The Molly Maguires

As a decendent of Jack Kehoe. I can only say that the family sees this movie as siding unfairly with the mine owners. Very biased one sided movie.

I want to start by pointing out that one of the previous reviews made an error in saying that Connery's character was the undercover Pinkerton agent -- it's actually Richard Harris's character who is the agent. (Aside from that error, I agree completely with the review.) When the film came out in 1970, a lot of reviewers severely criticized the film because it refused to take sides, but that is *precisely* what makes it such a memorable experience -- that it bravely explores moral grey areas and leaves it up to the viewer to decide who was right and who was wrong. Connery and Harris are both superb (as is the entire cast), the photography creates powerful and mesmerizing images, the script is literate and smary, packed with excellent dialogue, and Martin Ritt's direction is among his finest and mosat passionate. The sequence where the miners raid the company store will have you both cheering and wincing with dread. Regardless of whether or not you side with the Pinkertons or the miners, what cannot be denied is that this is one ofthe best films ever made about labor in America.

I just bought this movie for my collection, though I've watched it many times since it's release many years ago (long before 2004). This movie pits Richard Harris and Sean Connery in an American struggle between the rising Industral Robber Barons and the working man. Historically, the character Connery plays, James McParlan (not the name used in this move, as he IS undercover), a young untested Pinkerton agent in this tale, made his name in this escapade and rose to the top of the Pinkerton's due to his remarkable under cover work during his investigation of the Mollies. McParlan later played very important roles in shaping the future of the legendary Pinkertons in truth and tales of the Old West - stuff of legend. Besides the historical value, this movie brings all of the drama of a true tragedy. It's an undiscovered classic that anyone who loves a well acted, well written and well directed, suspenseful tale shouldn't miss. A real sleeper waiting for you to discover.