The Molly Maguires (1970)

Set in the Pennsylvania coal mines of 1876, a detective (Richard Harris) is hired to infiltrate a secret "terrorist" group among the coal miners called the Molly Maguires who are sabotaging coal production and shipments in order to fight the oppressive mine companies who are exploiting the coal miners. Based on the novel by Arthur H. Lewis and directed by Martin Ritt (THE LONG HOT SUMMER). This is a beautifully crafted film which never quite got the praise and attention it deserved. While some facets of the film are weak (the script could have used more clarity and Frank Finlay's policeman is a cliche), the film is so creative in other ways that it transcends its flaws. Ritt takes his time telling the story (it runs over two hours) and much of it is visual as in the film's opening which runs 15 minutes without dialog accompanied only by Henry Mancini's elegiac score. The wide screen Panavision cinematography is by the great James Wong Howe and is it a beauty! Then there's the performances. I don't know that Harris as ever been better and Sean Connery as the leader of the Molly Maguires and Samantha Eggar as Harris's romantic interest bring strength to their underwritten roles. With Bethel Leslie, Anthony Zerbe, Art Lund and Anthony Holland.