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American Dreams: These movies were made for Labor Day

Amid all the barbecues, picnics, beach trips and family get-togethers that accompany Labor Day*, it’s easy to forget the true purpose of the holiday.

Signed into law by Grover Cleveland in 1895, Labor Day was created to celebrate the social and economic achievements of our nation’s work force. For that reason, it’s become a popular day for political rallies and stump speeches. It’s also a great weekend to see a movie.

Here’s a handful of films that tackle labor unions, the economy and the American work force.

“The Grapes of Wrath” (1940): Tragedy and tribulations befall the Joad family as they flee Depression-era Oklahoma in search of a better life out west. John Steinbeck’s story of Dust Bowl struggles translates to the screen beautifully.

“On the Waterfront” (1954): Terry “coulda been a contender.” Instead the would-be prizefighter (Marlon Brando) finds himself caught up in a corrupt dock workers’ union.

“F.I.S.T.” (1978): A silly title for a serious subject. Johnny Kovak (Sylvester Stallone) joins the Teamsters in the 1930s and works his way to the top.

“Norma Rae” (1979): A spunky single mom (Sally Field, apple-cheeked as always) works to unionize her textile mill. The movie won Field her first Oscar.

“9 to 5″ (1980): Three secretaries (Jane Fonda, Lilly Tomlin and Dolly Parton) turn the tables on their chauvinistic boss. You go, girls.

“Gung Ho” (1986): East meets west when a Japanese car company buys a Pennsylvania auto factory. Michael Keaton is terrific as the plant manager torn between his new bosses and his old friends.

“Working Girl” (1988): Tess McGill (Melanie Griffith) is a hard-working secretary with dreams of ruling Wall Street. When her boss breaks a leg while skiing, she fills in and brokers a deal with a handsome investment banker for her firm’s future.

“Roger & Me” (1989): When General Motors closed its Flint, Mich., plant, laying off 30,000 people, documentary filmmaker Michael Moore sought answers from company CEO Roger Smith. This is the movie that turned Moore into Corporate Gadfly No. 1.

“Hoffa” (1992): Jack Nicholson plays the legendary Teamster union leader, who disappeared under mysterious circumstances in 1975.

“Grosse Point Blanke” (1997): When a hit man returns home for his high school reunion, guess who’s dogging his heels? Fellow killer Dan Aykroyd, who just happens to be setting up an assassin’s union.

“North Country”(2005): Charlize Theron and her fellow female workers face insults, abuse and sexual harrassment at a mine in Minnesota. The resultant battle of wills is so damn depressing I nearly switched off my TV.

“The Pursuit of Happyness” (2006): Chris Gardner chases the American Dream (in his case, becoming a New York stock broker) while struggling to survive as a homeless single father. Will Smith and his son Jaden bring Gardner’s touching true story to life.

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*I know what you’re thinking: Labor Day-related blogs should be posted on Labor Day. But I had the day off!

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Photo courtesy of MovieWeb.com.