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Released By: Film Detective
Released On: September 9, 2015
Director: Herbert J. Biberman
Cast: Will Geer, David Wolfe, Rosaura Revueltas, Juan Chacon
Year: 1954
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The Movie:
It's 1947, and successful film Director Herbert J. Biberman is in the process of getting slammed by McCarthy and the House Un-American Activities Committee for alleged Communist activity in post-war United States. Steadfastly refusing to answer any questions put to him by the Committee, Biberman did six months in jail on contempt charges and made the official Blacklist, essentially ending his career in Hollywood. So what does he do? He teams up with blacklisted Writer Michael Wilson, Blacklisted Producer Paul Jarrico, and independently cranks out one of the most pro-communist films ever made, Salt of the Earth.
Loosely based on an actual strike that occurred in New Mexico, Salt of the Earth is told mainly through the narrative of Esperanza, wife to miner Ramon Quintero, who works for a zinc mining company in the fictional Zinctown, New Mexico. While she seems by-and-large content to be a poor miner's wife, Esperanza does take issue with the fact that the land the mine operates on was appropriated from her people by the Anglos, that they had their homes taken away and then sold back to them by the mining company, and that her and the rest of the Mexicans live in a lower-class part of town than the Anglo miners and their families. Hot water and other basic necessities are overlooked in the Mexican part of town, and sanitation becomes a concern. There doesn't seem to be much that her or Ramon can do about their situation, however; when Ramon and his union brothers try to organize work action for equality with the Anglos, the bosses threaten to give their jobs away to other Anglos.
With Esperanza expecting another child and Ramon spending most of his time down at the beer hall, things come to a head over a radio that the Quinteros can't make payments on and an accident caused by unsafe working conditions at the mine. When Ramon pushes for a strike in the name of equality, the mining company fights back with scab workers, police intimidation, and attempted buyouts of certain members of the union. With so many of the workers already living in poverty, the company is poised to win in forcing them back to work without fixing anything, but Esperanza and the other wives have a support plan in the form of a Ladies Auxiliary that could turn the tables once and for all.
Biberman's Salt of the Earth is an interesting film in that it was ripped to pieces for being communist propaganda when it was released, but it's hard to say if it would have had any lasting impact otherwise. It doesn't really stand out as a classic or exemplary in any way, and it's certainly not subtle or clever; there's no doubt what the motives are, and the politics are about as left-wing, brick-in-the-face as they come. There are some key points worth noting, such as a foreshadowing of things to come; "Instalment plans are the curse of the working man!" or, "Equality is the one thing the bosses can't afford"...and the role reversals that occur within the families when the women join the fight, pretty much unheard of after the war had ended but now commonplace would have been a revolutionary idea in 1954.
All of that aside, though, Salt of the Earth succeeds as a good film because of the basic writing and story components; a reprehensible villain in the form of the mining company, likeable protagonists, and an underdog story of community and support for your fellow man...that actually happened. So while Biberman's Directorial skills may seem more pedestrian than other well-known film makers, Salt of the Earth overcomes that by simply being a good film with a good story that is enhanced by the time that has passed since it was made, and its historical significance.
Video/Audio/Extras:
Film Detective brings Salt of the Earth to Blu-ray as a "Restored Classic" in a 1.33:1 transfer that is honestly pretty rough around the edges. To be fair, it's over 60 years old at this point and the negative was probably never treated like a Casablanca or other noted film, and it's far from unwatchable. Detail is pretty clean for the most part, and the black and white picture doesn't suffer from an abhorrent amount of dirt or damage; nor are there any noticeable flaws in the transfer. Don't expect much in the way of deep blacks or startling contrast, but it's certainly an adequate presentation.
The DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track doesn't fair as well, unfortunately. Dialogue sounds heavily compressed dynamically and exhibits a little distortion, making it very difficult to hear; for the purposes of the review, I watched the film with English subtitles on. Again, a little dust is to be expected on an older film, but it's really a shame that more couldn't be done with the audio.
A trailer for the film is also included.
The Final Word:
It's a bit of an ugly watch (well, listen), but Salt of the Earth is recommended viewing if for nothing else than its historical impact. Film Detective have done a decent job in bringing it to Blu-ray.
Click on the images below for full sized Blu-ray screen caps!
