Rossmoor residents and friends are cordially invited to attend a film program sponsored by the Democratic Club on Monday May 13th from 1:00–3:15pm in Peacock Hall. The featured film this month is the real-life, award-winning movie Norma Rae (1979).
Directed by Martin Ritt and written by Irving Ravetch and his wife Harriet, the screenplay provides a “straight to the point” storyline about unionizing a textile mill in the south. The film earned Oscars for Best Actress (Sally Field) and Best Music.
The film is based on the true story of Crystal Lee Sutton, as told in the 1975 book Crystal Lee, a Woman of Inheritance by reporter Henry P. Leiferman of The New York Times – and stars Sally Field in the title role, with Beau Bridges, Ron Leibman, Pat Hingle, Barbara Baxley, and Gail Strickland in supporting roles.
The film follows Norma Rae Webster, a North Carolina factory worker with little formal education, after she and her co-workers’ health are compromised from poor working conditions at the textile factory where they work. Actually, Norma Rae was filmed on location in Opelika, Alabama, with the mill scenes shot at the Opelika Manufacturing Corporation.
Vincent Canby of The New York Timesdeclared that “Norma Rae is a superb film. Paced by Sally Field’s best performance to date under Martin Ritt’s firm but sensitive direction, the movie is that rare entity – an intelligent film with heart.”
The film runs 2 hours and offers subtitles. Film enthusiast Lynne Thorner will facilitate an engaging and interactive post-viewing discussion that explores the movie’s significance.
Please direct any questions or concerns to Lynne at [email protected].