Norma Rae | | Cast : | Sally Field, Beau Bridges | | Director : | Martin Ritt | | Studio : | Twentieth Century Fox | | Format : | Color, Closed-captioned, Widescreen | | Released Date : | January 01, 1979 | | DVD Released Date : | December 17, 2002 | | Language : | French (Dubbed), English (Subtitled), English (Dubbed), Spanish (Subtitled), English (Original Language), French (Original Language) | | Audience Rating : | PG (Parental Guidance Suggested) | | | BUY THIS DVD FROM AMAZON |
Customer Reviews
| Rating |  | | Date | December 07, 2004 | | Summary | Fantastic Performance by Sally Field | Content
 | This film was released when I was very young. I remembered hearing all about it but never watched it until now. Sally Field's Oscar win was well deserved.
Unfortunately, the current industrial situation in the US has put a major damper on the feel good ending of this movie. There are almost no textile mills in the US now. It is sad watching Norma Rae live thru this incredible struggle only to know that in 10 to 15 years it will no longer matter.
As well as being about labor unions, this movie is also a love story. Sally Field has wonderful chemistry with her two male costars, Ron Liebman and Beau Bridges. Both of their characters fall in love with Norma and throughout the movie they fight for her attention. Bridges pulls out all the stops and proposes. Liebman's Reuben tells fantastic stories about his Union Job, life in the big city and is generally exciting, almost enticing Norma to leave her small town life. Liebman is great as Reuben and he embodies NY cool to the nth degree. He makes Reuben stand out like a peacock in the small town and Norma is fascinated by him. In one great scene, Liebman enters a local bar where Field and Bridges are on their first date. Field's Norma immediately becomes Flirty, flighty and giggly over the appearance of her NY crush. As Liebman turns on the charm, Bridges fades into the background, his face falling to the floor in defeat. My heart went out to Bridges' character and it reminded me of all the times I was in the same situation.
But this film is owned heart and soul by Sally Field. From the time she fights for her Mother's health to when she stands up with her Union sign, I was cheering for her.
I just wish the film was longer because I wanted to find out what Norma's next adventure would be. |
| Rating | | | Date | March 16, 2004 | | Summary | A textbook example of how to organize in your workplace!! | Content
| I finally got the chance to watch this movie after missing out for almost 20 years. I should have watched this film years ago. Not only is Sally Field's acting great, but the screenplay was just as great as well. My only problem was the length of the movie as I thought 20 minutes could have been chopped off. With that said, this movie should be mandatory watching for all workers. If you care about the conditions in your workplace, watch it and learn how to organize your workplace!! It's a film much needed for required viewing in our society today! |
| Rating | | | Date | March 02, 2004 | | Summary | One of the 10 Best Performances by an Actress Ever!!! | Content
| "Norma Rae" contains the thrilling performance by Sally Field as a woman on the wrong side of the tracks of life who decides it's time to stand up for the rights of her co-workers at a small textile plant. She is offered and accepts a promotion when the plant's management tries to divert her, but a supervisory role doesn't appeal to her when her mother loses her hearing and she has to chastise her father for poor performance. Logically, inevitably she becomes more committed to fighting for a better life for herself and her loved ones and joins forces with a union organizer who came down from NYC. She ends up sacrificing all, including her self esteem, to give the workers more control over their working conditions. Chills ran down my spine during the scene where she held up the "union" sign and another where she rebuked her husband for being non-supportive of her union efforts. I am not a union supporter, but I know good drama, strong performances, and a logical and interesting plot when I see it, so I recommend this fine film to all. Hopefully they will give as much time and attention to dubbing and subtitling this movie into languages of third world countries because that's where this textile plant probably relocated a year after the events this film portrayed. A sad, sad outcome to an ideal. No matter what the outcome, Sally Field delivers one of the finest performances in film history so "Norma Rae" gets only my highest recommendations! |
| Rating | | | Date | June 13, 2003 | | Summary | A little too stereotyped for my taste... | Content
| The acting was fine, excellent actually, but the characters they played seemed a bit too stereotyped for my taste. That said, the film is certainly worth seeing; regardless of your feelings about unions, the acting in this film makes it worth seeing. |
| Rating | | | Date | June 03, 2003 | | Summary | wonderful movie | Content
| I agree with the reviewer below who said this film is a wonderful love story. I developed a huge crush on Ron Leibman's character about five minutes after he is introduced.
This is a powerful film in many ways, and the subtle love story is just one of them.
Norma Rae is a movie that speaks to me because my family worked in mills for many years. My grandparents, uncle and mom all went through a local mill (no longer in existance) at some point in their lives. I remember the hard conditions and the sight of the real mill workers from Opelika walking across the screen hit home for me. I cried during several parts and I felt like Norma's daddy was my own grandfather. I admire the people who made this film. It is truly a hidden treasure because it isn't flashy, it is simple, straightforward and true to life. And if Ron is out there anywhere reading this, please believe me when I say you truly brought Ruben to life and made him a wonderful hero to me. Sally Field was a hero as well, one that makes you love her and who cares about the flaws.
Please watch this movie. It will make you think. It will make you grateful. It will make you cry in sadness and joy.
My only complaint is, gee I would have tried to at least KISS Ruben at some point. Ladies, watch the last scene and see if you don't agree with me! |
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