"Norma Rae" Sally Fields (Gidget, The Flying Nun, Forest Gump) is a woman who worked at the O.P.H. Hentley Textile Mill. The role is especially nice because it is a true story about a woman who took a stand against her employers who violated labor law regulations. The manufacturers were so flagrant in their violations that Norma Rae's father had arm pain, and asked for a break. He was made to wait... read more
Description:Sally Field, Beau Bridges, Ron Leibman, Pat Hingle, Barbara Baxley, Gail Strickland - Dir:Martin Ritt Sally Field won her first Academy Award as a single Southern mother who is gradually won over toward unionization of her work place, a textile ... Full Descriptionmill, by a New York labor organizer, despite the problems and dangerSally Field, Beau Bridges, Ron Leibman, Pat Hingle, Barbara Baxley, Gail Strickland - Dir:Martin Ritt Sally Field won her first Academy Award as a single Southern mother who is gradually won over toward unionization of her work place, a textile ... Full Descriptionmill, by a New York labor organizer, despite the problems and dangers involved.
NORMA RAE is a thrilling drama about factory workers in the South who are fed up with their dangerous, unhealthy working conditions. When a Jewish union leader from New York arrives to help them organize, he meets the impoverished and uneducated Norma Rae. Together they become a team, ready to wage a tough war against management.
Set in the industrial South and based on a true story, Martin Ritt's NORMA RAE is a moving portrait of a woman's fight to improve both her own life and the deplorable conditions that exist in the mill where she works. Norma Rae (Sally Field) has worked at the textile mill for years, but when a union organizer from New York comes to town, Norma takes on the hostility of the mill's management and the apathy of her coworkers to try to unionize the mill. Field plays Norma Rae as a passionate woman who realizes her own potential and her need to rebel against the status quo. She is also infuriated by the conditions at the mill. When Norma, uneducated and poor, finally expresses her disgust with life at the mill, it is an electrifying moment, and Field radiates this energy for the rest of the film, providing an emotional core and drive that gives the picture its power.
Theatrical release: March 2, 1979. Filmed on location in Opelika, Alabama. The film is based on the true story of Crystal Lee Jordan, who had been blacklisted by every textile union in the South for her fight against the conditions at those mills. However, with the success of NORMA RAE, Jordan began a new career as a spokeswoman for a textile workers union. The theme song, "It Goes Like it Goes," was sung by Jennifer Warnes. The film was originally rated R by the MPAA but won a PG on appeal.
"What list of movies promoting girl power would be complete with Norma Rae?! Be inspired by this oldie but goodie starring Sally Field as a textile worker who fights for women’s rights in the workplace. You’re probably thinking this movie is old as dirt, but it’s a good one. This film was released before we had many of the labor laws in place today, let’s celebrate our trailblazing sisters!"
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Watched May 23rd - TCM -
1st Viewing
"I'm stayin' put right where I am. - it's gonna take you and the police department and the fire department and the National Guard to get me outta here!" - Norma Rae
The second part of my double feature is the movie that won Sally Field her first academy award - Norma Rae- about a woman working at a southern textile mill with miserable working conditions who tries to organize a union at the factory with the help of a union organizer from New York - as with"
AFIoscar added this to a list 1 year, 2 months ago
“"Norma Rae" Sally Fields (Gidget, The Flying Nun, Forest Gump) is a woman who worked at the O.P.H. Hentley Textile Mill. The role is especially nice because it is a true story about a woman who took a stand against her employers who violated labor law regulations. The manufacturers were so flagrant in their violations that Norma Rae's father had arm pain, and asked for a break. He was made to wait. Actually the pain in the arm was a heart attack that killed him. Sad! The noise in the factory was so bad that everybody had to yell and wear ear protection. I am so glad I don't have to work in such a noisy place. I would lose my mind. I find that silence inspires me! Norma Rae joined the union and got the company to unionize by challenging the audience to fight for what they believe it is righ” read more
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