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The Molly Maguires on DVD (1969)

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Average rating: 59%
41120104
3.0
from 213 members
 
Starring: Sean Connery, Richard Harris, Samantha Eggar, Frank Finlay, Anthony Zerbe
Director: Martin Ritt
Studio: PARAMOUNT HOME ENTERTAINMENT
Run time: 119 mins
Certificate: PG
Genres: Drama
Languages: English
Released: 05/07/2004

Brief synopsis of The Molly Maguires

Set in late 19th-century Pennsylvania, this gripping social drama tells the story of an undercover Pinkerton detective (Richard Harris) sent to a coal mining community to expose a secret society of Irish-American miners battling exploitation at the hand of the owners. The group supposedly used terrorist tactics, including dynamiting trains and supplies of coal, to win better working conditions and wages for the oppressed miners. Based on a true story of the workers' struggle that took place in 1876, the film accurately portrays the rebellious leader of the Molly Maguires (Sean Connery), and he will stop at nothing--even murder--to achieve social justice.

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Critics Reviews

Rating of 2 stars out of 5 Radio Times

Its topnotch cast — Sean Connery as a rebellious coalminer, Richard Harris as a mining company agent provocateur and Samantha Eggar as Harris's above-the-ground love interest — whets the appetite, so it is sad that the end result proves so disappointing. All the effort here has gone into the depiction of mining conditions in 19th-century Pennsylvania — the film looks completely authentic — but the script seems to have been written by a mechanical digger. Every scene rams home a message, and Martin Ritt directs not from the camera chair but from a soapbox. Despite its good intentions, it becomes a bit of a bore, and it isn't in the same league as John Sayles's similarly themed Matewan.

Halliwell's Film Guide

Sober-sided and slow-moving account of actual events which also formed the basis for Conan Doyle's rather more entertaining The Valley of Fear. Expensive, nicely photographed, but unpersuasive and empty.

Time Out

Less simplistic than most Ritt movies, this is set in the Pennsylvania of 1876, where the miners, Catholic Irish and... Read more on www.timeout.com

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Members Reviews

Reviews Voted Most Helpful

Rated - 4 starsWell Worth Watching

Tony Smith from Yorkshire, England , 26/10/2004

Set in the 18th century, pennsylvania, mining community. The Molly Maguires where a secret group of terrorists, who try to change the bad conditions they they had to endure. Sean Connery is the leader of this gang, and Richard Harris is the spy who infiltrates this gang.

I really did enjoy this film and will probably take a look at it again in the future.

  3 out of 3 people found this review helpful
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Rated - 4 starsFine showpiece for Harris, and Connery too.

A customer from Wales , 28/11/2004

It?s a brave film that starts so slowly, with not a single line of dialogue for probably 10 full minutes; and no action thrills either. Instead just slow tracking shots of the miners at work in their appalling conditions. Its remains a largely slow film, taking pains ? effectively ? to show the harsh realities of the 19th century mining communities, in what was essentially a state of serfdom under not feudal lords, but the capitalist mine-owners who had substituted private police forces for men-at arms.

After the failure of a six month strike for better wages and conditions, the Molly Maguires have taken up sabotage and even murder simply to ?be heard? as Connery?s character at one point puts it. And Richard Harris is the detective sent in undercover to root out the troublemakers.

Harris? character provides the moral hub of the film, as we watch him first gain acceptance in the tight-nit community, and then win the trust of the Molly Maguires who recruit him to their cause. Connery and Harris share some excellent scenes, as does Harris and Frank Findlay who plays the local police chief and, in modern jargon, the undercover agent?s ?handler?. Through these scenes in particular the moral issues are tested and developed.

Yet the politics are never overly laboured, and the film remains essentially a poignant character study of the two protagonists Connery and Harris.

How Harris confronts and resolves his personal moral issues provides a suitability stark and downbeat ending.

An earnest, heavyweight film, graced with fine, unshowy performances, it well rewards its audience.

Incidentally, based as it is on historical fact, it was I believe one of the cases that made the reputation of Pinkerton's agency for whom the real Harris character worked.

  2 out of 2 people found this review helpful
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Rated - 3 starsSlow but interesting......

Richard Morgan from London, England , 02/10/2005

No dialogue for 15 mins, Connery does not utter a word for 40 mins !!

That said, very authentic production design and interesting story.

Honest ending too......

  1 out of 1 person found this review helpful
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Most Recent Reviews

Rated - 3 starsSlow but interesting......

Richard Morgan from London, England , 02/10/2005

No dialogue for 15 mins, Connery does not utter a word for 40 mins !!

That said, very authentic production design and interesting story.

Honest ending too......

  1 out of 1 person found this review helpful
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