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The Molly Maguires (film)
Encyclopedia
The Molly Maguires is a 1970 American film based on a novel by Arthur H. Lewis that was directed by Martin Ritt
. It stars Richard Harris
and Sean Connery
.
Set in late 19th-century Northeastern Pennsylvania
, this social drama tells the story of an undercover detective sent to a coal mining community to expose a secret society of Irish-American miners battling exploitation at the hand of the owners. Partly inspired by a true story, the film portrays the rebellious leader of the Molly Maguires
and his will to achieve social justice.
Detective James McParland
who was employed to infiltrate the Mollies.
Kehoe and McParlan are working class immigrants from Ireland with essentially the same aspiration -- advancement in the new society to which they have come. McParlan coldly betrays the group whose leader he has befriended and Kehoe kills to advance his cause. McParlan also develops a romantic interest in Mary Raines, but she ends up offended by his treachery.
Awaiting execution, Kehoe tells his erstwhile ally that no punishment short of hell can redeem his treachery; Detective McParlan retorts that in that case, "See you in hell."
The movie was filmed in Eckley, Pennsylvania in 1969. The town was so unchanged from its 1870s appearance that the only major alteration needed for filming was to remove television antennas and install underground electric wiring.
A wooden coal breaker
featured heavily in the film was built as a prop. It has received little or no maintenance over the years and, even though it has been called a tinderbox
, it stands today — more than 40 years later.
The movie resulted in the town's being saved from demolition. It was afterward turned into a mining museum under the control of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
.
Portions of the film were also shot in Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania
. The courtroom there where the trial scene was filmed is in the Carbon County
Courthouse, and is still used for trials today.
The Molly Maguires soundtrack composed by Henry Mancini
replaced that originally composed by Charles Strouse
. Mancini's score employed Irish modal harmony, played by period instruments including the Irish Harp, Tin Whistle
(pennywhistle) and Squeezebox
.
A big budget film for its time, with stars Connery (still portraying James Bond
) and Harris at career peaks, it was considered a major box-office failure. Social issue director Ritt would score later with Norma Rae
(1979).
(Tambi Larsen
, Darrell Silvera
).
Martin Ritt
Martin Ritt was an American director, actor, and playwright who worked in both film and theater. He was born in New York City.-Early career and influences:...
. It stars Richard Harris
Richard Harris
Richard St John Harris was an Irish actor, singer-songwriter, theatrical producer, film director and writer....
and Sean Connery
Sean Connery
Sir Thomas Sean Connery , better known as Sean Connery, is a Scottish actor and producer who has won an Academy Award, two BAFTA Awards and three Golden Globes Sir Thomas Sean Connery (born 25 August 1930), better known as Sean Connery, is a Scottish actor and producer who has won an Academy...
.
Set in late 19th-century Northeastern Pennsylvania
Northeastern Pennsylvania
Northeastern Pennsylvania is a geographic region of Pennsylvania that includes the Pocono Mountains, the Endless Mountains and the industrial cities of Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, Pittston, Hazleton and Carbondale....
, this social drama tells the story of an undercover detective sent to a coal mining community to expose a secret society of Irish-American miners battling exploitation at the hand of the owners. Partly inspired by a true story, the film portrays the rebellious leader of the Molly Maguires
Molly Maguires
The Molly Maguires were members of an Irish-American secret society, whose members consisted mainly of coal miners. Many historians believe the "Mollies" were present in the anthracite coal fields of Pennsylvania in the United States from approximately the time of the American Civil War until a...
and his will to achieve social justice.
Plot
The Molly Maguires were a secret organization of Irish coal miners established in nineteenth century Pennsylvania to fight oppressive mineowners. Led by Jack Kehoe (Sean Connery), they plant dynamite to destroy plant shafts and equipment. As character James McParlan, Richard Harris portrays real life PinkertonPinkerton National Detective Agency
The Pinkerton National Detective Agency, usually shortened to the Pinkertons, is a private U.S. security guard and detective agency established by Allan Pinkerton in 1850. Pinkerton became famous when he claimed to have foiled a plot to assassinate president-elect Abraham Lincoln, who later hired...
Detective James McParland
James McParland
James McParland,There are various spellings of James McParland's name. His stenographer, Morris Friedman, wrote a book about him — as "McParland." The Pinkerton Labor Spy, New York, Wilshire Book Co., 1907). also known as James McParlan,The Corpse On Boomerang Road, Telluride's War On Labor...
who was employed to infiltrate the Mollies.
Kehoe and McParlan are working class immigrants from Ireland with essentially the same aspiration -- advancement in the new society to which they have come. McParlan coldly betrays the group whose leader he has befriended and Kehoe kills to advance his cause. McParlan also develops a romantic interest in Mary Raines, but she ends up offended by his treachery.
Awaiting execution, Kehoe tells his erstwhile ally that no punishment short of hell can redeem his treachery; Detective McParlan retorts that in that case, "See you in hell."
Overview
The opening sequence of The Molly Maguires runs 14 minutes and 51 seconds, through three Henry Mancini scores, before the first word of dialogue is spoken.The movie was filmed in Eckley, Pennsylvania in 1969. The town was so unchanged from its 1870s appearance that the only major alteration needed for filming was to remove television antennas and install underground electric wiring.
A wooden coal breaker
Coal breaker
A coal breaker was a coal processing plant which broke coal into various useful sizes. Coal breakers also removed impurities from the coal and deposited them into a culm dump...
featured heavily in the film was built as a prop. It has received little or no maintenance over the years and, even though it has been called a tinderbox
Tinderbox
A tinderbox is a small container containing flint, firesteel, and tinder , used together to help kindle a fire....
, it stands today — more than 40 years later.
