Norma Rae, stars Sally Field, Beau Bridges and Ron Liebman. It was directed by Martin Ritt who was known for making socially conscious films about working class struggles and labor unions. It was filmed in 1979, when many American jobs were being sent overseas and Americans were facing economic uncertainty and a crippling recession. .
The film is a story about a single mother who works in a textile factory in a small southern Baptist community who is frustrated by the unfair treatment by the factory and begins to organize a labor union. Martin Ritt effectively uses the setting of the textile factory to illustrate the points of Scientific Management developed by Frederick Winslow Taylor in the later decades of the nineteenth century and the stratification of class and gender.
The movie takes place during the summer of 1978 and begins with Norma Rae on a work break. During this scene, we are introduced to her mother who also works at the factory. The factory is very noisy and has a very controlled atmosphere. The mother does not respond to Norma's voice and is taken to the company physician. They are both told that her condition will go away by the doctor who does not seem to be very compassionate. Norma then tells her mother, "They don't care about you." .
We are then introduced to Ruben, who is Jewish, and a labor union organizer. He is met with hostility when he introduces himself to Norma's father who also works at the factory. Ruben then appears at the factory gates, passing out pamphlets. As we watch Ruben at the gates, we notice that the factory workers are very diverse. They range from African Americans and Caucasians, men and women, old and young. It can be presumed that the workers are not very educated because the work that they do does not require much skill.
We learn that Norma Rae is an outspoken individual at work who made various demands which ranged from longer breaks for smoking and a Kotex machine in the woman's restroom.
The movie Norma Rae, is based in a small southern town. Norma Rae is a single mom who lives with her parents. Everyone in town works in one factory and they want a union, so Norma Rae leads it. although she portrayed to be a strong women, she is portrayed to be a strong women, and she fights for the union she still sleeps with a married man. ...
In the book "Nickel and Dimed," and in the movies Matewan, Norma Rae, and Kramer v. ... Matewan and Norma Rae, both inspired by actual events, show the damaging impacts that arise in the absence of government regulation. ... Although Norma Rae presents a more capitalistic society, in which the workers in the town have a choice as to where they work, this "choice" is not much better. ... Norma Rae, fed up the over-working, unfair treatment and lack of concern towards the employees wants change. ... In situations like the one in Norma Rae and Matewan, often the best solution is to form a union...
Erin Brokovich" is the kind of terrific storytelling that does two things. First, it renews my faith in the good neighbor. These are the unsung heroes that toil endlessly on behalf of others. Their payment comes from the personal satisfaction of righting a previous wrong. They buck the system, overcome daunting obstacles, and move forward with unbridled determination in order to see that justice is served. ...
