I just wanted to add that I worked in the Carbon County Prison in 1993. They filmed the movie in the actual prison where I worked and to be totally honest, nothing really changed since the 1870's to the current time. I was amazed when I rented the movie right after working my first shift and it was exactly the same, nothing was changed. They built a new prison and all the inmates where moved in the spring of 1994. In the old prison, the hand print was still visible in the cell left by one of the molly Maguires that swore his innocence. They were hung in the middle of the cell block. The cell block was repainted an ugly lime green years ago and the hand print still came thru the paint. This cell was always closed and did not house any inmates. I remember they even had the TV show "Unsolved Mysteries" come and look at the hand print. They currently run tours in the old prison which is located in Jim Thorpe, Pa.
47 Reviews
Fine dramatization based on a true story about a secret society of Irish miners in Pennsylvania , circa 1876
ma-cortes5 October 2014
Real story about secret society of Irish miners in Pennsylvania , circa 1876 .The Molly Maguires was an Irish 19th century secret society active in Ireland, Liverpool and United States. The "Mollies" were mostly known for their activism amongst Irish American coal miners in Pennsylvania , they fought for better conditions for coal miners , using even terrorist acts . The Molly Maguires" were so-called because they would often disguise themselves by wearing womens' clothing, hence their name . Life is rough in the coal mines of Pennsylvania , suffering a dreadful existence . Wages were low, working conditions were atrocious, and deaths and serious injuries numbered in the hundreds each year. As the film deals with a secret group of Irish immigrant miners, known as the Molly Maguires led by a worker (Scotsman Sean Connery as Jack Kehoe who was not a miner, but the owner of a saloon, The Hibernia House) , there arrives a newcomer (first-rate performance by Irishman Richard Harris) who is working as informer , in fact , he is a Pinkerton detective who infiltrates the group .
Exciting and thought-provoking story of Unions , treason and secret societies plenty of interesting drama , emotion and a strong antagonism between entrepreneurs and mine-workers . This good flick packs nice acting , vivid settings , evocative atmosphere , though is hurt by overlong scenes and depressing finale . Interesting screenplay dealing with brooding themes such as betrayal , fidelity , working fight , terrorism and many other things . As main cast : Connery , Harris , Eggar , as support cast : Frank Finlay , Anthony Zerbe , John Alderson , Bethel Leslie , Art Lund , Anthony Costello give top-notch interpretations . Colorful cinematography in Panavision by the classic cameraman James Wong Howe , filmed on location . According to cinematographer Howe, director Martin Ritt wanted to photograph this film in black and white, but was not allowed to do so by Paramount . Most of this film was shot in Eckley, Pennsylvania ; Paramount Pictures saved the town from being destroyed , it was slated to be demolished for strip mining . Special mention to impressive musical score , including a breathtaking leitmotif .
This understatement as well as downbeat motion picture was compellingly produced and directed by Martin Ritt , though a little long . The film was a notorious flop when it was released in 1970, earning back a little over 10% of its $11-million budget, an enormous sum for the time . Director Ritt blamed the film's massive critical and commercial failure for permanently damaging his career. Ritt was an expert on well-crafted dramas such as ¨Stanley and Iris¨ , ¨Nut¨ , ¨Norma Rae¨ , ¨The front¨, ¨The Sound and the Fury¨ , ¨Black orchid¨ , though also directed films of all kind of genres such as : ¨The Spy Who Came in from the Cold¨ , ¨The Great White Hope¨ , ¨Mafia¨ . And he worked with Paul Newman in three Westerns : ¨Hombre¨ , ¨Hud¨ and ¨Outrage¨. ¨Molly McGuire¨ film will appeal to drama enthusiasts and Sean Connery , Richard Harris fans . Rating : Above average, well worth checking out ; along with ¨Outrage¨ , being one of Ritt's best movie.
The picture was well based on actual events , they are the followings : About 22,000 coal miners worked in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. 5,500 of these were children between the ages of seven and sixteen years, who earned between one and three dollars a week separating slate from the coal. Injured miners, or those too old to work at the face, were assigned to picking slate at the "breakers" where the coal was crushed into a manageable size. The miners lived a life of "bitter, terrible struggle". Wages were low, working conditions were atrocious, and deaths and serious injuries numbered in the hundreds each year. The mine owners without one single exception had refused over the years to install emergency exits, ventilating and pumping systems, or to make provision for sound scaffolding and on September 6, 1869, a fire took the lives of 110 coal miners. Franklin B. Gowen, the president of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad, and of the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company and "the wealthiest anthracite coal mine owner in the world", hired Allan Pinkerton's services to deal with the Mollies. Pinkerton selected James McParland to go undercover against the Mollies. Using the alias "James McKenna", he made Shenandoah his headquarters and claimed to have became a trusted member of the organization.McParland's assignment was to collect evidence of murder plots and intrigue, passing this information along to his Pinkerton manager. He also began working secretly with a Pinkerton agent assigned to the Coal and Iron Police for the purpose of coordinating the eventual arrest and prosecution of members of the Molly Maguires. After months of little progress, McParlan reported some plans by the "inner circle". When Gowen first hired the Pinkerton agency, he had claimed the Molly Maguires were so powerful they had made capital and labor "their puppets". When the trials of the alleged puppet-masters opened, Gowen had himself appointed as special prosecutor . On June 21, 1877, six men were hanged in prison .
Exciting and thought-provoking story of Unions , treason and secret societies plenty of interesting drama , emotion and a strong antagonism between entrepreneurs and mine-workers . This good flick packs nice acting , vivid settings , evocative atmosphere , though is hurt by overlong scenes and depressing finale . Interesting screenplay dealing with brooding themes such as betrayal , fidelity , working fight , terrorism and many other things . As main cast : Connery , Harris , Eggar , as support cast : Frank Finlay , Anthony Zerbe , John Alderson , Bethel Leslie , Art Lund , Anthony Costello give top-notch interpretations . Colorful cinematography in Panavision by the classic cameraman James Wong Howe , filmed on location . According to cinematographer Howe, director Martin Ritt wanted to photograph this film in black and white, but was not allowed to do so by Paramount . Most of this film was shot in Eckley, Pennsylvania ; Paramount Pictures saved the town from being destroyed , it was slated to be demolished for strip mining . Special mention to impressive musical score , including a breathtaking leitmotif .
