Salt of the Earth was asking for trouble. Written, produced and directed by three of Hollywood's blacklisted fellow travelersMichael Wilson, Paul Jarrico and Herbert Bibermanthe picture was sponsored by the International Union of Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers (expelled from the C.I.O. in 1950 for being Communist-dominated ).
When production started near Silver City, N. Mex. (pop. 7,000), the townspeople rioted and warned the moviemakers to get out of town before they were shipped out "in black boxes" (TIME, March 16, 1953). Under police protection, Jarrico & Co. kept shooting until the leading lady,...
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