The Molly Maguires

Oppressed miners in Pennsylvania in 1876 try to organize a union for rights and protection, but it seems the corporations have other ideas on how to maintain the dusty business of sending men into unsafe mine shafts. The police force believes there is a terrorist mentality in the union workers and hires a detective named James McParlan (Richard Harris) to infiltrate and to observe mineworker Jack Kehoe (Sean Connery) who is thought to be a ringleader and a man with training in Ireland on how to react to oppressors. McParlan may be feeling sympathy for the Irish immigrants who are belabored with cruel treatment, but he does feel something more for Mary Raines (Samantha Eggar), a town girl. McParlan also notes the growing tendency of the miners to form a group called the Maguires, who use violence to achieve their ends.