By: Arpit Nayak –
If we go back to history, we always find a few things in common such as hard work, sacrifices, and courage. The result of it is what we live right now; the air we breathe to the life we live is the result of past struggle. While many enjoy this long weekend with their loved ones, sadly, many don’t know its history and the people behind it. The organized working time/ environment and work-life balance we enjoy result from their years of fight.
One of the essential things about cinema is that it brings out realism and history in the best way, which not only inspires the viewers but gives them experience and learning from the viewing. Here is a list of films that take us to various periods related to labor and the people who fought its battles’ vision and audacity.
The Grapes of Wrath -1940
Henry Fonda is among cinema’s legends, most of his roles he aced. Here he plays the role of Tom Joad in director John Ford’s adaptation of John Steinbeck’s classic novel about the Great Depression. The story is about families who lost all in the Oklahoma Dust Bowl who go with the hope of new life to California. There they attempt to find work, to survive on meager wages, and assess the dangers of joining emerging unions as working they not only see unfairness but also the greed of the owners. Eventually Tom kills a guard while trying to save his friend Casey. Now he is wanted by the police trying to escape from the situation.
The film got an Academy Award for best director for John Ford. The movie shows us the social change driven by the unfair working conditions the migrants face and how owners of the land there hold power, which they use to control the supply and demand so that they just have to pay low wages to workers.
The film gives us a look at that era, the struggle and sacrifices they made, and, most importantly, a lesson on generosity, which can come in all forms, including at your own darkest hour. Just generosity can be the most powerful thing you can give to someone else.
Salt of the Earth (1954)
There was an era where mining was a booming industry, and the dynamics of it were different then what is now; this film’s story is set in a zinc mine in New Mexico at that time. Most of the mine workers are Mexican-American, and the labor gets into a disagreement with the owners due to the unsafe work conditions, with a significant additional issue of divergent remuneration contrasted to their Anglo co-miners. A labor name Ramon Quintero helps others to arrange the strike against injustice. While the strike is going the men are forced stop protesting. This change meant women had to go out on strike instead of men. How they conduct this battle is what this story is about.
9 to 5 (1980)
9 to 5 is the story of three aspiring working women, Violet, Judy, and Doralee. They all work at a firm; their boss is Franklin Hart, who is sexist, lustful, and imperious. Violet has worked hard for many years but never gotten the senior supervisor status. Judy is inexperienced and new. Doralee is ostracized from the other female workers after a lousy encounter. Separately the three women unite in their hatred of their boss, and even think about how they can kill the boss. Eventually they kidnap the boss, but as he blackmails them they find themselves in quite a mess. How they get over it is the story.
It’s one of the 100 funniest movies ever made by the American film industry. It starts Dolly Parton, Jane Fonda, and Lily Tomlin, written by Patricia Resnick and Colin Higgins and directed by Higgins. The film delivers great laughs, but does not shy away from showing sexism at the workplace and how it impacts the worker’s mental states, how people from top try to take advantage of people in need, and the courage one needs to fight it.
Hoffa (1992)
Jimmy Hoffa is one of the key union figures from 1950 to 1970, a time in which he was critical to union politics. The film showcases his rise as head of the Teamsters Union and downfall, including allegations of his sudden vanishing in which the mafia was involved.
The film is essential as Jimmy Hoffa was one of the mighty union leaders and activists of that era. Jack Nicholson plays his role, and it’s a vital film to understand the union politics of that time. How workers run as a pawn for the benefit of their leaders.
Human Resources (1999)
This 1999 film is a story of Frank, a business school graduate, returning to his home town and joining the factory where his father worked for a long time. As he gets involved in work, he understands how top management is manipulating the workers. It leads him to problems not only between the workers and leadership but with his father, too.
This film takes on the significant issues of how upper management manipulates the data to lay off employees and the harshness of the corporate world and its unfair behavior towards workers. Ultimately it examines both economic and familial politics.
Erin Brockovich
Erin Brockovich is an inspiring movie based on a true story. Released in 2000, this biographical drama starred Julia Roberts as a single mother who got into an accident, which led her to do investigation in which she finds out that energy corporations are behind the devastating illnesses among her community’s residents. Later she fights hard against the corporation to get indemnification for those who suffered illnesses and lost loved ones to their laxity.
Steven Soderbergh directed the movie and Susannah Grant wrote the film’s screenplay, while Julia Roberts aced the lead role. This film takes a dig at big corporations and how they don’t often get punished for their actions, but the film showcases beautifully the power one has when the battle is for justice and rightness. It’s a must-watch, the extraordinary story of an ordinary person.
Up in the Air (2009)
The film is based on the book by the same name, and stars George Clooney as Ryan Bingham, whose job is to travel around the country to fire people on behalf of the companies who don’t want to face the employees’ heat. His boss, Craig Gregory (Jason Bateman), has complete faith in his getting the job done. He mostly spends time traveling, and eventually he has a new recruit he must train join him. How this impacts his personal life is what the film is about.
It shows how corporations will hire someone else to do their dirty work, and examines the lives of people who are so much lost in work that they don’t know how it feels to be home. When they feel the emotion of how it impacts their mindset, it’s not a direct link to the subject of labor, but it deals with what new generations face in their personal life and the everyday life they forget in search of bright corporate lights.
“Without ambition, one starts nothing. Without work, one finishes nothing. The prize will not be sent to you. You have to win it.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
Hope you will enjoy the experience these films will bring you.
