Norma Rae

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Norma Rae
original movie poster for Norma Rae
Directed by	Martin Ritt
Produced by	Alexandra Rose Tamara Asseyev
Written by	Harriet Frank Jr. Irving Ravetch
Starring	Sally Field Beau Bridges Ron Leibman Pat Hingle
Music by	David Shire
Cinematography	John A. Alonzo
Editing by	Sidney Levin
Distributed by	20th Century Fox
Release date(s)	March 2, 1979
Running time	110 min
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	Unknown
All Movie Guide profile
IMDb profile

Norma Rae is a 1979 film which tells the story of a woman from a small town in the Southern United States who becomes involved in the labor union activities at the textile factory where she works. It stars Sally Field, Beau Bridges, Ron Leibman, Pat Hingle, Barbara Baxley and Gail Strickland.

The movie was written by Harriet Frank Jr. and Irving Ravetch. It was directed by Martin Ritt. It is based on the true story of Crystal Lee Jordan. It was marketed with the tagline "The story of a woman with the courage to risk everything for what she believes is right."

It won Academy Awards for Best Actress in a Leading Role (Sally Field) and Best Music, Song (for David Shire and Norman Gimbel for "It Goes Like It Goes"). It was also nominated for Best Picture and for Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium.

[edit] Plot summary

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Norma Rae is a minimum-wage worker in a cotton mill that has taken too much of a toll on the health of her family for her to ignore her Dickensian working conditions. After hearing a speech by New York organizer Reuben, Norma Rae decides to join the effort to unionize her shop. This causes dissension at home when Norma Rae's husband Sonny assumes that her activism is a result of a romance between herself and Reuben. Despite the pressure brought to bear by Management, Norma Rae successfully orchestrates a shutdown of the mill, resulting in victory for the union and capitulation for its demands.