Norma Rae (1979)
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90% of critics liked it
(20 reviews) -
77% of users liked it
(6,746 ratings)
Norma Rae finds Sally Field cast in the title role, a minimum-wage worker in a cotton mill. The factory has taken too much of a toll on the health of Norma Rae's family for her to ignore her Dickensian working conditions. After hearing a speech by New York union organizer Reuben (Ron Leibman),… More Norma Rae finds Sally Field cast in the title role, a minimum-wage worker in a cotton mill. The factory has taken too much of a toll on the health of Norma Rae's family for her to ignore her Dickensian working conditions. After hearing a speech by New York union organizer Reuben (Ron Leibman), Norma Rae decides to join the effort to unionize her shop. This causes dissension at home when Norma Rae's husband, Sonny (Beau Bridges), assumes that her activism is a result of a romance between herself and Reuben. Despite the pressure brought to bear by management, Norma Rae successfully orchestrates a shutdown of the mill, resulting in victory for the union and capitulation to its demands. Based on a true story, Norma Rae is the film for which Sally Field won her first Oscar; an additional Oscar went to David Shire and Norman Gimbel for the film's theme song, "It Goes Like It Goes." ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Directed By
- Martin Ritt
- Written By
- Irving Ravetch, Frank Harriet,
- Genres
- Musical & Performing Arts, Drama
PG,
- In Theaters
- Mar 2, 1979 Wide
- Studio
- 20th Century Fox Film Corporat
Critic Reviews
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Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader
Photographed in murky yellows and browns by John Alonzo, this 1979 film is sluggish and vague, trivializing its subject in a wash of unearned sentimentality.
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Variety Staff, Variety
Norma Rae is that rare entity, an intelligent film with heart.
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Geoff Andrew, Time Out
Nicely performed by a strong cast, especially Field and Leibman, it's often mawkishly soft, but surprisingly touching.
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Vincent Canby, New York Times
Norma Rae is a seriously concerned contemporary drama, illuminated by some very good performances and one, Miss Field's, that is spectacular.
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Renee Schonfeld, Common Sense Media
Inspiring pro-union story is good watch-together fare.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Sally Field
as Norma Rae
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Beau Bridges
as Sonny
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Ron Leibman
as Reuben
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Pat Hingle
as Vernon
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Barbara Baxley
as Leona
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Gail Strickland
as Bonnie Mae
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Lonny Chapman
as Gardner
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Morgan Paull
as Wayne Billings
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Charlie Briggs
as Warren Lotting
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Robert Broyles
as Sam Bolen
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John Calvin
as Ellis Harper
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Booth Colman
as Dr. Watson
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Lee de Broux
as Lujan
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Joe Dorsey
as Woodrow Thompson
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J. Don Ferguson
as Peter Galiot
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Bert Freed
as Sam Dakin
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Gilbert Green
as Al London
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Bob Hannah
as Jed Buffum
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Edith Ivey
as Louise Pickens
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Clayton Landey
as Teddy Bob Keeler
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James Luisi
as George Benson
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Frank McRae
as James Brown
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Mary Munday
as Mrs. Johnson
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George R. Robertson
as Farmer
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Henry Slate
as Policeman
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Roy Tatum
as Woodrow Bowser
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Gregory Walcott
as Lamar Miller
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Noble Willingham
as Leroy Mason
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Grace Zabriskie
as Linette Odum
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Bob Minor
as Lucius White
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Jack Stryker
as J.J. Davis
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Vernon Weddle
as Rev. Hubbard
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Fred Covington
as Alston