This understatement as well as downbeat motion picture was compellingly produced and directed by Martin Ritt , though a little long . The film was a notorious flop when it was released in 1970, earning back a little over 10% of its $11-million budget, an enormous sum for the time . Director Ritt blamed the film's massive critical and commercial failure for permanently damaging his career. Ritt was an expert on well-crafted dramas such as ¨Stanley and Iris¨ , ¨Nut¨ , ¨Norma Rae¨ , ¨The front¨, ¨The Sound and the Fury¨ , ¨Black orchid¨ , though also directed films of all kind of genres such as : ¨The Spy Who Came in from the Cold¨ , ¨The Great White Hope¨ , ¨Mafia¨ . And he worked with Paul Newman in three Westerns : ¨Hombre¨ , ¨Hud¨ and ¨Outrage¨. ¨Molly McGuire¨ film will appeal to drama enthusiasts and Sean Connery , Richard Harris fans . Rating : Above average, well worth checking out ; along with ¨Outrage¨ , being one of Ritt's best movie.
The picture was well based on actual events , they are the followings : About 22,000 coal miners worked in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. 5,500 of these were children between the ages of seven and sixteen years, who earned between one and three dollars a week separating slate from the coal. Injured miners, or those too old to work at the face, were assigned to picking slate at the "breakers" where the coal was crushed into a manageable size. The miners lived a life of "bitter, terrible struggle". Wages were low, working conditions were atrocious, and deaths and serious injuries numbered in the hundreds each year. The mine owners without one single exception had refused over the years to install emergency exits, ventilating and pumping systems, or to make provision for sound scaffolding and on September 6, 1869, a fire took the lives of 110 coal miners. Franklin B. Gowen, the president of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad, and of the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company and "the wealthiest anthracite coal mine owner in the world", hired Allan Pinkerton's services to deal with the Mollies. Pinkerton selected James McParland to go undercover against the Mollies. Using the alias "James McKenna", he made Shenandoah his headquarters and claimed to have became a trusted member of the organization.McParland's assignment was to collect evidence of murder plots and intrigue, passing this information along to his Pinkerton manager. He also began working secretly with a Pinkerton agent assigned to the Coal and Iron Police for the purpose of coordinating the eventual arrest and prosecution of members of the Molly Maguires. After months of little progress, McParlan reported some plans by the "inner circle". When Gowen first hired the Pinkerton agency, he had claimed the Molly Maguires were so powerful they had made capital and labor "their puppets". When the trials of the alleged puppet-masters opened, Gowen had himself appointed as special prosecutor . On June 21, 1877, six men were hanged in prison .
Under Rated & Forgotten Gem Filled With Great Performances
slightlymad227 May 2017
Molly Maguires (1970)
Plot In A Paragraph: A terrorist group known as the Molly Maguires has been sabotaging a coal mine in Pennsylvania where they in fact work. Detective James McParlan (Richard Harris) must infiltrate the group led by John Kehoe (Connery) Throughout the film McParlan's allegiances are tested. Will he side with the Maguires and become a true member, or keep his mission in mind and bring an end to the group??
This for me is Connery's best performance to date. I personally think he is brilliant here!! But once again audiences and the Academy did not care, and ignored the movie. Richard Harris (billed above Connery, even though Connery was paid more and was the bigger star) is a funny actor to me, I've never really taken to him, there was just always something about him I didn't like, but I can't fault his work here.
The movie is so powerful (at least to me) and deserves to be seen as it's filled with fantastic performances. The first line of dialogue doesn't come till about 15 minutes in, with Connery not speaking until about the 40th minute despite being one of the first characters introduced on screen. Director Martin Ritt wanted to film this in black and white, but Paramount were worried it would put off movie goers.
Molly Maguires was another Connery movie to fail at the box office, and it failed in a big way, grossing only $2 million at the domestic box office on a budget of $11 million.
Plot In A Paragraph: A terrorist group known as the Molly Maguires has been sabotaging a coal mine in Pennsylvania where they in fact work. Detective James McParlan (Richard Harris) must infiltrate the group led by John Kehoe (Connery) Throughout the film McParlan's allegiances are tested. Will he side with the Maguires and become a true member, or keep his mission in mind and bring an end to the group??
This for me is Connery's best performance to date. I personally think he is brilliant here!! But once again audiences and the Academy did not care, and ignored the movie. Richard Harris (billed above Connery, even though Connery was paid more and was the bigger star) is a funny actor to me, I've never really taken to him, there was just always something about him I didn't like, but I can't fault his work here.
The movie is so powerful (at least to me) and deserves to be seen as it's filled with fantastic performances. The first line of dialogue doesn't come till about 15 minutes in, with Connery not speaking until about the 40th minute despite being one of the first characters introduced on screen. Director Martin Ritt wanted to film this in black and white, but Paramount were worried it would put off movie goers.
Molly Maguires was another Connery movie to fail at the box office, and it failed in a big way, grossing only $2 million at the domestic box office on a budget of $11 million.
Strong performances carry historical drama
joebartoniii23 December 2002
A must-see for any Irish-American. Harris is superb in his role as an undercover Pinkerton investigator. We see his character grow to admire the maguires even though he knows he will eventually betray them. Connery is also great as the attractive leader of the terrorist group. This movie touches on an area tha is often ignored, working conditions in 19th Century America. I especially like the American Football/Rugby hybrid they play against the Welsh town. A unique movie that let's us see both Harris and Connery shine. Good score, pacing, photography, and supporting characters as well. One of my favs!
Vivid, gritty drama from Martin Ritt
moonspinner5510 December 2006
Adaptation of Arthur H. Lewis' book, which was based on actual accounts, about a Pennsylvania coal-mining town in 1876 and the secret group of rebels who are sabotaging the mines. Stranger-in-town Richard Harris is actually a detective sent there to ferret out the culprits. Downbeat story might have stood some tightening (and possibly a little mood-lightening levity), but is otherwise quite good. Director Martin Ritt works exceptionally well with his cast, getting a terrific, surprisingly low-keyed performance out of Harris in particular; scaling back his high voltage nature, Harris is even approachable enough to make the romance sub-plot between he and Samantha Eggar rather sweet. Sean Connery is sturdy as always, and the colorful supporting cast includes Frank Finlay and Anthony Zerbe, an intriguing character actor who pops up in a myriad of '70's films. **1/2 from ****
Worth watching....
davyd-0223716 December 2020
But - this isnt entertainment as its based upon an historical account. If you like a happy ending - dont bother.
I had to laugh at the, clearly, Catholic Priest, who at no point refers to the Bible! He clearly has no knowledge (from the script) as to what "sin" is, which is referred to frequently.
For those within the Molly Maguires they sadly open themselves up to an under cover police man - which is the central point of the story, thus its their undoing. It is hard to see a hardworking man/men being charged from broken tools or for using too many candles and no pay for being off work - yet the mine owner can afford his own police squad! Not sure why the film flopped at the box office given the historical account. I found it worth watching but the real villains (the mine owner) is the winner!
