Movie Settings Database

Harlan County U.S.A.

Where:

Kentucky

When:

The 1970s

Which Side Are You On? — This film documents the coal miners' strike against the Brookside Mine of the Eastover Mining Company in Harlan County, Kentucky in June, 1973. Eastovers refusal to sign a contract (when the miners joined with the United Mine Workers of America) led to the strike, which lasted more than a year and included violent battles between gun-toting company thugs/scabs and the picketing miners and their supportive women-folk. Director Barbara Kopple puts the strike into perspective by giving us some background on the historical plight of the miners and some history of the UMWA.

Released in 1977 — 103 minutes

Genre:

Documentary

Language:

English