Review of The Molly Maguires (1970) by Rob C — 22 Jun 2006

When this film made its now famous failure in the box office, Paramount Pictures had just been bought out by Gulf Western Industries in 1966 and were looking for a bold new direction in the studio. Needless to say, these kinds of results were not satisfactory and it was no surprise by then that the awards were not flowing as they had only decades before.

Regardless of certain exceptions (Godfather I & II, Harold and Maude and last but not least, Nashville) they began to fall and films like this were of the cause. Though ambitious, full of lively dialogue and strong performances - it is an average reproduction of the American Irish gangs and the long since abandoned issues of the mining obstacles for the immigrants.

With no side to chose from as every character seems more or less rotten and chaotic, the film simply does not have an audience nor a real genre to acquire thus it floats abyss in the Hollywood vaults of forgotten failures, sometimes also considered the hall of 'could-have-been-greats'.