Salt of the Earth

Oct 20 1954 Not Rated 1h 34m
Drama, History

At New Mexico's Empire Zinc mine, Mexican-American workers protest the unsafe work conditions and unequal wages compared to their Anglo counterparts. Ramon Quintero helps organize the strike, but he is shown to be a hypocrite by treating his pregnant wife, Esperanza, with a similar unfairness. When an injunction stops the men from protesting, however, the gender roles are reversed, and women find themselves on the picket lines while the men stay at home.

Plot

Based on an actual strike against the Empire Zinc Mine in New Mexico, the film deals with the prejudice against the Mexican-American workers, who struck to attain wage parity with Anglo workers in other mines and to be treated with dignity by the bosses. In the end, the greatest victory for the workers and their families is the realization that prejudice and poor treatment are conditions that are not always imposed by outside forces.

Written by

Michael Wilson

Directed by

Herbert J. Biberman

Cast

Juan Chacón, Rosaura Revueltas, Will Geer

Crew

View crew

Production Countries

United States of America

Production Companies

Independent Production Company (IPC), Intl Union of Mine, Mill & Smelter Workers

Languages

Español, English

Awards

3 wins

Trailers
Salt of the Earth - Pseudo Trailer
Salt of the Earth 1954 trailer
Scores
# of Votes
4,262
Average Rating
7.4 out of 10
Metascore
74
Popularity
NA