The Molly Maguires
|
Our Price: $38.88 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $14.39 (click here) Category: DVD See more DVD releases |
|---|
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
Movie Reviews of The Molly Maguires
Movie Review: Under rated,but well worth a view
Summary: 4 Stars
This is a serious film about morality and social injustice and perhaps not surprisingly it flopped at the American box office in the 1960's. Set in the Pennsylvanian coalfields of the 1870's it revolves around two characters:Jack Kehoe, the leader of the Molly Maguires,a secret society dedicated to violently fighting the enormous exploitation that was the lot of the miners working in the coalfield; and James McParlan,who as the undercover agent for the Pinkerton Detective agency is prepared to shed all common notions of human feeling and loyalty in pursuit of a "higher" justice and more obviously his own American Dream
There is a strong cast including Frank Finlay and Samantha Eggar giving support to the two leading performances of Sean Connery and Richard Harris who is particularly successful at conveying some of the inner conflicts within his character's situation.
However the real quality of the film lies in other directions.It deserves its oscar nomination for art direction and the authenticity of the set placed in the almost abandoned Pennsylvania town of Ecksly is amazing.The pace of the film is more European than Hollywood and this is particularly evident in the strangely beautiful opening which with its well crafted choice of shots and sequences establishes the background of the drama.
You may choose to side with the underdog refusing to be buried by the industrial machine or you may ultimately judge the Molly Maguires to to be violent thugs and murderers.However, the final shot of the film with the gallows rehearsal as McParlan finally turns his back on all that he has done leaves little doubt that the inner life of this man will have to pay a cost for the deaths he has brought about.
I too enjoyed Henry Mancini's unobtrusive but effective score.
This is an undervalued film that is at last like that other great flop, "Heaven's Gate",getting some of the attention it deserves.Indeed the beautifully filmed rugby match between the Welsh and Irish miners performs a similar function to the skating in "Heaven's Gate", reflecting something of the spirit and ethos of an immigrant community.Well worth a viewing. There is much to enjoy.
Movie Review: Background for Family History
Summary: 4 Stars
I bought the DVD of Molly Maguires (1970) to study the branch of my family from eastern Pennsylvania. Much of this film was made in Eckley, Carbon County, where my great-grandmother was born in 1862. My great-grandfather was born in Minersville, Schuylkill County in 1859. He was in charge of the mules that pulled wagon-loads of coal in the mines. The action of the film opens in 1876.
Jack Kehoe (Sean Connery) and three other miners commit acts of violence against the mine-owners' property. A long strike had failed to better their pay and working conditions. Detective James McParlan (Richard Harris) charms his way into the inner circle to gather evidence against this secret society. To show that he is committed to their cause, McParlan beats up a superintendent so badly that he dies. In retaliation, mining police shoot one of the leaders and his wife, both asleep in bed. Eventually, the three other leaders are tried and convicted of murder with McParlan as chief witness.
Although there is a romance between McParland and Miss Mary Raines (Samantha Eggar), the real emotional bonding is between Kehoe and McParlan. McParlan feels the injustices the miners suffer, but he ultimately sides with law and order. This well-plotted tragedy was a commercial failure and did not advance the careers of Connery and Harris.
Artistically, however, the film has many gripping scenes. During the long opening sequence when the four "Mollies" light a long fuse deep in the mine, we wonder if they will reach ground level before the explosion goes off. At a secret meeting when the four tell McParlan to kneel down, we wonder if they are going to shoot him for being a spy. When Kehoe takes a suit from the company store for Mary Raines' dead father, we wonder if McParlan will stop the robbery.
The real Jack Kehoe was not a miner, but the owner of a saloon. In the film, the bartender is played by Malachy McCourt, brother of Frank, the author of "Angela's Ashes." At the urging of a great-grandson, Jack Kehoe was pardoned in 1979 by Milton Shapp, then Governor of Pennsylvania. (Some material from Wikipedia.)
Movie Review: A Study In Common Bonds and Individual Pursuits
Summary: 4 Stars
Martin Ritt has a central theme that he explores in almost every film he makes. What unites and seperates us? He's become the master of that extremely difficult question and this film, for my money, was one of his best explorations of that theme/question.
It's about the workers and the company- 'the ones who push up or push down- who has more push?', as Connery's character sums up. It's about the choices people make to get up, get ahead or to get out. Ultimately, it's about compromised positions and consequences that come from such compromise.
Connery and Harris are terrific in this movie- the two sides of the coin. Harris has the tough role as the detective 'sent in' who struggles with both sides of the coin. Connery (just as his Bond days were coming to an end), does a slow boil to a funeral scene where he lets it rip. His dad was a soft spoken Irishman, he once said in an interview. I swear he vented something wonderful about the meek and good in this world, in this scene, that rocks with truth. " They haven't even left him with a proper suit to be buried in! " Watch him in this- one of Connery's finest performances.
Mancini captures the Irish flavour with a terrific score and Samantha Edgar and Frank Finlay and Anthony Zerbe lend their talents, as well.
Another buried treasure that deserves the sunlight. If you want a good film with some history, some food for thought and some fine performances, treat yourself to this.
Movie Review: Unfortunately, a key missing scene
Summary: 4 Stars
I don't understand why this version cuts out the key scene in the church were Sean Connery stands up in his pew and challenges the priest sermonizing against violence and saying something like "what about the violence against the miners?"
In fact, they appeared to have purposely edited the movie to make the audience think that the comment that Richard Harris makes after the service about "talking back to the priest" refers to the pleasantries that Sean Connery exchanged with the priest after the service on the way out!
I remember this scene vividly since it when I saw this movie almost 40 years ago now, it was cool to see someone stand up in the church and stand up to the church's hypocrisy.
The cut of this scene also distorts the movies development of the close friendship that the priest held with Sean Connery and how each could act within their roles while retaining their bond.
Odd.
Any insight from the fans?
- DP
Movie Review: The Molly Maguires
Summary: 3 Stars
It's an interesting story of what happened during the time of the coal barrons and how horribly the miners were treated. However, it seriously lacks any excitement and I found myself wondering when it was going to end. I love the cast, but I really think the director could have made better use of their talent.