Matewan (1987)

It takes more than guns to kill a man.

• Drama
• History

Filmed in the coal country of West Virginia, "Matewan" celebrates labor organizing in the context of a 1920s work stoppage. Union organizer, Joe Kenehan, a scab named "Few Clothes" Johnson and a sympathetic mayor and police chief heroically fight the power represented by a coal company and Matewan's vested interests so that justice and workers' rights need not take a back seat to squalid working conditions, exploitation and the bottom line.

Rating

7.4 / 10 (146 votes)

Release date

August 28, 1987

Runtime

2h 12m

Language

English

Director

John Sayles

Status

Released