User Reviews

Although the title of this film refers to the daily life of a coal miner, it;s really just a framing device for a series of scenes depicting the various processes taking place at a typical colliery in the early 20th century. What's noticeable is the primitive working conditions - just look at that lift that transports the miners to and from the coal face - and the dour expressions on the faces of the miners, even as they queue to collect their wages in their misshapen jackets and patched up trousers. It's also surprising to see how many women were employed by the collieries.

What you think will be the final shot of the film is a mirror of its opening scene: the miner returning home to his waiting family after his day's work. But there's another scene after this titled 'a cosy fireside' and we see not the miner's family relaxing after their day's work, but an obviously wealthy family enjoying the warmth of a coal fire. Can't help thinking this was perhaps a jab in the ribs of the middle classes...

This pioneering documentary is successful in conveying a sense of what it would be like to work in a coal mine, and in depicting the bustling activity involved in processing the coal. It's always interesting to get an idea of how others have to pursue their livelihood, and this feature works pretty well in that respect. It has held up well, and it gives you a very good sense of what work in a coal mine is like, or at least what it was like in 1910. Those who saw the initial release must have found it a worthwhile survey of the subject.

While the approach is straightforward, it does work well. The movie starts by focusing on one miner as he starts the working day, and it then moves on to show many of the other activities going on at the mining site. The photography does a good job of showing many of the steps involved in the process. It may not be the most exciting of possible subjects for a documentary, but the film was made with some skill, and it is effective in explaining its subject.

This film starts with a miner saying goodbye to his wife and kids and heading off to the coalmine for his day's work. It ends with him returning to that same home and sitting in front of a real coal fire. In between we follow the process of mining coal for him as he prepares his gear and goes down the pit. An early example of a reality documentary, this film shows us what it was like back in 1910 to work down the mines. As such it is reasonably interesting just for the generational clash of seeing the men working on hands and knees, shirtless and with no PPE.

This probably isn't enough to hold all viewers though because the subject is not that interesting but what does make it of more value is to look at the quality of the film making and then remind yourself that this was over a century ago. The framing is good but more impressive is the camera work and lighting outside the pit and actually below ground as well. I'm sure it was very challenging to get these shots but they look so natural and easy.

Reasonably interesting as a look at a working mine from a century ago then but probably more valuable as a piece of cinema history in the UK.