SALT OF THE EARTH
US, 1954, 94 minutes, Black and white.
Rosaura Revueltas, Will Geer, Juan Chacon.
Directed by Herbert Biberman.
Salt of the Earth is a film about striking miners in New Mexico in the early 150s. It was based on an actual strike of 1951 in Silver City. The makers of the film were all blacklisted during the '50s after the Un-American? Activities Committee served subpoenas on so many Hollywood producers, directors and writers. Herbert Biberman, the director, served a jail sentence. Michael Wilson, the writer, and Sol Kaplan, the music composer, were also before the Committee. They found it very hard to work during the '50s and even to get sufficient technicians to work on this film.
The film was widely distributed on 16 mm in America but failed to get theatrical release for several decades. It was first screened in Australia in 1980. The film uses non-professional actors who are very persuasive in embodying the Mexican miners and the clash with the companies. There is a professional cast including Will Geer as the Sheriff and an excellent performance from Rosaura Revueltas as Esperanza the heroine. The film is certainly socialist in its point of view. However, it also is significant in its presentation of racial issues in the '50s in the United States and even stronger on women's rights and the role of women in society and in work. In this way, the film fits into later decades very well. By focusing on a family, the film is dramatically persuasive as well as interesting for its social themes.
The production by Paul Jarrico, also blacklisted, was for an independent productions corporation as well as the International Union of Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers. The Local 890 of Bayard, New Mexico, contributed to the making of the film. Strikingly photographed in black and white, moving in many ways as well as socially stirring, the film stands along with a number of films about strikes and capitalism. Harlan County, U.S.A., an Oscar-winning documentary of the mid-'70s, parallels it in many ways. Feature films on strikes and unions include F.I.S.T., Bound For Glory, Norma Rae. Salt of the Earth is interesting as giving an indication of social tensions and film-making in the '50s.
1. The title of the film, its use by Esperanza at the end, the scriptural overtones, the linking of the Scriptures with a socialist point of view? The ordinary people binding together and inheriting the earth? The socialist, communist hopes? The political stances of the film? Its persuasiveness as drama?
2. The difficulties of making the film, the blacklist background of the makers? Difficulties in exhibition? The critiques of many reviewers and the condemnation of the film as Russian propaganda?
3. The moral of the film and its persuasiveness? Did the film preach or persuade by the drama and the human issues? The family situation, racial themes, the place of women? Capitalism and industry, the people and the right to strike? The need for better social conditions?
4. The black and white photography and its impact, the use of light and shadow, mine sequences, the Mexican homes, the location photography, prisons etc? The stirring nature of the score - highlighting the themes, too melodramatic or not?
5. The blend of professional cast with non-professionals? The quality and persuasiveness of the acting?
6. The background of strikes and the work of unions in the United States? The role of the companies, the rights of the workers, collective bargaining? The need for negotiation? The history of violent clashes? The perspective on this strike, its historical base in the 1950s? The presentation of the strike and the issues and the people in the light of the tradition of American films about industry and strikes?
7. The presentation of the large companies? Their work, head offices in the eastern states, the personnel and the negotiators, the harsh tactics? The lack of compassion? The focus on financial interests? The owners - and the presentation of the President and his African safari? Did the film offer a biased presentation of the companies and their attitudes towards the miners? Did it reflect accurately situations in the United States?
8. The presentation of the workers, their harsh conditions, the lack of enforcing regulations? Mexican workers and Anglos? Their work situations, bad fuses, explosions and injuries, brutal foremen? The home situation - especially the campaign for better sanitation? How sympathetically were the workers presented? With force, sentimentally?
9. The presentation of union meetings, the international union and its representatives and advice? The men and their conduct at meetings, their rights, the decisions about going on strike, staying on strike, tactics? The exclusion of women? Women at the meting and their gaining rights? The role of the pickets - the men and the women? The influence of the police - laughing, brutality, exasperated? Prison? The songs and the keeping up of morale of the workers? The tactics used against the picket lines e.g. gas? The final tactic of evictions? The strategies used by the workers against the companies to save themselves? To work within the law?
10. The presentation of violent methods of the companies, of the workers? The options for non-violence? The need for heroic withstanding the difficulties - lack of work, morale, lack of food? Support from other unions?
11. The significance of focusing on Mexican families in the United States? American Mexican relationships? The attitudes of the Anglos? The focus on the families, their social background, religion? Their being an oppressed group? Lack of facilities, sanitation? Hard work for the wives? Language difficulties? Their being patronised by the Anglos? The solidarity of the families for their rights?
12. The sympathetic Anglos - Barnes and his role as adviser, his work at the meetings, his friendship with Ramon? His wife and her participation in the picket line etc.? The possibility of good relationships between English-speakers and Spanish-speak?
13. The film's focus on Esperanza? Her role as narrator - the emotional tones to her commentary, her descriptions? Audience sympathy and identification with her? Her work in the home, a woman in the Spanish tradition, subservient to her husband? The importance of the radio and her drudgery at how all day? Her care for the children? Her pregnancy, the delivery of the baby, her care for it at the picket lines, prison and the problem of the milk? The significance of her birthday being forgotten and the joy of her celebration - it giving joy to her memories? Esperanza's dignity as a woman, her place in the community, the other women asking her to help on the picket lines and her decision to participate? Her fidelity as a wife and mother? Her quiet nature, retiring, obeying her husband? Her going to the meetings, her proposal that the women go on the picket lines and the strategy for the vote? Her presence at the picket lines, the birth? The changing of her attitudes? Her knocking the gun from the policeman's hand? Her going to prison? The strong telling of her husband about the issues, the place of women? The eviction sequences? Her triumph at the end? Her character embodying and symbolising the issues?
14. Ramon - as a man in the Spanish tradition, with his friends and fellow workers, in the mines, against the foremen, the bosses? His exercise of leadership? His role as father, husband? Taking his wife for granted and the comments on this? His place at the meetings, his pride? His action on the picket lines? His exasperation at the women in prison? His response to Esperanza's telling him of the issues? His going to the hunt and his return? His reaction to the evictions? His change of attitudes from the experience of the strike, being out of work, being dependent on others? His having to take care of the home - cooking and washing and what he learnt about the role of women?
15. The significance of what the film had to say about men and women and their roles? The reversal of roles and each able to do the other's work and learn the obligations and demands on the others?
16. The detail of the screenplay, the editing and the building up of atmosphere - such sequences as Esperanza's feast day and the celebration, the various sequences at the picket lines, the attacks of the police and their violence, the men at the hotel reading about the President, the various-meetings, the home sequences? The card game and the dance, the eviction sequences?
17. The significance of drawing the parallel of women's rights with those of the oppressive attitudes of Anglos towards Mexicans? How persuasive the argument?
18. A portrait of people - the way they were photographed, their ordinary situations, sufferings, joys? An insight into human nature? The hope of the ending?
