch (writer)

Release Date:

4 June 1979 (Denmark)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

The story of a woman with the courage to risk everything for what she believes is right.

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Factory | Union | Textile Worker | Labor | Labor Union

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 9 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

Also Known As:

Runtime:

110 min | Canada:96 min (Ontario) | USA:123 min (TCM print)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Norway:12 | Iceland:L | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Singapore:PG | Argentina:X (original rating) | Argentina:13 (re-rating) | Australia:PG | Chile:14 | Finland:K-16 | USA:PG | Netherlands:16

Filming Locations:

Auburn, Alabama, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

Director Cameo: [Martin Ritt]as a disgruntled factory worker.

Goofs:

Factual errors: When Norma's father suffers a heart attack on the job, we see him as the first symptoms start until he collapses onto the textile mills floor. The problem here is that as he enters the first stages of his coronary, he grasps his RIGHT arm rather than his left. Anatomically, the nerve conduction with regards to a cardiac event, target the left arm - except in cases of extremely rare congenital abnormality (i.e. dextrocardia).

Quotes:

Reuben Warshowsky:I know the first time you're in is bad. It comes with the job. I saw a pregnant women on a picket line get hit in the stomach with a club. I saw a boy of 16 shot in the back. I saw a guy blown to hell and back when he tried to start his car in the morning. You just got your feet wet on this one.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Wedding Wars (2006) (TV)

Soundtrack:

It Goes Like It Goes

a documentary?

This film is in no way a documentary, but the filming style and plot line lend to its feeling so. Sally Field's acting in this movie is impeccable. She becomes Norma Rae. We see her fear, her disgust, her anger at the mill's treatment of its employees, and the passion she has for what she believes in. Although the best known scene from the movie is her standing at the mill with the "Union" sign, I believe the most memorable scene is towards the end when she talks to her children, telling them what to expect. The movie tends to turn away from her children, but this scene focuses in on her relationship with them. Beau Bridges is great, and the character of the Union leader (can't remember his name) is terrific. The sexual tension between Norma Rae and he is palpable. I strongly recommend this film to any Sally Field fans, or anyone interested in social issue films.