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Salt of the Earth

1954 · TMDB 7.0

Directed by Herbert J. Biberman

At New Mexico's Empire Zinc mine, Mexican-American workers protest the unsafe work conditions and unequal wages compared to their Anglo counterparts. Ramon Quintero helps organize the strike, but he is shown to be a hypocrite by treating his pregnant wife, Esperanza, with a similar unfairness. When an injunction stops the men from protesting, however, the gender roles are reversed, and women find themselves on the picket lines while the men stay at home.

Why it matters

A real New Mexico miners' strike, told from the women's perspective, written by blacklisted screenwriter Michael Wilson and made by an independent crew.

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