It's imperfect but it's good.
loza-14 June 2005
The Molly Maguires were a society named after an earlier society formed during an Irish uprising against the British. The members of the earlier society used to travel from house to house dressed as women. (nicknamed Molly Maguire)
As usual Sean Connery gets it in the neck for playing an Irishman who speaks with a Scottish accent. What these critics would make of Prince Charles Edward Stuart, a Scotsman who spoke with an Irish accent, or myself, a Scotsman who speaks with an English accent, is anyone's guess. Maybe I just don't exist.
In fact all the cast play their roles well. The film is well directed. My only bone of contention is that we are never given a real insight into the sort of conditions that caused the formation of the Molly Maguires, nor are we really shown why they were so popular in the mining community.
As usual Sean Connery gets it in the neck for playing an Irishman who speaks with a Scottish accent. What these critics would make of Prince Charles Edward Stuart, a Scotsman who spoke with an Irish accent, or myself, a Scotsman who speaks with an English accent, is anyone's guess. Maybe I just don't exist.
In fact all the cast play their roles well. The film is well directed. My only bone of contention is that we are never given a real insight into the sort of conditions that caused the formation of the Molly Maguires, nor are we really shown why they were so popular in the mining community.
Ring of Gaelic Authenticity
bkoganbing26 March 2006
According to the Films of Sean Connery, the genesis of The Molly Maguires was a visit to the set of Director Martin Ritt;s Hombre in which Connery's then wife Diane Cilento was in the cast. Ritt had the idea for The Molly Maguires back then and asked Connery if he'd give him the commitment. Connery was intrigued and said yes. But it took over four years to get the project rolling.
The Molly Maguires has the ring of authenticity to it because Martin Ritt chose to shoot it in an almost abandoned Pennsylvania coal town of Ecksley. Filming the story in a place where the Molly Maguires were active lends a lot of credibility to the film.
The Mollys were a secret cell within the Catholic fraternal society of the Ancient Order of Hibernians. The Irish immigrants spread all over America and a good deal of them arrived in the Pennsylvania coal country where they became miners. A trade not unknown in Ireland as that country has considerable deposits of the stuff.
The workers were terribly exploited, having to live in the company town, buy at the company store, and pay for damaged equipment. That together with the health problems we know now about in the mining industry.
There was no organized labor movement yet and the Mollys were at times the only protections those miners had. They'd be considered terrorists now, but an important thing to remember is that unlike today's terrorists, their acts of violence were never random.
One thing I did like was the fact that the company policeman were Protestant and Welsh. That was the generation who were the previous people in the mines. The next generation of coal miners were from Eastern Europe, but that's getting ahead of ourselves. The ethnic conflicts are quite explicit in this film.
Richard Harris plays James McParlan another Irish immigrant sent by the Pinkerton Detective Agency to infiltrate and destroy the Mollys. Connery is Jack Kehoe the leader of them and very suspicious of Harris when he first arrives to work at the mines.
The story as told in the film sticks pretty close to the truth of what happened in Pennsylvania in the 1870s. Informers are not a group that's looked up to in any culture, but the Irish traditionally do have a special disdain for them.
The film is a clash between two men, Harris who wants to rise in class and willing to sell anyone out to do it and Connery whose methods maybe wrong, but has the genuine interest of his fellow miners at heart. After the business in Pennsylvania is concluded and after the action of this film, the real McParlan rose high in the Pinkerton agency, but his name was an anathema among his own people.
The Molly Maguires is a well crafted piece of cinema that unfortunately failed to find an audience back in 1970. Today it's considered a masterpiece and deservedly so.
The Molly Maguires has the ring of authenticity to it because Martin Ritt chose to shoot it in an almost abandoned Pennsylvania coal town of Ecksley. Filming the story in a place where the Molly Maguires were active lends a lot of credibility to the film.
The Mollys were a secret cell within the Catholic fraternal society of the Ancient Order of Hibernians. The Irish immigrants spread all over America and a good deal of them arrived in the Pennsylvania coal country where they became miners. A trade not unknown in Ireland as that country has considerable deposits of the stuff.
The workers were terribly exploited, having to live in the company town, buy at the company store, and pay for damaged equipment. That together with the health problems we know now about in the mining industry.
There was no organized labor movement yet and the Mollys were at times the only protections those miners had. They'd be considered terrorists now, but an important thing to remember is that unlike today's terrorists, their acts of violence were never random.
One thing I did like was the fact that the company policeman were Protestant and Welsh. That was the generation who were the previous people in the mines. The next generation of coal miners were from Eastern Europe, but that's getting ahead of ourselves. The ethnic conflicts are quite explicit in this film.
Richard Harris plays James McParlan another Irish immigrant sent by the Pinkerton Detective Agency to infiltrate and destroy the Mollys. Connery is Jack Kehoe the leader of them and very suspicious of Harris when he first arrives to work at the mines.
The story as told in the film sticks pretty close to the truth of what happened in Pennsylvania in the 1870s. Informers are not a group that's looked up to in any culture, but the Irish traditionally do have a special disdain for them.
The film is a clash between two men, Harris who wants to rise in class and willing to sell anyone out to do it and Connery whose methods maybe wrong, but has the genuine interest of his fellow miners at heart. After the business in Pennsylvania is concluded and after the action of this film, the real McParlan rose high in the Pinkerton agency, but his name was an anathema among his own people.
The Molly Maguires is a well crafted piece of cinema that unfortunately failed to find an audience back in 1970. Today it's considered a masterpiece and deservedly so.
Great Music, Good Cinematography, Uninspiring Story
ksneath5 June 2009
The first things that stand out to me in the positive about this film (as the title indicates) are the music and cinematography.
The theme by Henry Mancini really does carry the film, and you'll find it playing back (pleasantly) in your head. This made a (for me personally) rather plodding plot more viewable. The music is excellent.
The cinematography also is very good. This, combined with the music make for good art. Many shots linger and linger... in a day when watching a film may send a normal being into fits of convulsions from rapid cuts.. the shots here are deliberate and rich. The opening shot slowly and seamlessly takes you from the beauty of the morning sunrise into the gritty, dingy underground world of the coal mines.
As for the plot -- what can I say? Can one argue the validity of historical drama? I suppose not. Rather than do that, I'll just say that the story itself suffered from the lack of a person with truly redeeming qualities. The characters seem to embody the environment in which they live -- grungy, filthy and tainted.
I spent much of the film a bit confused about the environment, time, and place in which I had been thrust. The film supposes that you understand at least generally the dynamics between the mine management and its workers in the 19th century. I didn't, and it made it difficult to fully understand the motives of the characters involved.
