This film documents the coal miners' strike against the Brookside Mine of the Eastover Mining Company in Harlan County, Kentucky in June, 1973. Eastover's refusal to sign a contract (when the miners joined with the United Mine Workers of America) led to the strike, which lasted more than a year and included violent battles between gun-toting company thugs/scabs and the picketing miners and their supportive women-folk. Director Barbara Kopple puts the strike into perspective by giving us some background on the historical plight of the miners and some history of the UMWA. Preserved by the Academy Film Archive in partnership with New York Women in Film & Television in 2004.
Harlan County U.S.A. has generally received very positive reviews.
Cinafilm features reviews from top contributing critics and users.
Review of Harlan County U.S.A. (1977)
By Dennis Schwartz (5,456) for Ozus' World Movie Reviews (5,456) on 02 Sep 2008
Review of Harlan County U.S.A. (1977)
By Cole Smithey (1,865) for ColeSmithey.com (1,853) on 11 Apr 2009
Review of Harlan County U.S.A. (1977)
By Jake Euker (172) for Filmcritic.com (3,164) on 13 Oct 2006
Review of Harlan County U.S.A. (1977)
By Michael H (3,299) on 06 Sep 2012
Review of Harlan County U.S.A. (1977)
By Chris H (3,076) on 18 Jan 2008
Review of Harlan County U.S.A. (1977)
Review of Harlan County U.S.A. (1977)
Review of Harlan County U.S.A. (1977)
Review of Harlan County U.S.A. (1977)
Review of Harlan County U.S.A. (1977)
By Katie K (237) on 18 Jul 2008
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Harlan County U.S.A. was released in 1977 and has generally received very positive reviews.
Online reviewers have written 120 reviews, giving Harlan County U.S.A. (1977) an average rating of 83%.
Overall, cinema-goers prefer the movie, giving it an average score of 92%, compared to film critics, who gave it a lower average score of 75%. Amateur reviewers were more impressed with Harlan County U.S.A. than critics were.
With a score of 83%, Harlan County U.S.A. is above the average Cinafilm score for movies made in 1977, which stands at 59%.
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