BLACK FURY (Warner Brothers, 1935), directed by Michael Curtiz, stars Paul Muni in another one of his neglected movie gems. Reportedly based on an actual 1929 incident involving a coal miner's strike, BLACK FURY reproduces both incident and play, "Bohunk" by Harry R. Irving featuring Muni playing an accented speaking, uneducated coal miner of a small mining town who helps form a strike without knowing it. Supporting him is Karen Morley, his co-star from SCARFACE (United Artists, 1932), formerly of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, featured in her only film role for the Warners studio.
Set in Coal Town, Joe Radek (Paul Muni), a Slavik born coal miner, lives with his best friend, Mike Shemanski (John T. Qualen), his wife, Sophie (Sara Haden), and children, Agnes (Edith Fellows) and Chris (Mickey Rentschler). Aside from both men working together, Joe deeply loves Anna Novak (Karen Morley), whom he plans to marry after saving up his earnings for a farm. Though she cares for Joe, Anna hates her coal mining town existence and would want nothing more than to get away from it. During a dance function at Slovak Hall, Anna breaks away from Joe long enough to be with Slim Johnson (William Gargan), the company cop, to tell him how she feels. Due for a job promotion in Pittsburgh, Anna asks to go away with him, but Slim, also good friends with Joe, feels it be better to wait awhile before breaking the news to him. The following morning, however, Joe is given a farewell note written by Anna found in her bedroom. Angry and upset, Joe gets himself drunk at the local bar. In the meantime, Steve "Chip" Croner (J. Carroll Naish), a new employer, working secretly under Henry B. Jenkins (Purnell B. Pratt), has already stirred up trouble among the miners for going on strike for better wages and working conditions. Because Joe is highly respected among his friends, Chip uses him to follow up his plan for a strike, and forming a union run by corrupt leaders. Because of his association with Chip, and made president of the union, Mike has Joe leave his home. Joe is then blamed for riots and miners losing both their jobs and homes. After Mike is beaten and killed by a corrupt union cop, McGee (Barton MacLane), Joe comes to his senses to form his very own one man war against this corrupt organization.
Aside from Karen Morley, it is also interesting spotting Muni's other SCARFACE co-stars as Vince Barnett and Tully Marshall in minor supporting roles. Other supporting players include Ward Bond, Akim Tamiroff, Samuel S. Hinds, Wade Boteler, Effie Ellsler and Addison Richards. For Muni's role of a Slavik coal miner who's catch phrase is: "You bet your life," this is something of a welcome challenge for his acting range, right down to nearly sounding like Austrian actor, Oscar Homolka from I REMEMBER MAMA (RKO, 1948).
In an introduction note about BLACK FURY by the late Robert Osborne on Turner Classic Movies, he went on to say of how Muni prepared himself for the role by spending time around actual coal miners to get the feel for his character living among poor surroundings. The final result is Muni giving a standout performance in a plot quite unlikely for 1935 audiences. Karen Morley serves the film well as the girl looking for a better way of life, while Barton MacLane makes his presence known by once again playing the bad guy.
Unlike Muni's prior film roles of THE WORLD CHANGES (1933), HI,NELLIE (1934), BORDERTOWN (1935) and DOCTOR SOCRATES (1935), BLACK FURY was singled out, along with I AM A FUGITIVE FROM A CHAIN GANG (1932) to be commonly shown on commercial television from the 1960s to 1980s. New York City's WNEW, Channel 5, aired BLACK FURY frequently between 1975 and 1983. Nearly forgotten among Paul Muni's filmography, BLACK FURY has become available on video cassette (Key Video) and DVD. Cable television broadcasts consisted of Turner Network Television (1989-1993) and currently Turner Classic Movies (since 1994). Regardless of availability, BLACK FURY remains an underrated and sadly neglected motion picture that's actually better than expected. "You bet your life!" (***1/2)
Set in Coal Town, Joe Radek (Paul Muni), a Slavik born coal miner, lives with his best friend, Mike Shemanski (John T. Qualen), his wife, Sophie (Sara Haden), and children, Agnes (Edith Fellows) and Chris (Mickey Rentschler). Aside from both men working together, Joe deeply loves Anna Novak (Karen Morley), whom he plans to marry after saving up his earnings for a farm. Though she cares for Joe, Anna hates her coal mining town existence and would want nothing more than to get away from it. During a dance function at Slovak Hall, Anna breaks away from Joe long enough to be with Slim Johnson (William Gargan), the company cop, to tell him how she feels. Due for a job promotion in Pittsburgh, Anna asks to go away with him, but Slim, also good friends with Joe, feels it be better to wait awhile before breaking the news to him. The following morning, however, Joe is given a farewell note written by Anna found in her bedroom. Angry and upset, Joe gets himself drunk at the local bar. In the meantime, Steve "Chip" Croner (J. Carroll Naish), a new employer, working secretly under Henry B. Jenkins (Purnell B. Pratt), has already stirred up trouble among the miners for going on strike for better wages and working conditions. Because Joe is highly respected among his friends, Chip uses him to follow up his plan for a strike, and forming a union run by corrupt leaders. Because of his association with Chip, and made president of the union, Mike has Joe leave his home. Joe is then blamed for riots and miners losing both their jobs and homes. After Mike is beaten and killed by a corrupt union cop, McGee (Barton MacLane), Joe comes to his senses to form his very own one man war against this corrupt organization.
Aside from Karen Morley, it is also interesting spotting Muni's other SCARFACE co-stars as Vince Barnett and Tully Marshall in minor supporting roles. Other supporting players include Ward Bond, Akim Tamiroff, Samuel S. Hinds, Wade Boteler, Effie Ellsler and Addison Richards. For Muni's role of a Slavik coal miner who's catch phrase is: "You bet your life," this is something of a welcome challenge for his acting range, right down to nearly sounding like Austrian actor, Oscar Homolka from I REMEMBER MAMA (RKO, 1948).
In an introduction note about BLACK FURY by the late Robert Osborne on Turner Classic Movies, he went on to say of how Muni prepared himself for the role by spending time around actual coal miners to get the feel for his character living among poor surroundings. The final result is Muni giving a standout performance in a plot quite unlikely for 1935 audiences. Karen Morley serves the film well as the girl looking for a better way of life, while Barton MacLane makes his presence known by once again playing the bad guy.
Unlike Muni's prior film roles of THE WORLD CHANGES (1933), HI,NELLIE (1934), BORDERTOWN (1935) and DOCTOR SOCRATES (1935), BLACK FURY was singled out, along with I AM A FUGITIVE FROM A CHAIN GANG (1932) to be commonly shown on commercial television from the 1960s to 1980s. New York City's WNEW, Channel 5, aired BLACK FURY frequently between 1975 and 1983. Nearly forgotten among Paul Muni's filmography, BLACK FURY has become available on video cassette (Key Video) and DVD. Cable television broadcasts consisted of Turner Network Television (1989-1993) and currently Turner Classic Movies (since 1994). Regardless of availability, BLACK FURY remains an underrated and sadly neglected motion picture that's actually better than expected. "You bet your life!" (***1/2)