1954·Drama·1h 34m
7.1
★
At New Mexico's Empire Zinc mine, Mexican-American workers protest the unsafe work conditions and unequal wages compared to their Anglo counterparts. Ramon Quintero helps organize the strike, but he is shown to be a hypocrite by treating his pregnant wife, Esperanza, with a similar unfairness. When an injunction stops the men from protesting, however, the gender roles are reversed, and women find themselves on the picket lines while the men stay at home.
Directed by Herbert J. Biberman
strike
labor union
women empowerment
Trailer
IMDB
N/A
Where to Watch
Cast
Rosaura Revueltas
Esperanza Quintero
Juan Chacón
Ramon Quintero
Will Geer
Sheriff
David Bauer
Barton
Crew
Herbert J. Biberman
Director
Michael Wilson
Writer
Herbert J. Biberman
Producer
Popular Reviews
46 reviews
Alfred HitchTOK
10.0★ · 03/04/26
Happy Birthday to Herbert Biberman, born on this day in 1900, a Hollywood director who was blacklisted by the industry as part of the Reds under the Bed witch-hunt of the House Committee on Un-American Activities (I’m looking at you Elia Kazan), who the told the studio system to go fuck themselves and made the independent masterpiece Salt of the Earth, which is not a feature length documentary on the origins of MJF’s finisher, but is my 460th watch on the list of 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die.
Esperanza (Rosaura Revueltas) is the wife of striking zinc miner Ramon (Juan Chacón), who takes her own stand for equality, fighting for workers rights and fighting for recognition of women’s rights within the union and the household
Back in my CPSU days, I once took an afternoon off to strike and felt like a real hero (admittedly it was fun to laugh at all the scabs left serving an ever increasing line of customers), but these guys strike for months. What absolute legends and what an absolutely fucking phenomenal movie and the back story behind it is just as ballsy.
Made in 1954 but super progressive in tought and action, how do we go from stuff like this to a society today where the masses dick-ride for billionaires?
We need a lot more peeps like Esperanza!
Esperanza (Rosaura Revueltas) is the wife of striking zinc miner Ramon (Juan Chacón), who takes her own stand for equality, fighting for workers rights and fighting for recognition of women’s rights within the union and the household
Back in my CPSU days, I once took an afternoon off to strike and felt like a real hero (admittedly it was fun to laugh at all the scabs left serving an ever increasing line of customers), but these guys strike for months. What absolute legends and what an absolutely fucking phenomenal movie and the back story behind it is just as ballsy.
Made in 1954 but super progressive in tought and action, how do we go from stuff like this to a society today where the masses dick-ride for billionaires?
We need a lot more peeps like Esperanza!
Happy Birthday to Herbert Biberman, born on this day in 1900, a Hollywood director who was blacklisted by the industry as part of the Reds under the Bed witch-hunt of the House Committee on Un-American Activities (I’m looking at you Elia Kazan), who the told the studio system to go fuck themselves and made the independent masterpiece Salt of the Earth, which is not a feature length documentary on the origins of MJF’s finisher, but is my 460th watch on the list of 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die.
Esperanza (Rosaura Revueltas) is the wife of striking zinc miner Ramon (Juan Chacón), who takes her own stand for equality, fighting for workers rights and fighting for recognition of women’s rights within the union and the household
Back in my CPSU days, I once took an afternoon off to strike and felt like a real hero (admittedly it was fun to laugh at all the scabs left serving an ever increasing line of customers), but these guys strike for months. What absolute legends and what an absolutely fucking phenomenal movie and the back story behind it is just as ballsy.
Made in 1954 but super progressive in tought and action, how do we go from stuff like this to a society today where the masses dick-ride for billionaires?
We need a lot more peeps like Esperanza!
Esperanza (Rosaura Revueltas) is the wife of striking zinc miner Ramon (Juan Chacón), who takes her own stand for equality, fighting for workers rights and fighting for recognition of women’s rights within the union and the household
Back in my CPSU days, I once took an afternoon off to strike and felt like a real hero (admittedly it was fun to laugh at all the scabs left serving an ever increasing line of customers), but these guys strike for months. What absolute legends and what an absolutely fucking phenomenal movie and the back story behind it is just as ballsy.
Made in 1954 but super progressive in tought and action, how do we go from stuff like this to a society today where the masses dick-ride for billionaires?
We need a lot more peeps like Esperanza!
Noah
8.0★ · 02/04/26
i love when women
i love when women
Deb
6.0★ · 11/30/25
Women🙌🏻
Women🙌🏻
PoochieVince
8.0★ · 09/24/25
Man, Salt of the Earth floored me. It’s rough, but that’s what makes it hit so hard. I walked away feeling shaken, fired up, and honestly kind of hopeful.
Man, Salt of the Earth floored me. It’s rough, but that’s what makes it hit so hard. I walked away feeling shaken, fired up, and honestly kind of hopeful.
Tommy_54
10.0★ · 07/10/25
Phenomenal.
Essentially a very impactful reminder, that any prejudice or form of discrimination NEEDS to be ABOLISHED totally and that we need to work together to actually create lasting changes in our society.
This might seem obvious to many people (including me), but it's sad how many people I see, that seem to forget the importance of this.
Essentially a very impactful reminder, that any prejudice or form of discrimination NEEDS to be ABOLISHED totally and that we need to work together to actually create lasting changes in our society.
This might seem obvious to many people (including me), but it's sad how many people I see, that seem to forget the importance of this.
Phenomenal.
Essentially a very impactful reminder, that any prejudice or form of discrimination NEEDS to be ABOLISHED totally and that we need to work together to actually create lasting changes in our society.
This might seem obvious to many people (including me), but it's sad how many people I see, that seem to forget the importance of this.
Essentially a very impactful reminder, that any prejudice or form of discrimination NEEDS to be ABOLISHED totally and that we need to work together to actually create lasting changes in our society.
This might seem obvious to many people (including me), but it's sad how many people I see, that seem to forget the importance of this.