The story moves slowly, yet steadily towards its climax. Unfortunately, this is one of those films that leaves a big empty blank in my mind and heart after I've watched it. What am I to take away from this? It's not trying to "entertain" the audience... it's a drama with a message... but this is a film without a hero, a story without an end. Some people like a film that leaves you "hanging" at the end. I can't say as it worked for me this time.
In summary, I enjoyed the music and cinematography, the acting was very good... but the story leaves you with a very empty feeling in your gut.
The theme by Henry Mancini really does carry the film, and you'll find it playing back (pleasantly) in your head. This made a (for me personally) rather plodding plot more viewable. The music is excellent.
The cinematography also is very good. This, combined with the music make for good art. Many shots linger and linger... in a day when watching a film may send a normal being into fits of convulsions from rapid cuts.. the shots here are deliberate and rich. The opening shot slowly and seamlessly takes you from the beauty of the morning sunrise into the gritty, dingy underground world of the coal mines.
As for the plot -- what can I say? Can one argue the validity of historical drama? I suppose not. Rather than do that, I'll just say that the story itself suffered from the lack of a person with truly redeeming qualities. The characters seem to embody the environment in which they live -- grungy, filthy and tainted.
I spent much of the film a bit confused about the environment, time, and place in which I had been thrust. The film supposes that you understand at least generally the dynamics between the mine management and its workers in the 19th century. I didn't, and it made it difficult to fully understand the motives of the characters involved.
The story moves slowly, yet steadily towards its climax. Unfortunately, this is one of those films that leaves a big empty blank in my mind and heart after I've watched it. What am I to take away from this? It's not trying to "entertain" the audience... it's a drama with a message... but this is a film without a hero, a story without an end. Some people like a film that leaves you "hanging" at the end. I can't say as it worked for me this time.
In summary, I enjoyed the music and cinematography, the acting was very good... but the story leaves you with a very empty feeling in your gut.
Good story with excellent cast.
brewsmac21 August 2001
Good story line. Well played. Excellent cast, with some lesser seen actors. Enjoyed this film throughout. Constantly moving story. Historically accurate as I understand. Good example of Sean Connery's earlier (non-Bond) work.
sean
kairingler15 July 2013
I liked the film as a whole,, my grandfather worked in the mines in Pennsylvania in the 1920's-1950's . so I decided to check this one out. Sean Connery is stellar in his performance as the leader of our little terrorist group,, the workers at the mines are being treated unfairly and a lot of their pay is being kept from them like equipment used to dig up the coal which is highly unfair I think.. a new man comes to the crew but he actually is a detective sent in to blend in with the terrorist group,, and report back to the police with any findings that he has.. oddly enough he is Irish, so now you have to wander where his loyalties really are going to lie,, is it gonna be with the police,, because they do have the upper hand with our "detective", or will he stick with his "roots" and go with the terrorists.. pretty decent movie.
An overlooked gem
blademan605279 December 2005
Warning: Spoilers
This film is a real sleeper. Great cast, well acted, beautifully written, scored, and photographed. There are scenes in it, particularly between Harris and Connery, that are among the best acted by either of these two gentlemen. And if you are a fan of either? You will be seeing them in a fine yet overlooked gem of a film. While in their prime. And doing some of the very best work of their careers. Connery, in a part light-years from James Bond, plays the ultimately doomed Jack Keogh with an understated eloquence and quiet nobility. While Harris as the Detective James McParland, and infiltrator of the Mollies, plays his part with an amiable flair that at first wins us over just as he wins the affection and trust of the men and women he eventually betrays so that in the end, we are let down and made to feel the coldness of his Judas act just as if he has betrayed us as well.
Should be a Netflix show
philldr89 November 2020
Not bad, not great
Leofwine_draca1 August 2020
Warning: Spoilers
THE MOLLY MAGUIRES isn't a bad film, but I was expecting a little more given teh subject matter. In the end this turns out to be a little talky and a little long-winded, with a somewhat obvious plot that feels padded out to a two hour running time, which means a lot of standing around and more than a few moments that feel repetitive. It's a shame, because the subject matter and setting are wonderful, but I was hoping for something with the power of Zola's stunning GERMINAL. Still, you get a tough, taciturn Sean Connery butting heads with a wily Richard Harris, which alone is worth tuning in for...
A truly excellent and engaging historical drama!
patricksfolly31 March 2007
This film is a gem! The cinematography, costumes, sets, script, and acting are all excellent. The story is totally engaging. Some people might be turning off by the slow start, but it's the perfect set up to a brilliant piece of cinema. With all of that said, some people take this film as historical truth. That's where there are major gray areas.
This film was based loosely on the accounts of one man, James McPharlan (Harris' character), and at that doesn't stick too close to his account of infiltrating an underground organization of Irish coal miners who were fronted by the Ancient Order of Hiberians. Hollywood, of course, sexed up the plot and stream lined it so that it would be easier to follow. Not surprising really. The realities of the situation in the Pennsylvania coal fields in the 1860's and 1870's and America in general following the Civil War were very complex. The film didn't have time to cover these details. Like so many historical topics it would take a mini series at least to cover it well.
What this film does do very well is inspire one to study. It's an interesting and little known or understood part of American history. There are a lot of opinions on all sides of the situation that still stir people today. This was effectively the beginning of the labor movement in America. The course of action portrayed in this film led to the establishment of unions.
I watched this movie many times as a child and still do today. It inspired me to read a lot about the Molly Maguires (if they really existed at all) and even go all the way across country (I'm from Seattle) to rural Pennsylvania to see the place for myself. That's what brilliant film making is all about. To inspire a person to understand the world around them more and hopefully take a closer look at it.
Another thing that this film does brilliantly is it leaves the protagonist very open and allows the viewer to decide where, ultimately, their loyalties lay. Connery's character appeals to our sense of social justice. The little guy going against the big machine that oppresses him and all like him. Harris on the other hand is the man who goes against what he feels is right to do what is ultimately correct by catching, what are after all, a group of thugs and murderers (in reality McPharlan didn't have this complex clash of conscience. He thought they were all guilty scum who deserved to be hanged.). It's very Hollywood, but very effective.
This film was based loosely on the accounts of one man, James McPharlan (Harris' character), and at that doesn't stick too close to his account of infiltrating an underground organization of Irish coal miners who were fronted by the Ancient Order of Hiberians. Hollywood, of course, sexed up the plot and stream lined it so that it would be easier to follow. Not surprising really. The realities of the situation in the Pennsylvania coal fields in the 1860's and 1870's and America in general following the Civil War were very complex. The film didn't have time to cover these details. Like so many historical topics it would take a mini series at least to cover it well.
