Act of Vengeance (1986) (TV)

Director:

John Mackenzie

Writers:

Trevor Armbrister (book)
Scott Spencer (writer)

Release Date:

21 April 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Crime | Drama

Tagline:

His was an act of defiance. Theirs was an act of vengeance.

Plot:

Fact-based story about the corruption that occurred during the United Mine Workers' 1969 presidential elections...

Plot Keywords:

Assassin | Election | Campaign | West Virginia | Coal Mine

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Charles Bronson	...	Joseph 'Jock' Yablonski
Ellen Burstyn	...	Margaret Yablonski
Wilford Brimley	...	Tony Boyle
Hoyt Axton	...	Silous Huddleston
Robert Schenkkan	...	Paul Gilly
Ellen Barkin	...	Annette Gilly
Maury Chaykin	...	Claude Vealey
Caroline Kava	...	Charlotte Yablonski
Peg Murray	...	Ellen Rogers
William Newman	...	Ezra Morgan
Alan North	...	Albert Pass
Raynor Scheine	...	Terrance Madden
Tom Harvey	...	Warren Alexander
Alf Humphreys	...	Ken Yablonski
Joseph Kell	...	Chip Yablonski

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:M | West Germany:16 (f) | USA:PG-13 | Norway:16

Filming Locations:

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

Company:

Frank Koenigsberg Productions

Quotes:

Buddy Martin: When we get to Charleston they have this place where the girls let you... Well, did you ever put your hand... I mean, your whole Freaking hand inside a lady?
Claude Vealey: What? Put your hand inside a lady? Hell, I SHOT my old lady and she didn't even press charges.

Well written, well-performed bit of history

I grew up in Pennsylvania, and although we were far from coal country, some news was so big, it got around. The Yablonski killings were all over the western end of the state when they happened, but we didn't really understand what was happening behind them. I'm sure some liberties were taken in collapsing events, but this film does a great job of putting the times, the relationships between Big Unions and Big Business in context, and the power of the common man to make, or try to make, things better. The cinematography really caught the gritty world of coal mining, and the areas in which is happens. This was one of the first roles I saw Charles Bronson in, and I thought he was terrific, probably bringing a much deeper sensibility to the part as a former coal miner and, as I understand, a card-carrying member of the United Mine Workers throughout his life. His campaign stops even had some very funny one liners you wouldn't think would work coming out of Il Bruto. I actually checked out some of his other films after seeing this one. The gang that couldn't shoot straight, but obviously eventually did, were such complete idiots you were surprised they managed not to shoot themselves, and were able to kill Yablonski only with Keanu Reeves' help. This film is probably only available at a library, or maybe a video store that doesn't clear out stock once a year. But it's definitely worth watching.