American cinema explores the history of labor and union movements

Hollywood has a long history of depicting the collective efforts of workers to improve their lives and gain a voice in society. Notable films include ‘Modern Times’ (1936), which features Charlie Chaplin on an assembly line, and ‘The Grapes of Wrath’ (1940), based on John Steinbeck’s novel about migrant workers in California.

Other significant depictions include ‘Norma Rae’ (1979), inspired by Crystal Lee Sutton’s unionization efforts in a North Carolina textile mill, and ‘Bread and Roses’ (2000), which focuses on the ‘Justice for Janitors’ movement in Los Angeles.

The history of labor in film also includes an anti-labor strain, particularly during the post-World War II Red Scare, when films like ‘On the Waterfront’ (1954) sometimes depicted unions as corrupt or influenced by subversives. Educators have used these films to help students grasp the human dimensions of labor struggles.