What this film does do very well is inspire one to study. It's an interesting and little known or understood part of American history. There are a lot of opinions on all sides of the situation that still stir people today. This was effectively the beginning of the labor movement in America. The course of action portrayed in this film led to the establishment of unions.
I watched this movie many times as a child and still do today. It inspired me to read a lot about the Molly Maguires (if they really existed at all) and even go all the way across country (I'm from Seattle) to rural Pennsylvania to see the place for myself. That's what brilliant film making is all about. To inspire a person to understand the world around them more and hopefully take a closer look at it.
Another thing that this film does brilliantly is it leaves the protagonist very open and allows the viewer to decide where, ultimately, their loyalties lay. Connery's character appeals to our sense of social justice. The little guy going against the big machine that oppresses him and all like him. Harris on the other hand is the man who goes against what he feels is right to do what is ultimately correct by catching, what are after all, a group of thugs and murderers (in reality McPharlan didn't have this complex clash of conscience. He thought they were all guilty scum who deserved to be hanged.). It's very Hollywood, but very effective.
Vastly Underrated Movie!
g-bodyl17 September 2014
The Molly Maguires is a criminally underseen and very underrated film based off some little known history of this great country. This film is all about social justice as the events of the film take place before the time of labor unions as we know them today and in a time where the early unions were frowned upon. But this film does a good job in bringing those issues to light. This film is beautifully shot, is well-acted, and has a great score by Henry Mancini.
Martin Ritt's film is about the leader of the Molly Maguires named Jack Kehoe, a radical group of Irish American miners who fight against the oppressive mine owners, and his interactions with Pinkerton detective, James McParland who is assigned to go undercover and infiltrate the secret society.
This film doesn't have a big cast, but it's well-acted. Sean Connery is one of the greatest actors ever and as usual, brings about his A-game as the leader of the Maguires. Richard Harris is also excellent as the low-key detective who sometimes questions his motives. The lovely Samantha Eggar also does a good job as Harris's love interest.
Overall, The Molly Maguires is a fantastic piece of historical fiction and one that people should learn about. I grew up and went to school in the area, so this film would hold dear to me. I'm very surprised it was a box office failure due to the pedigree of the cast. It talks about a very hectic time in our history and essentially the beginning of labor unions. I rate this film 9/10.
Martin Ritt's film is about the leader of the Molly Maguires named Jack Kehoe, a radical group of Irish American miners who fight against the oppressive mine owners, and his interactions with Pinkerton detective, James McParland who is assigned to go undercover and infiltrate the secret society.
This film doesn't have a big cast, but it's well-acted. Sean Connery is one of the greatest actors ever and as usual, brings about his A-game as the leader of the Maguires. Richard Harris is also excellent as the low-key detective who sometimes questions his motives. The lovely Samantha Eggar also does a good job as Harris's love interest.
Overall, The Molly Maguires is a fantastic piece of historical fiction and one that people should learn about. I grew up and went to school in the area, so this film would hold dear to me. I'm very surprised it was a box office failure due to the pedigree of the cast. It talks about a very hectic time in our history and essentially the beginning of labor unions. I rate this film 9/10.
Missjudged classic
mim-82 July 2008
The Molly Maguires is a movie which has become better over the years. I am surprised that it was commercially unsuccessful in it's day, since it's absolutely no worse than similar movies of those years such as "Ryan's daughter", "Emperor of the north", or much appraised movies of later years like "Matewan", which explores the same topic of conflict between oppressed working class and the system that's exploiting them. This film is beautifully photographed, and the acting is brilliant, especially from Richard Harris and Sean Connery. The sets are magnificent, and the viewer can feel and sympathize with the burden of the coal miners and their families working and struggling against the system that is grinding them down, and that they can not change, even if they give their lives in the course of that struggle. This film deserved much more and I just think that this is a classic that has to be recognized. 9/10
Moody, Depressing, and Gritty
jeanie-630 January 1999
The beginning of this movie is probably the longest I've ever watched without a single word of dialogue. Sean Connery, the protagonist, heads a group called the Molly Maguires, named after an Irish martyr, which uses terrorist tactics to fight for better working conditions, etc. Richard Harris plays a Pinkerton cop who comes to America to infiltrate the group and get the goods on Connery.
I feel VERY attached to this movie because it stars my husband's favorite actor (Sean) and MINE (Richard). I currently live in central Pennsylvania and the scenery in the movie (though filmed in the Poconos) is what I see every day. The creepy thing is, that after some research, I discovered that my husband's grandfather was a coal miner born (1870) and raised in the very town where this movie was filmed (Jim Thorpe, formally known as Monchauk, I think). So, naturally, I HAD to name my daughter Molly! I have a picture of my husband's grandfather dressed in the very outfits seen in the film. Life is strange!
I feel VERY attached to this movie because it stars my husband's favorite actor (Sean) and MINE (Richard). I currently live in central Pennsylvania and the scenery in the movie (though filmed in the Poconos) is what I see every day. The creepy thing is, that after some research, I discovered that my husband's grandfather was a coal miner born (1870) and raised in the very town where this movie was filmed (Jim Thorpe, formally known as Monchauk, I think). So, naturally, I HAD to name my daughter Molly! I have a picture of my husband's grandfather dressed in the very outfits seen in the film. Life is strange!
Gritty coal miner drama about a rebellious secret society...
Doylenf3 October 2006
RICHARD HARRIS is an informer who works his way into THE MOLLY MAGUIRES, a rebellious group and a secret society of Irish immigrants working under brutal coalmining conditions of 1876. Harris is suspected of snooping by SEAN CONNERY, the leader of the group, and it is their scenes together that make the film worth watching.
Although realistically set in a Pennsylvania mining town, lovingly photographed with detailed attention to all the grime and soot, it fails to come to life as it should, given the caliber of the stars involved. SAMANTHA EGGAR has the only important female role and is a splendid addition to the cast, but somehow the film fails to have the kind of pace it needs to remain stimulating and reaches a rather inconclusive climax.
A very atypical score by Henry Mancini adds to the atmosphere, but this is a film that never had broad enough appeal for the mass market. Fans of Harris and Connery should find it rewarding enough.
Although realistically set in a Pennsylvania mining town, lovingly photographed with detailed attention to all the grime and soot, it fails to come to life as it should, given the caliber of the stars involved. SAMANTHA EGGAR has the only important female role and is a splendid addition to the cast, but somehow the film fails to have the kind of pace it needs to remain stimulating and reaches a rather inconclusive climax.
A very atypical score by Henry Mancini adds to the atmosphere, but this is a film that never had broad enough appeal for the mass market. Fans of Harris and Connery should find it rewarding enough.
