Search - Salt of the Earth on DVD

Not much else of its kind

Christopher D. Wright | Baltimore | 04/28/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Salt of The Earth has no equal. An intelligent and well done film with sharp political content. This is most certainly a propaganda film, but propaganda in the best sense: getting a lot of ideas out to a few people. This is one of the few films that sees working people in struggle (with the company, but also with themselves on issues of gender) as capable, intelligent and something better than they were before hand.Far from being bad, this movie shows how people in struggle can rise up against the alienation and oppression of this world. Marx said Communism is the actual movement of the working class. That means that workers' everyday struggles contain the future within them, contain insurrection in daily life. This movie is a good slice of what that means."

Spririt of America portrayed

M. Torrez | San Pedro, CA United States | 03/26/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It upsets me to see people write negative things about this movie. My grandmother and grandfather were involved in the making of this movie and appear in it along with my dad who was a child. Although I hated watching it as a child (I was forced to)I have learned to see past the not so great acting and cinematography to see the true spirit of the film. I am so proud of what they did to bring equality and safety to those workers who were discriminated against because of their race and their bravery. I am very proud of this movie as are my grandparents and entire family. I have no clue how anyone could view this as communist propoganda! I thought we had all learned our lessons from the Mc Carthy era. Perhaps I have a deeply personal stake in this movie but for me it represents everything that is American about America. Free speech, civil rights, gender equality. Strength and perseverance of the American people to stand up for what is right. I can tell you from personal knowlege that this movie is an entirely accurate account of a very important event in American history and is truly a treasure."

A must-see for Labor Relations and History students!

B. Jacquez | Ohio | 11/07/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

""Salt of the Earth" is a film documenting the 1951 strike of the International Union of Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers local 890 against their employer, the Empire Zinc Company. Discriminated against for years, the Mexican miners of local 890 decide to strike for equality and improved safety conditions in the mines. Their wives `man' the picket lines when a court injunction prohibits the miners from picketing at the mine gates. The backlash that results goes far beyond labor-management relations and results in creating equality between the men and women that did not previously exist. The film centers on one family, the Quinteros, and how the strike effected their family from within. A nice edition for a collector. The supplemental material, "The Hollywood Ten," is dramatic and gives insight concerning the 1950's extreme fear of Communism, when ten Hollywood talents were accused of Communism and imprisoned for comtempt of court."

An inspiring film

Miland Joshi | Birmingham, UK | 12/29/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This film shows how a group of mainly Hispanic miners who are discriminated against with dangerous working conditions and unsanitary housing better their lot through industrial action. But in the process the miners also have to change their attitudes towards women, so that the film acts against several social injustices at once. The film remains powerful even though it was made 50 years ago. It reminded me of the story of a successful hunger strike by ANC prisoners on Robben Island in the days of apartheid South Africa, told in Indres Naidoo's book Island in Chains.

Highly recommended."