Paul Muni was one of the most acclaimed and respected actors of his era...so much so that he nearly won the Oscar for Best Actor...as a write-in candidate! And, I must admit that when Muni is on, he's great. But occasionally I see a performance and wonder why it was so beloved...such as his over-the-top Eastern European-American, Joe Radek, in "Black Fury". Now I am not saying it's a bad film...just his performance.
As for the story, it's an interesting tale of both a union and management being manipulated into striking....and Joe is an unwitting dupe in the process. But, being a decent sort of guy at heart, he does what anyone would do in this situation...blow up the mine! Well, at least that's the crazy message you get in this picture!
Overall, an engaging and interesting film with many flaws...including its leading man's performance and the crazy vigilante message it promotes. A genuinely odd but entertaining picture.
As for the story, it's an interesting tale of both a union and management being manipulated into striking....and Joe is an unwitting dupe in the process. But, being a decent sort of guy at heart, he does what anyone would do in this situation...blow up the mine! Well, at least that's the crazy message you get in this picture!
Overall, an engaging and interesting film with many flaws...including its leading man's performance and the crazy vigilante message it promotes. A genuinely odd but entertaining picture.