A Wonderfully Provocative Film.
peacham1 July 2002
Having been born and raised in the area this picture was filmed in,naturally I feel a bond to it. Add to that the fact that Richard Harris,one of my favorite actors stars in the film,and its a must see for me. Looking past that the film is riviting. Harris and Connery carry the film as the Cat and Mouse in this Coal town saga each playing to their professional strengths while adding a bit of their own to the roles. The supporting cast is just as strong,particularly the lovely and talented Samantha Eggar and the underused shakespearean actor Frank Finley.
On a personal note,two of my early mentors in theatre,J. Gerald Godwin and Jane Tomassetti have small roles in the film as the Paymaster and Miliner respectivley.
To sum it up..Molly McGuires is a film that you can sink your teeth into..and no matter which side of the conflict you find yourself on you can see what it was that drove men to do what they did.This film will not fail to keep you on the edge of your seat and make you think in the process.
On a personal note,two of my early mentors in theatre,J. Gerald Godwin and Jane Tomassetti have small roles in the film as the Paymaster and Miliner respectivley.
To sum it up..Molly McGuires is a film that you can sink your teeth into..and no matter which side of the conflict you find yourself on you can see what it was that drove men to do what they did.This film will not fail to keep you on the edge of your seat and make you think in the process.
The Story of the Pennsylvania Coal Miners!
gab-1471212 October 2017
The Molly Maguires (1970) Who are the Molly Maguires? Well, they are part of some little-known American history and Irish history. To keep things short and simple, they were a secret organization of coal miners in coal-abundant locations such as Pennsylvania and West Virginia. The name came in the 1840s during a tenant protest in Ireland, but the name didn't stick until the 1860's. Working conditions were very poor for the miners and worker discrimination was prevalent. Basically this very secret organization formed as a response to these conditions and the lack of reforms. The Molly Maguires often used violence or intimidation tactics mine owners and supervisors. This little-known film, aptly named The Molly Maguires tells the story about this group towards the end, approximately in 1875 when a Pinkerton detective infiltrated the organization. I went to school in a Luzerne County, Pennsylvania where supposedly these organizations existed, so I find it awesome that a movie exists telling a story about a piece of American history that no one knows about.
This is a film that not many people have seen. Whether at the time of release or today. So mark my words when I say this is a truly underrated gem. I really enjoyed the story it told and despite being a Hollywood film, I learned a lot about the subject. The film doesn't have a large cast, but it features fine work in the lead roles by two magnificent actors: Sean Connery and Richard Harris. The film also possesses strong cinematography work from James Wong Howe. The film is beautifully shot and he somehow makes the rather dreary northeastern Pennsylvania locations seem strikingly beautiful. Also playing an emotional impact on the film is the score by Henry Mancini. Music is important in the film because the opening sequence is fourteen minutes long and we don't hear any words spoken until the end of those minutes, so music was a substitute for spoken words. There are some very memorable themes in the music and they pack quite an emotional punch.
Martin Ritt directs a film that takes occurs towards the demise of the Molly Maguires. The leader of this secret organization is named Jack Kehoe (Sean Connery), and his intentions are good ones. He and his and of Irish-American miners fight against the oppressive mine owners for reforms but the owners are not very cooperative. They hire a Pinkerton detective named James McParland (Richard Harris) who is assigned to go undercover as a member of the Maguires and infiltrate their secret society, but McParland must hope he truly knows what side he is on.
The film doesn't feature a big cast despite it's rather high eleven million dollar budget (very expensive by 1970's standards). But it does have two huge movie stars in Connery and Harris. Despite this being somewhat of a small film, they deliver amazing performances. Connery is one of the greatest actors ever to live and he brought his A-game here as the violent, charismatic leader of the Maguires. Harris, on the other hand, plays a soft-spoken detective who successfully undermines the organization and he essentially sacrifices his dignity and personality to bring the members of the organization to justice. Connery and Harris have excellent chemistry together. One of my favorite scenes with the two is in one of the final scenes in the prison cell. Just seeing the two square off under different circumstances was just great to watch.
The Molly Maguires is a criminally underseen movie, so you guys should see it whenever possible. It's a piece about a secret organization that plays a pivotal role in the beginning of labor unions as we know them today. If you think treatment at jobs today are bad, just watch the film to see how bad they were in the 1860's and 1870's. I don't condone the actions of the Molly Maguires, but I understand where they were coming from and why they used violence to help make their lives better. Anyhow, this is a very good movie and an underrated one too. It has fine acting, a great musical score, good direction, and beautiful cinematography. One final fact before I conclude the review is that some of the scenes were filmed in Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania-about ten minutes away where I went to school.
My Grade: A
This is a film that not many people have seen. Whether at the time of release or today. So mark my words when I say this is a truly underrated gem. I really enjoyed the story it told and despite being a Hollywood film, I learned a lot about the subject. The film doesn't have a large cast, but it features fine work in the lead roles by two magnificent actors: Sean Connery and Richard Harris. The film also possesses strong cinematography work from James Wong Howe. The film is beautifully shot and he somehow makes the rather dreary northeastern Pennsylvania locations seem strikingly beautiful. Also playing an emotional impact on the film is the score by Henry Mancini. Music is important in the film because the opening sequence is fourteen minutes long and we don't hear any words spoken until the end of those minutes, so music was a substitute for spoken words. There are some very memorable themes in the music and they pack quite an emotional punch.
Martin Ritt directs a film that takes occurs towards the demise of the Molly Maguires. The leader of this secret organization is named Jack Kehoe (Sean Connery), and his intentions are good ones. He and his and of Irish-American miners fight against the oppressive mine owners for reforms but the owners are not very cooperative. They hire a Pinkerton detective named James McParland (Richard Harris) who is assigned to go undercover as a member of the Maguires and infiltrate their secret society, but McParland must hope he truly knows what side he is on.
The film doesn't feature a big cast despite it's rather high eleven million dollar budget (very expensive by 1970's standards). But it does have two huge movie stars in Connery and Harris. Despite this being somewhat of a small film, they deliver amazing performances. Connery is one of the greatest actors ever to live and he brought his A-game here as the violent, charismatic leader of the Maguires. Harris, on the other hand, plays a soft-spoken detective who successfully undermines the organization and he essentially sacrifices his dignity and personality to bring the members of the organization to justice. Connery and Harris have excellent chemistry together. One of my favorite scenes with the two is in one of the final scenes in the prison cell. Just seeing the two square off under different circumstances was just great to watch.