The movie resulted in the town's being saved from demolition. It was afterward turned into a mining museum under the control of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission is the governmental agency of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania responsible for the collection, conservation and interpretation of Pennsylvania's historic heritage...
.
Portions of the film were also shot in Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania
Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania
Jim Thorpe is a borough in Carbon County, Pennsylvania, USA. The population was 4,804 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Carbon County. The town has been called the "Switzerland of America" due to the picturesque scenery, mountainous location, and architecture; as well as the "Gateway to...
. The courtroom there where the trial scene was filmed is in the Carbon County
Carbon County, Pennsylvania
As of the census of 2000, there were 58,802 people, 23,701 households, and 16,424 families residing in the county. The population density was 154 people per square mile . There were 30,492 housing units at an average density of 80 per square mile...
Courthouse, and is still used for trials today.
The Molly Maguires soundtrack composed by Henry Mancini
Henry Mancini
Henry Mancini was an American composer, conductor and arranger, best remembered for his film and television scores. He won a record number of Grammy Awards , plus a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award posthumously in 1995...
replaced that originally composed by Charles Strouse
Charles Strouse
Charles Strouse is an American composer and lyricist.-Life and career:Strouse was born and raised in New York City, the son of Ira and Ethel Strouse...
. Mancini's score employed Irish modal harmony, played by period instruments including the Irish Harp, Tin Whistle
Tin whistle
The tin whistle, also called the penny whistle, English Flageolet, Scottish penny whistle, Tin Flageolet, Irish whistle and Clarke London Flageolet is a simple six-holed woodwind instrument. It is an end blown fipple flute, putting it in the same category as the recorder, American Indian flute, and...
(pennywhistle) and Squeezebox
Squeezebox
The term Squeezebox is a colloquial expression referring to any musical instrument of the general class of hand-held bellows-driven free reed aerophones such as the accordion and the concertina...
.
A big budget film for its time, with stars Connery (still portraying James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
) and Harris at career peaks, it was considered a major box-office failure. Social issue director Ritt would score later with Norma Rae
Norma Rae
Norma Rae is a 1979 American drama film that tells the story of a factory worker from a small town in North Carolina, who becomes involved in the labor union activities at the textile factory where she works...
(1979).
Cast
- Sean ConnerySean ConnerySir Thomas Sean Connery , better known as Sean Connery, is a Scottish actor and producer who has won an Academy Award, two BAFTA Awards and three Golden Globes Sir Thomas Sean Connery (born 25 August 1930), better known as Sean Connery, is a Scottish actor and producer who has won an Academy...
as "Black Jack" Kehoe - Richard HarrisRichard HarrisRichard St John Harris was an Irish actor, singer-songwriter, theatrical producer, film director and writer....
as Detective James McParlan/McKenna - Samantha EggarSamantha EggarSamantha Eggar is an English film, television and voice actress.-Early life:She was born Victoria Louise Samantha Marie Elizabeth Therese Eggar in Hampstead, London to an Anglo-Irish father and a mother of Dutch and Portuguese descent...
as Miss Mary Raines - Frank FinlayFrank FinlayFrancis Finlay, CBE is an English stage, film and television actor.-Personal life:Finlay was born in Farnworth, Lancashire, the son of Margaret and Josiah Finlay, a butcher. A devout Catholic, he belongs to the British Catholic Stage Guild. He was educated at St...
as Davies - Anthony ZerbeAnthony ZerbeAnthony Jared Zerbe is an American stage, film and Emmy-winning television actor. Notable film roles include the post-apocalyptic cult leader Matthias in The Omega Man, a 1971 film adaptation of Richard Matheson's 1954 novel, I Am Legend; Milton Krest in the 1989 James Bond film Licence to Kill;...
as Tom Dougherty - Bethel LeslieBethel LeslieBethel Leslie was an American theatre, film, and television actress and a screenwriter.Born in New York City, Leslie was discovered by George Abbott, who cast her in the play Snafu in 1944...
as Mrs. Kehoe - Art LundArt LundArt Lund was an American baritone singer, initially with bandleaders Benny Goodman and Harry James, and was also a television and stage actor.-Biography:...
as Frazier - Philip BourneufPhilip BourneufPhilip Bourneuf was an American character actor who had a long stage career before appearing in films....
as Father O'Connor - Anthony Costello as Frank McAndrew
- Brendan Dillon as Dan Raines, Mary's Father
- Frances HeflinFrances HeflinMary Frances Heflin was an American actress.-Life and career:Heflin was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, the daughter of Fanny Bleecker and Dr. Emmett Evan Heflin, a dentist. She was the sister of Academy Award-winning actor Van Heflin...
as Mrs. Frazier - Malachy McCourtMalachy McCourtMalachy Gerard McCourt is an Irish-American actor, writer and politician. He was the 2006 Green Party candidate for governor in New York State, losing to the Democratic candidate Eliot Spitzer. He is the younger brother of Frank McCourt.-Personal life:Born in Brooklyn, New York, McCourt was raised...
as Bartender
Accolades
The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Art DirectionAcademy Award for Best Art Direction
The Academy Awards are the oldest awards ceremony for achievements in motion pictures. The Academy Award for Best Art Direction recognizes achievement in art direction on a film. The films below are listed with their production year, so the Oscar 2000 for best art direction went to a film from 1999...
(Tambi Larsen
Tambi Larsen
Tambi Larsen was a Dane born in Bangalore, India. He emigrated to the United States at the age of 20, where he attended Yale Drama School. He married Barbara Dole in 1941 and became an American citizen in 1943. Tambi struggled to make a living as a set designer for Broadway shows...
, Darrell Silvera
Darrell Silvera
Darrell Silvera was an American set decorator. He was nominated for seven Academy Awards in the category Best Art Direction...
).