Cinematographer Haskel Wexler collaborated frequently with director John Sayles and MATEWAN is perhaps their finest film. Oscar nominated for cinematography; the film is staged in the classic western tradition. Matewan is a small mining town in West Virginia and is set in the 1920s. When the Stone Mountain Coal Company announces a cut in wages, the miners` response is strike action. A train arrives in town, bringing black and Italian workers to replace them. On that same train is Joe Kenehan (Chris Cooper), a union organiser whose aim is to unite all the diverse groups of workers to stand together. The bosses hire in some hired muscle to ‘keep the peace’. As the tension and violence escalates, the stage is set for a final showdown.