The Molly Maguires *** (1970, Sean Connery, Richard Harris, Samantha Eggar) – Classic Movie Review 8682

Sean Connery and Richard Harris give stalwart star performances in co-producer/ director Martin Ritt’s rarely screened, but extremely powerful if sombre and cerebral 1970 historical drama The Molly Maguires.

It is suggested by a book by Arthur H Lewis, based on real events that took place in Pennsylvania in the 1870s.

The Molly Maguires, a secret society gang of tough Irish immigrant coal miners, are fighting a violent battle against the ruthless exploitation of labour in the US mining industry. Their leader, Jack Kehoe (Connery), is suspected by the police, who bring in cunning and ambitious detective James McParlan (Harris), another Irish immigrant, to infiltrate and smash The Molly Maguires for good.

The Molly Maguires is a big, major film production from Paramount Pictures, very well produced and good looking, and intelligent too, with its liberal conscience firmly on its sleeve. James Wong Howe’s cinematography and co-producer Walter Bernstein’s intelligent screenplay are important achievements. It is an Oscar nominee for Best Art Direction-Set Decoration (Tambi Larsen, Darrell Silvera). However, it did not attract the public. It cost $11,000,000 and grossed only $2,200,000 in the US.

Also in the cast are Samantha Eggar, Frank Finlay, Anthony Zerbe, Bethel Leslie, Art Lund, Anthony Costello, Philip Bourneuf, Brendan Dillon, John Alderson, Malachy McCourt, Susan Goodman and Frances Heflin.

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 8682

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