They Didn’t Dig In… They Rose Up.
Based on the real 1951 Empire Zinc Mine strike, this film follows Mexican-American miners in New Mexico fighting toxic conditions and racist bosses. When Ramón and his zinc-mining crew call out their company’s lethal shortcuts, they’re slapped with an injunction—so his wife Esperanza rallies the women to hit the picket line instead. Watch these fierce mamas face down scabs, shotguns, and sexist rules to flip the script on who holds power.
Black & White version: https://youtu.be/sk3-As0yh3k
Available with Audio Commentary: go to ⚙️ Select "English Descriptive" from the Audio options
Featuring C. Courtney Joyner, Phoef Sutton and Mark Jordan Legan (Film Freaks Forever podcast)
DIRECTED BY
Herbert J. Biberman (Member of the Hollywood Ten (jailed 1950 for contempt of Congress)
SCREENPLAY BY
Oscar winning Michael Wilson (Blacklisted in 1951 -refused to name names to HUAC)
PRODUCED BY
Paul Jarrico (Passport revoked in 1954 – explicitly to sabotage the Cannes premiere)
CINEMATOGRAPHY
Leonard Stark & crew (filmed covertly under threat of raids & FBI harassment)
MUSIC
Sol Kaplan (Fired from 20th Century Fox, where he was under contract)
EDITORS
Edward Mann & Joan Laird (Working under government surveillance)
STARRING
⭐️ Rosaura Revueltas – Esperanza (deported after filming!)
⭐️ Juan Chacón – Ramón (real-life miner-turned-actor)
⭐️ Will Geer – Sheriff (blacklisted immediately after wrap)
⭐️ David Bauer – Barton (as David Wolfe)
⭐️ Mervin Williams – Hartwell
⭐️ David Sarvis – Alexander
🔍 HISTORY’S CONTEXT – WHY THIS FILM MATTERS
BANNED by the U.S. government as "Soviet propaganda"
THEATERS RAIDED by FBI for screening it
SECRET AWARD-WINNER: Banned in U.S., celebrated globally 🌎
RESURRECTED: Original negatives found after 30 years
NATIONAL FILM REGISTRY: Preserved as “culturally revolutionary”
🎥 DIRECTOR’S SECRET WEAPON
Biberman hired ACTUAL MINERS and their families as actors. No Hollywood filters—just raw, unfiltered class war.
📜 ARCHIVE WARNING
This print survives thanks to bootleggers, union halls, and rebels who risked prison to screen it. Project it loud.
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For more information about this era of censorship & blacklisting watch the documentary:
Hollywood on Trial (1976) https://youtu.be/7jbYed_DkD4
💬 COMMENT: What film would Today’s powers censor?? 👇
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