The Molly Maguires is a criminally underseen movie, so you guys should see it whenever possible. It's a piece about a secret organization that plays a pivotal role in the beginning of labor unions as we know them today. If you think treatment at jobs today are bad, just watch the film to see how bad they were in the 1860's and 1870's. I don't condone the actions of the Molly Maguires, but I understand where they were coming from and why they used violence to help make their lives better. Anyhow, this is a very good movie and an underrated one too. It has fine acting, a great musical score, good direction, and beautiful cinematography. One final fact before I conclude the review is that some of the scenes were filmed in Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania-about ten minutes away where I went to school.
My Grade: A
A milestone film
Vindelander17 May 2020
I've always admired this which is a defining film in the careers of both Harris and Connery and much overlooked at the time it was released. Connery showed his true capability in The Offence and this film and had the perfect foil in Harris.
True story and an important bit of history elegantly made by Martin Ritt. Great cast, great atmosphere fabulous music score by Mancini. A must see imo
True story and an important bit of history elegantly made by Martin Ritt. Great cast, great atmosphere fabulous music score by Mancini. A must see imo
There Will Be Blood
tieman645 August 2013
Warning: Spoilers
"Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will." - Frederick Douglass
Loosely affiliated with radical leftists, director Martin Ritt spent several years under a Hollywood blacklist. When McCarthyism died down, and directorial reigns were returned to him, Ritt made a series of socially conscious films, most of which were about struggles for equality, or which portrayed the downtrodden in a sympathetic light.
In this regard, Ritt's "The Molly Maguires" stars Sean Connery as Jack Kehoe, the leader of a secret organisation of Irish miners who seek better pay from their corporate employers during the late 1800s. Ritt has made such "pro-unionist" films before – see "Norma Rae" - but "The Molly Maguires" shoots off in unique directions. Here the Mollies use terroristic tactics to destroy factories, equipment and even people. This leads to Pinkerton Detective James McParlan (Richard Harris) going undercover and infiltrating the group. From here on, the film morphs into a gangster flick or undercover cop show, McParlan attempting to subvert the Mollies from within.
Today, whilst violence reigns across capitalism's peripheries, the system's core maintains an air of manufactured tranquillity. Here, the marginalised are effortlessly swept away, demonized, demoralised or rendered invisible. From the 1860s to the 1930s, though, hardly a year passed without deadly clashes between American workers and management. At the forefront of some of these clashes were the Molly Maguires, a secret miners' society which operated in Pennsylvania. Their history stretching back to feudal Ireland, the group is rumoured to have been named after one Molly Maguire, who opposed burgeoning rental and land ownership laws. After being expelled from Ireland, the followers of Maguire found work in Pennsylvanian coal mines, but savage work conditions resulted in them hurling scorn at both weak-willed labour leaders and coal bosses.
Though vilified, the Mollies improved the working conditions for miners and would be described by historians as "the first martyrs of the class struggle in the U.S." Their victories, though, were but a drop in the ocean. The ruling class quickly invented ways to subdue upheavals, creating police and/or militia forces to keep workers in check, and inventing new injunctions designed to deprive workers of their constitutional rights to freedom of speech, press, and assembly. These acts were accompanied by armed government-sponsored vigilantes, deputized citizens who enforced injunctions and who were given a green light to attack and arrest anyone suspected of participating in strike activity.
Today, the First World has been beaten into compliance. The Third World, meanwhile, is pretty much as Pennsylvania was in the 1890s. That there is a (causal) relationship between capitalism's core and peripheries, between wealth and poverty, value and debt, creation and destruction, is the chief denial of neoliberal orthodoxy, a stance which is increasingly contested by modern thermo-economists, who see capitalism as a heat engine in which money is essentially a loose avatar of energy, and so subject to thermodynamic laws; you cannot get something for nothing and the total order of a 'thing' is always less than the total disorder that is created somewhere else by the 'thing's' creation, a facet which commodity fetishism conceals.
Concealment is itself what "The Molly Maguires" is about; bosses want invisible workers, workers want to be heard, and both sides have foot-soldiers working in the shadows. The film's drama itself unfolds in the gaze of a giant coal sorting factory, a monstrous juggernaut which kills surrounding vegetation, and whose hands sap life out villagers, families and subterranean miners. Poetically, the factory's long tramlines recall the hill-steps of Ritt's "Hombre", another film which had an air of futility about it, men trapped in their own private Sisyphus Myths, doomed to toil.
"The Molly Maguires" was shot by master cinematographer James Wong Howe. Howe bathes Ritt's film in rich blacks and browns, and captures well a tone of grim beauty, his spaces lit by dying kerosene lamps, his faces marred by soot and soil. Elsewhere the film utilises impressive sets - the best frontier sets since Altman's "Mrs Miller" - one of which is a near full-scale replica of a 19th century mining town.
Interestingly, Sean Connery's character spends most of Ritt's film as a cypher, held at a distance and given very few lines. Still, with his broad shoulders and chiselled face, Connery exerts a commanding presence. Equally tough is Richard Harris, both actors large, carved from granite and sporting magnificently macho moustaches. Their relationship recalls the battles in Ritt's "The Brotherhood", "Hud" and "The Spy Who Came in from the Cold"; brothers on opposite sides of an ideological divide.
Like many of Ritt's films, "The Molly Maguires" is also preoccupied with groups being infiltrated, changed or subverted. Some of these films watch as activists infiltrate and emancipate proletariat groups, others watch as Power smuggles spies into communist or unionist groups, thereby eroding them from within. Typical of Ritt, the Church is also seen to side against the working class. Also complicit are the lower classes themselves, who sacrifice brothers for lucre and who slowly internalise the values, mores and beliefs of their masters.
Fittingly, "Maguires'" climax carefully juxtaposes tragedy and hope. As workers erupt into fiery violence, their impotency momentarily giving way to life-affirming ecstasy, death draws near. Final shot? A hangman's noose, one life about to be crushed so that another might climb the social ladder. Samantha Eggar co-stars.
8.5/10 – Underrated. See "Viva Zapata", "Matewan" and "Bread and Roses".
Loosely affiliated with radical leftists, director Martin Ritt spent several years under a Hollywood blacklist. When McCarthyism died down, and directorial reigns were returned to him, Ritt made a series of socially conscious films, most of which were about struggles for equality, or which portrayed the downtrodden in a sympathetic light.
In this regard, Ritt's "The Molly Maguires" stars Sean Connery as Jack Kehoe, the leader of a secret organisation of Irish miners who seek better pay from their corporate employers during the late 1800s. Ritt has made such "pro-unionist" films before – see "Norma Rae" - but "The Molly Maguires" shoots off in unique directions. Here the Mollies use terroristic tactics to destroy factories, equipment and even people. This leads to Pinkerton Detective James McParlan (Richard Harris) going undercover and infiltrating the group. From here on, the film morphs into a gangster flick or undercover cop show, McParlan attempting to subvert the Mollies from within.
