Watch Bisbee '17

Bisbee '17 is a documentary film released in 2018 that focuses on the events that took place in the small town of Bisbee, Arizona in 1917. The movie is directed by Robert Greene, who uses a mix of interviews, reenactments, and archival footage to tell the story of what happened when the town's copper miners went on strike. The film begins with a group of modern-day residents of Bisbee, who are preparing to stage a reenactment of the events that took place 100 years earlier. They are seen rehearsing their roles and discussing the history of the town and the strike. This serves as an introduction to the story that unfolds throughout the rest of the film.

The movie then goes back in time to 1917, when the copper miners in Bisbee went on strike. The mining company, which was owned by Phelps Dodge, responded by hiring the infamous Pinkerton Detective Agency to break up the strike. In July of that year, a group of Bisbee citizens, including the sheriff and other law enforcement officials, rounded up over 1,200 striking miners and their supporters, loaded them onto trains, and deported them to the New Mexico desert.

The documentary follows several characters who are connected to the events of 1917. These include descendants of some of the deported miners, as well as a mix of other Bisbee citizens who are involved in the reenactment. Each of these characters provides their own perspective on the strike and its aftermath.

Throughout the film, the story of the deportation of the striking miners is told in a variety of ways. There are interviews with historians and experts who provide context and analysis, as well as reenactments of the events using modern-day citizens of Bisbee. The cinematography is visually stunning, with shots of the desert landscape and the abandoned mining town that serve as a haunting reminder of the past.

One of the most striking elements of the film is the way in which it explores the legacy of the deportation. Some of the descendants of the deported miners are shown visiting the site where their ancestors were forced to live in the desert. They talk about the impact that the deportation had on their families and their community, and how it has influenced the way they see themselves as Americans.

Another theme that is explored throughout the film is the idea of memory and how it is constructed. The way in which the reenactment is staged and performed is shown to be a reflection of the town's own memory and interpretation of the events of 1917. The movie raises important questions about who gets to decide what is remembered and how it is remembered.

Overall, Bisbee '17 is a powerful and thought-provoking exploration of one of the darkest moments in American labor history. It combines historical analysis, personal stories, and stunning visuals to create a documentary that is both informative and emotionally engaging. The film asks important questions about how we remember our past and how we can learn from it, making it a must-watch for anyone interested in labor history or social justice issues.

Bisbee '17 is a 2018 documentary with a runtime of 1 hour and 52 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.8 and a MetaScore of 87.