Norma Rae (1979)

Director:

Martin Ritt

Writers:

Harriet Frank Jr. (writer)
Irving Ravetch (writer)

Release Date:

15 June 1979 (West Germany)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

The story of a woman with the courage to risk everything for what she believes is right.

Plot:

A young single mother and textile worker agrees to help unionize her mill despite the problems and dangers involved.

Plot Keywords:

Racism | Jewish Man | Rumor | Beer Drinking | Hearing Loss

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 9 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Sally Field	...	Norma Rae
Beau Bridges	...	Sonny
Ron Leibman	...	Reuben
Pat Hingle	...	Vernon
Barbara Baxley	...	Leona
Gail Strickland	...	Bonnie Mae
Morgan Paull	...	Wayne Billings
Robert Broyles	...	Sam Bolen
John Calvin	...	Ellis Harper
Booth Colman	...	Dr. Watson
Lee de Broux	...	Lujan (as Lee DeBroux)
James Luisi	...	George Benson
Vernon Weddle	...	Reverend Hubbard
Gilbert Green	...	Al Landon
Bob Minor	...	Lucius White
Mary Munday	...	Mrs. Johnson
Jack Stryker	...	J.J. Davis
Gregory Walcott	...	Lamar Miller
Noble Willingham	...	Leroy Mason
Lonny Chapman	...	Gardner (as Lonnie Chapman)
Bert Freed	...	Sam Dakin
Bob Hannah	...	Jed Buffum (as Bob E. Hannah)
Edith Ivey	...	Louise Pickens
Scott Lawton	...	Craig
Frank McRae	...	James Brown
Gerry Okuneff	...	Pinkerton man (as Gerald Okuneff)
Gina Kaye Pounders	...	Millie
Henry Slate	...	Policeman
Melissa Ann Wait	...	Alice
Joe Dorsey	...	Woodrow Thompson (as Joe A. Dorsey)
Sherry Velvet Foster	...	Velma Stockhouse
Grace Zabriskie	...	Linette Odum
Stuart Culpepper	...	Ray Towner
Weona T. Brown	...	Hot dog vendor
Carolyn Danforth	...	Mavis Pruitt
James W. Harris	...	Mill worker
Charlie Briggs	...	Warren Lotting
Billie Joyce Buck	...	Agnes Roy
Fred Covington	...	Alston Purvis
J. Don Ferguson	...	Peter Gallat
Sandra Dorsey	...	Jail Matron
Harold E. Finch	...	Agent
Clayton Landey	...	Teddy Bob Keeler
Bill Pannell	...	Billy Stettin (as William Pannell)
George R. Robertson	...	Farmer (as George Robertson)
Thomas D. Samford III	...	Justice of the Peace
Roy Tatum	...	Woodrow Bowser (as J. Roy Tatum)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Martin Ritt	...	Factory worker (uncredited)

Directed by
Martin Ritt

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Harriet Frank Jr.		writer
Irving Ravetch		writer

Produced by
Tamara Asseyev	....	producer
Alexandra Rose	....	producer (as Alex Rose)

Original Music by
David Shire

Cinematography by
John A. Alonzo		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Sidney Levin

Casting by
Jane Feinberg
Mike Fenton

Production Design by
Walter Scott Herndon

Art Direction by
Tracy Bousman

Set Decoration by
Gregory Garrison

Makeup Department
Tom Ellingwood	....	makeup artist
Lola 'Skip' McNalley	....	hair stylist
William Turner	....	makeup artist
Elaina P. Schulman	....	key hair stylist (uncredited)

Production Management
Jack Terry	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
James Nicholson	....	assistant director
Skip Surguine	....	second assistant director (as Glenn 'Skip' Surguine)

Art Department
Dudley Holmes	....	property master (as R. Dudley 'Ace' Holmes)
Richard Reseigne	....	construction coordinator

Sound Department
Bruce Bisenz	....	production sound mixer
William Hartman	....	sound editor
Godfrey Marks	....	dialogue editor
Theodore Soderberg	....	sound re-recording mixer
Richard Sperber	....	sound editor
Paul Wells	....	sound re-recording mixer
Douglas O. Williams	....	sound re-recording mixer

Special Effects by
William Van der Byl	....	special effects (as William Van Der Byl)

Camera and Electrical Department
Gary R. Dodd	....	key grip (as Gary Dodd)
Earl Gilbert	....	gaffer
John Toll	....	camera operator

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Michael J. Harte	....	costumer: men
Agnes Lyon	....	costumer: ladies (as Agnes J. Lyon)

Editorial Department
Margaret Adachi	....	assistant editor
Cliffe Oland	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Robert H. Raff	....	music editor (as Robert Raff)

Transportation Department
Jerry F. Johnson	....	transportation coordinator (as Jerry Johnson)

Other crew
Golda David	....	assistant: Mr. Ritt
James Koehler	....	location auditor
H. Bud Otto	....	script supervisor (as H. 'Bud' Otto)
Marilyn Tasso	....	production coordinator
Scott MacDonough	....	unit publicist (uncredited)
Dan Perri	....	title designer: main titles (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Distributors

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (1979) (USA) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1981) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• CBS/Fox Video (1985) (Belgium) (VHS)
• Fox Video (1997) (USA) (VHS)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (200?) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Abril Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• CBS/Fox (19??) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (19??) (Netherlands) (VHS)

Other Companies

• DeLuxe Laboratories  color by (as DeLuxe)
• The Alabama Film Commission  thanks

Runtime:

110 min | Canada:96 min (Ontario)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Canada:PG (Ontario) | Singapore:PG | Iceland:L | Norway:12 | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Chile:14 | Finland:K-16 | USA:PG | Netherlands:16

Filming Locations:

Auburn, Alabama, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

The movie is based on a true life union organizing campaign at J.P. Stevens Mill. The real life Norma Rae is named Crystal Lee Sutton. It took 10 years to get a union contract at J.P. Stevens after the workers won the election.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the scene in Reuben's hotel room after Norma Rae has been hit, you see her take the ice pack away from her nose. The shot changes and she takes it away a second time.

Quotes:

Reuben Warshowsky: I know the first time you're in is bad. It comes with the job. I saw a pregnant women on a picket line get hit in the stomach with a club. I saw a boy of 16 shot in the back. I saw a guy blown to hell and back when he tried to start his car in the morning. You just got your feet wet on this one.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Nanny: The Strike (#2.13)" (1994)

Soundtrack:

It Goes Like It Goes

Great American movie

I own a copy of this movie and I watch it at least twice a year. An intelligent story, without cookie-cutter characters. It still amazes and thrills me each time I see it. The fact that there was no forced romance thrust upon us, is also worth noting. Sally Field created a woman who is now part of movie history.