Today, whilst violence reigns across capitalism's peripheries, the system's core maintains an air of manufactured tranquillity. Here, the marginalised are effortlessly swept away, demonized, demoralised or rendered invisible. From the 1860s to the 1930s, though, hardly a year passed without deadly clashes between American workers and management. At the forefront of some of these clashes were the Molly Maguires, a secret miners' society which operated in Pennsylvania. Their history stretching back to feudal Ireland, the group is rumoured to have been named after one Molly Maguire, who opposed burgeoning rental and land ownership laws. After being expelled from Ireland, the followers of Maguire found work in Pennsylvanian coal mines, but savage work conditions resulted in them hurling scorn at both weak-willed labour leaders and coal bosses.
Though vilified, the Mollies improved the working conditions for miners and would be described by historians as "the first martyrs of the class struggle in the U.S." Their victories, though, were but a drop in the ocean. The ruling class quickly invented ways to subdue upheavals, creating police and/or militia forces to keep workers in check, and inventing new injunctions designed to deprive workers of their constitutional rights to freedom of speech, press, and assembly. These acts were accompanied by armed government-sponsored vigilantes, deputized citizens who enforced injunctions and who were given a green light to attack and arrest anyone suspected of participating in strike activity.
Today, the First World has been beaten into compliance. The Third World, meanwhile, is pretty much as Pennsylvania was in the 1890s. That there is a (causal) relationship between capitalism's core and peripheries, between wealth and poverty, value and debt, creation and destruction, is the chief denial of neoliberal orthodoxy, a stance which is increasingly contested by modern thermo-economists, who see capitalism as a heat engine in which money is essentially a loose avatar of energy, and so subject to thermodynamic laws; you cannot get something for nothing and the total order of a 'thing' is always less than the total disorder that is created somewhere else by the 'thing's' creation, a facet which commodity fetishism conceals.
Concealment is itself what "The Molly Maguires" is about; bosses want invisible workers, workers want to be heard, and both sides have foot-soldiers working in the shadows. The film's drama itself unfolds in the gaze of a giant coal sorting factory, a monstrous juggernaut which kills surrounding vegetation, and whose hands sap life out villagers, families and subterranean miners. Poetically, the factory's long tramlines recall the hill-steps of Ritt's "Hombre", another film which had an air of futility about it, men trapped in their own private Sisyphus Myths, doomed to toil.
"The Molly Maguires" was shot by master cinematographer James Wong Howe. Howe bathes Ritt's film in rich blacks and browns, and captures well a tone of grim beauty, his spaces lit by dying kerosene lamps, his faces marred by soot and soil. Elsewhere the film utilises impressive sets - the best frontier sets since Altman's "Mrs Miller" - one of which is a near full-scale replica of a 19th century mining town.
Interestingly, Sean Connery's character spends most of Ritt's film as a cypher, held at a distance and given very few lines. Still, with his broad shoulders and chiselled face, Connery exerts a commanding presence. Equally tough is Richard Harris, both actors large, carved from granite and sporting magnificently macho moustaches. Their relationship recalls the battles in Ritt's "The Brotherhood", "Hud" and "The Spy Who Came in from the Cold"; brothers on opposite sides of an ideological divide.
Like many of Ritt's films, "The Molly Maguires" is also preoccupied with groups being infiltrated, changed or subverted. Some of these films watch as activists infiltrate and emancipate proletariat groups, others watch as Power smuggles spies into communist or unionist groups, thereby eroding them from within. Typical of Ritt, the Church is also seen to side against the working class. Also complicit are the lower classes themselves, who sacrifice brothers for lucre and who slowly internalise the values, mores and beliefs of their masters.
Fittingly, "Maguires'" climax carefully juxtaposes tragedy and hope. As workers erupt into fiery violence, their impotency momentarily giving way to life-affirming ecstasy, death draws near. Final shot? A hangman's noose, one life about to be crushed so that another might climb the social ladder. Samantha Eggar co-stars.
8.5/10 – Underrated. See "Viva Zapata", "Matewan" and "Bread and Roses".
Story line lacks focus. How about a remake?
MesaHead12 October 2005
I remembered this movie because it was made near my grandmother's house, so of course as a child I thought it was a great film. (Hey it has James Bond in it too!) So I rented it... What a disappointment! Neither the writer nor the director could decide who the protagonist should be: Richard Harris nihilistic spy or Sean Connery's passionate rebel? Our sympathies lye with Connery and the Maguires. But since the focus seems to be on the Richard Harris character most of the time we keep expecting him to experience a moral crisis or at least a modicum of character development. This story just plain lacks focus. In the end We can't help but wonder "what was the point?" It is a shame because the events this film is based upon could make a great movie. Perhaps it will be revisited sometime in the near future by someone with a clearer vision and better story telling skills. I grudgingly gave this one 3 stars only because it has Sean Connery and Richard Harris.
This Picture No Way Deserves Its Poor Reputation
JohnHowardReid27 February 2013
Warning: Spoilers
A very impressive historical drama with lots of action, interesting characters and a fascinating background, brought to the screen in grand, fast-moving style by director Martin Ritt of all people (a gentleman not noted for his speed, his sensitivity, or his ability to draw memorable portraits from his players, let alone create either a riveting atmosphere or solid suspense). I tried to watch Ritt's Norma Rae (1979) once, but failed in the attempt. The Spy Who Came In From The Cold (1965) is quite gripping, despite a surfeit of dialogue, but just about everything else Ritt had a hand in before 1970 is dead boring. He had good players too. But he didn't have the solid, suspenseful script of The Molly Maguires. True, he had worked with the brilliant cinematographer James Wong Howe on Hud and Hombre, but I didn't like these pictures. In order to enhance the stark, somber mood, Jimmy deliberately wiped any dramatic contrasts from his shots. But, in my opinion, you don't get a dark, somber mood by going all out for light and eliminating contrast. You achieve this mood with darkness and shadows – and that is exactly the way Jimmy has photographed much of The Molly Maguires. His players don't let him down either, particularly Richard Harris who comes across with flying colors in an extremely difficult role, Sean Connery as the villain you love to admire, Samantha Eggar as the girl who knows where her loyalties lie, and Frank Finlay as the policeman with ice water in his veins. Sad to say, the movie was a colossal flop on first release and torpedoed Harris' movie career. Incidentally, Kehoe wasn't hanged after all. His sentence was commuted after a public outcry and he was actually pardoned in 1979 – largely as a result of this film!
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