Norma Rae

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

1979 1h 50m EN

👍

7.2

SOLID

★7.2TMDB · 214

Drama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Norma Rae is a southern textile worker employed in a factory with intolerable working conditions. This concern about the situation gives her the gumption to be the key associate to a visiting labor union organizer. Together, they undertake the difficult, and possibly dangerous, struggle to unionize her factory.

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

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Cast

Sally Field
Norma Rae
Ron Leibman
Reuben
Beau Bridges
Sonny
Pat Hingle
Vernon
Barbara Baxley
Leona
Gail Strickland
Bonnie Mae
Morgan Paull
Wayne Billings
Robert Broyles
Sam Bolen

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Martin Ritt
Writers: Irving Ravetch, Harriet Frank Jr.
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Shot for just $4.5M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Made its money back 4.9× over at the box office.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

ERA

Did you know

47 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Martin Ritt, shot by John A. Alonzo. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by David Shire. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Sidney Levin shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Sally Field and Ron Leibman and Beau Bridges carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

FACT

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Martin Ritt directs. John A. Alonzo behind the camera. David Shire scores. Sidney Levin cuts. Made its budget back several times over at the box office. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Shot for just $4.5M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.
2Made its money back 4.9× over at the box office.
347 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
4Directed by Martin Ritt, shot by John A. Alonzo. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by David Shire. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Sidney Levin shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Sally Field and Ron Leibman and Beau Bridges carry the top of the cast.
8Marketing tagline: "The story of a woman with the courage to risk everything for what she believes is right.".
9IMDB entry: tt0079638 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
10Classified under 13 themes, including "factory", "based on novel or book", "alabama", "based on true story".