Norma Rae (1979)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

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:

Union | Textile Worker | Alabama | Labor Union | Working Conditions

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 9 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

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

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:

Many of the extras in the film were students from Auburn University, eight miles from Opelika, Alabama.

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: Under the circumstances, best wishes hardly seem enough. Thanks are in order. Thank you for your companionship, for your stamina, your horse sense, and a hundred and one laughs. I also enjoyed looking at your shining hair and your shining face.
Norma Rae Webster: Reuben, I think you like me.
Reuben Warshowsky: I do.
Norma Rae Webster: I was gonna get you a tie clip or some shaving lotion, but I didn't know what you'd like.
Reuben Warshowsky: Norma, what I've had from you has been sumptuous.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip: Breaking News (#1.18)" (2007)

Soundtrack:

It Goes Like It Goes

Ordinary Story, Extraordinary Results.

Typical under-dog story that is so well-made that its success makes for a very memorable cinematic experience. The titled character (Sally Field in a super Oscar-winning part) tries to get her fellow textile workers to unionize in her small town, but there are consequences abound. A good supporting cast which includes Ron Leibman, Pat Hingle and Beau Bridges all add to Field's show-stopping performance. Field proved that she could handle delicate material and carry a film to cinematic history. 4.5 out of 5 stars.