The story was inspired by the stay-down strikers in the 1930s who refused to leave the mines for three weeks. Ernie Bailey, one of the miners, relayed the story to director Karl Francis, but declined appearing in the film because HTV would not pay him on a scale comparable to Tom Jones. Mr. Bailey smoked to his dying day at the age of 99: always a staunch socialist.
Karl Francis
Director
Stanley Baker
Narrator
Windsor Davies
Geraint Wyn Davies
Conrad Evans
Ray Handy
Gaynor Morgan Rees
John Ogwen
Hubert Rees
Ivor Roberts
Matewan73%
The Last Movie Star65%
The Molly Maguires63%
The Day of the Locust64%
Sons and Lovers64%
In Dubious Battle58%
How Green Was My Valley73%
Norma Rae72%
Pale Rider71%
Shirley66%
The Brave60%
Fried Green Tomatoes76%
Son of the South64%
A Face in the Crowd76%
Parked65%
The Spoilers62%
Charm City Kings78%
Some Mother's Son67%
Mank66%
The Badlanders62%
