Joe Radek (Paul Muni) is a happy-go-lucky immigrant miner in Pennsylvania coal country. The workers like the newcomer and Joe invites everyone to his wedding with Anna Novak. Unbeknownst to him, she doesn't want to be a coal miner's wife. Desperate to leave town, she runs off to Pittsburgh with policeman Slim Johnson. As an angry drunk, Joe stumbles upon an union meeting and rallies the men to fight for their own union. Joe doesn't realize that he's being manipulated to gin up a conflict for financial gains.
I like the complicated social conflicts within this movie. The corrupt private police force is interesting. It's notable that the owners are not necessarily the villains. Paul Muni gets an Oscar nomination. I would make the cop a bigger character so that the final confrontation has even more meaning. I would also make Mike a bigger character too. Quite frankly, Anna is less important than those two. The ending is a little too nice but whatever. This is an interesting social commentary Hollywood film.
I like the complicated social conflicts within this movie. The corrupt private police force is interesting. It's notable that the owners are not necessarily the villains. Paul Muni gets an Oscar nomination. I would make the cop a bigger character so that the final confrontation has even more meaning. I would also make Mike a bigger character too. Quite frankly, Anna is less important than those two. The ending is a little too nice but whatever. This is an interesting social commentary Hollywood film.