Rating: 
Summary: Rae of Hope
Review: Sally Field gives a career turning performance in 1979's Norma Rae. Up to that point, Ms. Field was better known as a TV actress who starred in fluffy comedies like Gidget, The Flying Nun & The Girl With Something Extra. In 1976, she showed a more serious side, taking home an Emmy for her work as a young girl with multiple personalities in Sybil. After Sybil, she proceeded to star in more fluff pieces like Smokey & The Bandit, Hooper & The End with her then boyfriend Burt Reynolds. Norma Rae was a film with much more substance. In fact after reading the script, Mr. Reynolds advised her that she would win an Oscar for the film. He turned out to be quite prophetic. Ms. Field is superb in the title role. Norma is an unassuming factory worker from a small town in the South, who is widowed and has two kids with two separate fathers. That is until she meets Reuben Warshawky (Ron Liebman). Reuben is an Union organizer from New York City and he is trying to get the mill workers to set up a union. Most people ignore as they are fearful for their jobs, but Norma is intrigued and she starts meeting with Reuben to try and start a union. She is met with resistance and is bullied by her bosses, but Norma is not persuaded to quit. She feels that she has stood by her whole life without making a difference and this is her chance to actually matter. There is of course the famous scene where Norma is about to be removed from the mill and she defiantly stands on a table with the Union sign. Her co-workers one by one realize the chances she's taken for them and they shut off their machines in support. The film has some excellent supporting work from Mr. Liebman, Beau Bridges and Pat Hingle, but this is Ms. Field's film all the way. She proved Mr. Reynolds right and took home the 1979 Best Actress Oscar and set forth on a path that would add another Oscar to her collection and feature some of the best films of 1980's & 1990's.
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Summary: Sally Field Sheds Her Habit ..Delivers Superb Performance!
Review: Sally Field gives the performance of a lifetime in this fact-based story of a factory worker who puts her life on hold to make life better for those around her. "Norma Rae"(1979) was a powerful eye-opener to the life led by ordinary people working under extremely poor working conditions.Best known at the time for her light roles as "Gidget" and "The Flying Nun", and although she did capture an emmy for her outstanding performance as "Sybil", she was not thought of as a serious dramatic actress.Director Martin Ritt knew a good thing when he saw it though, insisted on casting her and his instincts were right. Sally went home from the Oscars that year with a well deserved Best Actress Award! Norma Rae doesn't have much going for her in her life. She has two children that she's raising on her own,has lots of problems with men, and works in a textile mill in the south. The conditions of the mill are deplorable.The wages are pitiful, people on their feet all day, with barely a break, most going deaf from the noise of the machines, some even getting cancer. But it is the only job in town for most of the locals. A New York Union Organizer comes to town(Ron Leibman) and tries to convince the workers they should go Union and fight for their rights. Most are leary and afraid of loosing their jobs, but one decides it's the right thing to do. Norma Rae goes against the grain to try and convince the 800 workers that this is the best thing for them and their children(Who will also probably work there some day). She becomes somewhat of an outcast but doesn't give up. She becomes more determined and defiant as ever as the film progresses. Eventually she realizes the power she holds.There's the wonderful famous scene where she stands on the table with the UNION sign, but the most telling scene of her determination is when it takes four very large men to remove this 90lb. woman from the premisis.It is a film that will stay with you and still holds value socially and politically today. Martin Ritt is always excellent at bringing these social issues to the viewing audiences in an entertaining way. Director of Photography John Alonzo also adds greatly to the film with his great camera angles. Ron Leibman is wonderful as the "fish out of water" organizer who becomes mentor to Norma. Rounding out the cast and all excellent in their roles is Pat Hingle as Norma's father and Beau Bridges as her new husband. The DVD is beautiful. The film is over 20 years old but you won't notice that. It's in Anamorphic Widescreen(2.35:1) and presents a great picture. Nice color and sharp images. The sound is Stero Surround, and is very pleasing. There is a "Back Story" featurette on the making and casting of the film, which is very informative. It may be viewed in French and there are subtitiles in English and Spanish.This is an important film and 20th Century Fox has given it some nice attention. A great addition to any DVD collection...enjoy...Laurie
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Summary: One of the most powerful characterizations in film history
Review: Sally Field won her 1979 Best Actress Oscar for a very simple reason - she gave one of the most powerful characterizations in cinematic history. Ever since I saw this film, about six months ago, it has left a haunting impression. Thanks to the central lead, this is one of the most powerful, moving and truly unforgettable films ever made.
