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Black Fury

1935 1h 35m Drama List
83% Tomatometer 6 Reviews 50% Popcornmeter 50+ Ratings
Joe Radek (Paul Muni), an immigrant miner, unwittingly finds himself leading a union of striking workers. Tensions rise when the mining corporation brings in scabs to replace their protesting employees, along with a group of thugs to keep the union quiet. After Joe's best friend, Mike (John T. Qualen), crosses the hired hoodlums, tragedy follows. Mourning the loss of Mike, Joe decides he must take drastic measures to ensure that the mine owners recognize the demands of the strikers.
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Black Fury

Critics Reviews

View All (6) Critics Reviews
Otis Ferguson The New Republic I have not space for the various elements that actively contribute to the general effect of this picture -- Muni gets into his part a mixture of brawn and puzzlement and fury that is grand to see. And the whole line of direction is vivid. May 8, 2024 Full Review Campbell Nairne Cinema Quarterly Though not, on the whole, up to the standard of I Am a Fugitive, this film has definite importance as an index of America's increasing absorption with her sociological problems. Feb 4, 2021 Full Review Meyer Levin (Patterson Murphy) Esquire Magazine In a class by itself, this picturization of a strike in a coal-mining town has Paul Muni, America's best actor, portraying a Polish-American worker who is good natured when let alone, but terrific when aroused. Apr 16, 2020 Full Review Ann Ross Maclean's Magazine Regarded as a sociological explanation, it is pretty nonsensical. But looked on simply as a story, it is vivid, exciting and brilliantly dramatic. Oct 8, 2019 Full Review Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com Paul Muni gives a dramatically intense, Oscar-nominated performance as a coal miner fighting union corruption. Rated: C+ Jul 9, 2011 Full Review Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews It's lively, probably good for its time period and is properly sympathetic to the hard-working miners; when viewed today it's badly outdated. Rated: C+ Dec 11, 2006 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (5) audience reviews
steve d Ok because of the performances. The script is outdated. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Audience Member good drama ripped from the newspaper headlines Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 01/21/23 Full Review Audience Member This movie only seems out of date if you've never worked for/with assholes. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/20/23 Full Review Audience Member [img]http://ikoi99.web.infoseek.co.jp/movies/posters-stills/US/PaulMuni.jpg[/img] In the 1930s, Warner Bros. was known for its controversial, violent film. But surprisingly, the only film they ever made about labor was [i]Black Fury[/i], a film based on a real coal miners strike. It was banned in several states and countries for it's sympathetic look at struggling coal miners, and with all the controversy around it, it's surprising it isn't better known today. Paul Muni plays an immigrant coal miner who couldn't care less about the union. He's happy with his job and his fiance, Karen Morley. But Morley runs off to Pittsburgh with a police officer, leaving Muni drunk and angry, and soon he somehow finds himself the president of a fringe union. But sweet, slightly dumb Muni doesn't realize he's just being used as a pawn. Paul Muni was a really interesting actor. He adapted incredibly well into his roles and was a master with accents. While I don't think this is one of his best performances, he's very good. Sometimes he plays up the stupid side of his character a little to much, to the point where it's unbelievable, but he has amazing control over his emotions. Karen Morley, though second billed, is only in about half of the film, but she's quite good. She seems rather boring and cliche as the guilty girlfriend in the beginning, but when she comes and sees what Muni has made of himself, she gives her love and admiration a real emotional punch. There are supporting performances that are pretty good, but nothing of note. Except for John Qualen as Muni's best friend who feels betrayed when Muni joins the fringe union. The acting really is the best thing the film has going for it. The story drags a lot in the middle, and there are a lot of long scenes of Muni wallowing in self-pity, but the ending is pretty exciting, and there's a pretty good opening, though Muni's turnaround in behavior seems a bit too sudden. [b]Final Grade: [/b]B Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/05/23 Full Review Audience Member Excellent portrayal of the conditions faced by coal miners in the early 30's, and the forces at work driving wedges of distrust between labor and managment. In this case it was the fault of neither. Paul Muni is excellent as Joe Radek, a Polish miner who gets caught in the middle and fights to make things right. A must see! Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/14/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Black Fury

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Movie Info

Synopsis Joe Radek (Paul Muni), an immigrant miner, unwittingly finds himself leading a union of striking workers. Tensions rise when the mining corporation brings in scabs to replace their protesting employees, along with a group of thugs to keep the union quiet. After Joe's best friend, Mike (John T. Qualen), crosses the hired hoodlums, tragedy follows. Mourning the loss of Mike, Joe decides he must take drastic measures to ensure that the mine owners recognize the demands of the strikers.
Director
Michael Curtiz
Producer
Robert Lord
Screenwriter
Abem Finkel, Carl Erickson
Production Co
Warner Brothers/Seven Arts, First National Pictures
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Mar 29, 2012
Runtime
1h 35m
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