The exposition really establishes the mood of the film. It begins by following a coughing coal miner, covered in black soot, as he crawls around in damp dark mountain shafts. The miner is setting explosives and using verbal warnings to spread the word that dynami

Cinematography plays an important role in developing a good versus evil conflict in this movie, especially with regards to lighting and color. Those associated with "the company" are constantly shrouded in darkness. When the Negro scabs first arrive, the striking miners attack them in open daylight. They are able to successfully fight them off and reboard the train. Yet they face a more sinister fate when they finally arrive at the company housing. A Company man describes the depth of debt they are already in even as they have just arrived. He is constantly in low key lighting, his face frequently illuminated by only side lighting as sunlight seeps through cracks in the shudders. Though clean and richly dressed, company gun thugs resemble the miners, in that they have been blackened by the coal industry. The main antagonist, Hickey is perpetually dressed from head to toe in black, as are most of his counterparts. The darkness also provides a level of anonymity for the gun thugs. When the strikers run up to stop the scabs from working a night shift there is some heavy tension in the air. Crouched behind a Gatling gun sits one of the many armed company men bent on breaking the strike. His face is invisible, completely covered by shadow. It seems to imply that it is not a man behind the gun, but merly an extension of the weapon, a device unhindered by moral objections or implications. One false move and he could mow down every miner like sheep to the slaughter. The darkness is similar to the inside of the mines. The men are used to being encased by mortal danger and do not even pay the gunmen a second thought. They have become so used to facing danger everyday that it no longer has a subduing affect on the miners.

Sound plays a key role in developing conflict and contrast in Matewan. One audio element that plays an important role is the vocals in the film. Volume, tone and accent are used to distinguish characters background and association. Most of the miners have strong country accents. They speak at a normal volume and tone but their grammar is often horrible and their words have a southern twang. This portrays their poor working class status. Most probably have very little formal education, they are simple and hardworking and only want to provide a decent living for themselves and their families. Joe Kenehan on the other hand is an outsider; his accent is not traceable to one area of the country. This is in keeping with the idea that he has traveled all over, doing everything from prison time in Leavenworth, Kansas to helping set up unions all over the place. He has a very soft, smooth tone of voice, portraying him as kind, caring, and formally educated. Kevin Tighe as Hickey by far has the most defined vocal characteristics in the film. He often speaks at a low volume with very menacing tones. For example when Sid Hatfield forces him and his men to stop evicting some of the miners he comes up very close whispers to Hatfield that he will be unable to win and that he should not even attempt to try. He also uses his low, sinister tone when he threatens Danny after he over heard the plot to get Kenehan killed. His voice is just the beginning. Hickey also has many other characteristics that build on his evil nature that will be touched later in the analysis.

Few Clothes Johnson can been seen as somewhat of an opposite compared to Kenehan. While he is a very good man, strong, proud and honorable he does not see things as idealized as Kenehan. He is a Negro worker who recognizes the social restraints that he must deal with constantly because of his color and economic position. James Earl Jones was brilliantly powerful in several scenes especially when he meets the all white union for the first time. The men are very harsh and threatening, but Few Clothes takes it in stride and knows how to play his hand. "I've been called nigger... but I ain't never been called no scab!" The conflict betw

Some common words found in the essay are:
Sid Hatfield, Danny Radnor, Sayles' Matewan, CE Lively's, Joe Kenehan, Hickey Griggs, Earl Jones, Crouched Gatling, Westerns Strangers, Bridey Mae, coal operators, gun thugs, joe kenehan, danny radnor, mise en scene, mise en, en scene, film sayles, striking miners, ce lively, sid hatfield, sound cinematography mise, sid hatfield forces, comes close whispers, miners cheek coal,
Approximate Word count = 3137
Approximate Pages = 13 (250 words per page double spaced)