Black Fury

1935

1h 35m

Drama

List

83%

Tomatometer

6 Reviews

54%

Audience Score

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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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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probably good for its time period and is properly sympathetic to the hard-working miners; when viewed today it's badly outdated.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

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steve d

Ok because of the performances. The script is outdated.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

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Audience Member

good drama ripped from the newspaper headlines

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

01/21/23

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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

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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

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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

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Michael Curtiz

Director

Paul Muni

Joe Radek

Karen Morley

Anna Novak

William Gargan

Slim Johnson

Barton MacLane

McGee

John Qualen

Mike Shemanski

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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: Hal B. Wallis, Jack L. Warner
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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