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Matewan

PG-1319872h 12mJohn Sayles
IMDb 7.9 · Rotten Tomatoes 94% · Metacritic 73

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Synopsis

"It takes more than guns to kill a man."

Filmed in the coal country of West Virginia, "Matewan" celebrates labor organizing in the context of a 1920s work stoppage. Union organizer, Joe Kenehan, a scab named "Few Clothes" Johnson and a sympathetic mayor and police chief heroically fight the power represented by a coal company and Matewan's vested interests so that justice and workers' rights need not take a back seat to squalid working conditions, exploitation and the bottom line.

DramaHistory
TraitorBased On True StoryWest VirginiaGun BattleRacismPreacherDouble CrossLabor OrganizerLabor UnionCoal Mining

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Frequently asked questions

What is Matewan (1987) about?

Filmed in the coal country of West Virginia, "Matewan" celebrates labor organizing in the context of a 1920s work stoppage. Union organizer, Joe Kenehan, a scab named "Few Clothes" Johnson and a sympathetic mayor and police chief heroically fight the power represented by a coal company and Matewan's vested interests so that justice and workers' rights need not take a back seat to squalid working…

Who stars in Matewan?

Matewan stars Chris Cooper (Joe Kenehan), James Earl Jones ('Few Clothes' Johnson), Mary McDonnell (Elma Radnor), Will Oldham (Danny Radnor), David Strathairn (Police Chief Sid Hatfield). The film was directed by John Sayles.

How long is Matewan?

Matewan has a runtime of 2 min and premiered in 1987. It is rated PG-13.

Is Matewan worth watching?

Matewan holds an IMDb rating of 7.9/10. On Rotten Tomatoes it scores 94. Fans of Drama, History are most likely to enjoy it — TasteRay can tell you how well it matches your personal taste.

Where can I watch Matewan?

Streaming availability for Matewan changes by country and service. TasteRay tracks where it is available across Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, Max, Apple TV+ and 50+ other platforms — the current options for your country are shown on this page.