Rating:
Summary: A little too stereotyped for my taste...
Review: The acting was fine, excellent actually, but the characters they played seemed a bit too stereotyped for my taste. That said, the film is certainly worth seeing; regardless of your feelings about unions, the acting in this film makes it worth seeing.
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic Performance by Sally Field
Review: This film was released when I was very young. I remembered hearing all about it but never watched it until now. Sally Field's Oscar win was well deserved.
Unfortunately, the current industrial situation in the US has put a major damper on the feel good ending of this movie. There are almost no textile mills in the US now. It is sad watching Norma Rae live thru this incredible struggle only to know that in 10 to 15 years it will no longer matter.
As well as being about labor unions, this movie is also a love story. Sally Field has wonderful chemistry with her two male costars, Ron Liebman and Beau Bridges. Both of their characters fall in love with Norma and throughout the movie they fight for her attention. Bridges pulls out all the stops and proposes. Liebman's Reuben tells fantastic stories about his Union Job, life in the big city and is generally exciting, almost enticing Norma to leave her small town life. Liebman is great as Reuben and he embodies NY cool to the nth degree. He makes Reuben stand out like a peacock in the small town and Norma is fascinated by him. In one great scene, Liebman enters a local bar where Field and Bridges are on their first date. Field's Norma immediately becomes Flirty, flighty and giggly over the appearance of her NY crush. As Liebman turns on the charm, Bridges fades into the background, his face falling to the floor in defeat. My heart went out to Bridges' character and it reminded me of all the times I was in the same situation.
But this film is owned heart and soul by Sally Field. From the time she fights for her Mother's health to when she stands up with her Union sign, I was cheering for her.
I just wish the film was longer because I wanted to find out what Norma's next adventure would be.
Rating:
Summary: Great love story
Review: This might be a spoiler, but I don't think so. It's one reason why people should want to see the movie, and it's the main reason I keep going back to it. When was the last time you saw a deep male-female friendship onscreen that has almost every reason to turn into something more but never does? I say "almost" because Sally Field's character marries someone else during the story. But her friendship with Ron Leibman, the way it grows in respect and attraction, is something to behold. And the final scene (here's the spoiler, I guess, but it's not really a big surprise, and it's not the main plot point of the ending), in which they say goodbye without ever having acted on their feelings but clearly longing to, is both as moving and as erotic as anything in movies.
Rating:
Summary: TWO THUMBS UP! FIVE STARS OF EXCELLENCE!!!!
Review: This movie is definitely a monster of a hit. Sally Field was great playing the single mother who wouldn't let unsafe conditions go undetected. This movie was Oscar material. It was strong, smart, and very uplifting. I like the part when she had the black men in the meeting and she told her husband played by Jeff Bridges that "they didn't give me a hard time". Whatever you say about it, but it's AWESOME! 10+
Rating:
Summary: A Great Movie
Review: This movie is terrfic and I was so happy Sally Field proved she could act. I think she won every available award for this movie, and she deserved every one of them. SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!!!!!! The only scene that bothers me is when she gets home from jail, she speaks to her kids about what just happened. THEN she says, there was lice in the jail! The kids were just on her lap!! Now they have might catch the lice! The character was way too smart for that, so I have to think something just wasn't caught.
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Summary: A Film That Doesn't Go Like It Goes
Review: You go to the video store one night and you rent some film that you watch and think, "Yeah. That was OK. . .I shoulda gotten [that other film]." You return the tape. You get that other film and you watch it. The film is over, and you think, "That was OK, too, but I need to get [that other film]." You go to the video store to get that other film, and right next to it you see this film, Norma Rae, and it just happens on accident, but somehow you are attracted at first sight. So, you take that film home and you watch it and you think. . . "WOW! HOLY ----! THAT WAS THE BEST FILM YET!" This film is an attention-grabbing and overall outstanding film that leaves you with something every time you watch it. It stars Sally Field in one of her best performances, and you'll have no doubt in your mind that she is Norma Rae Webster. You return to the video store and find yourself asking, "How much to buy Norma Rae?"
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