| Director | Claude Berri |
|---|---|
| Budget | €27.4 million |
| Box office | $36.1 million |
The film takes place in Northern France in a coal mining town during the mid-nineteenth century. The film begins with Étienne Lantier, an unemployed engineer, arrives at a coal mine named "Le Voreux" seeking work. He is ignored by each over-worked, tired miner until Maheu learns that one of his team members has died and must find a replacement. Maheu is the father of eight children some of whom work in the mines. Catherine is on her father's mining team and becomes interested in Étienne Lantier when he begins working with them. Later, he moves in with them because the Maheu family needs the rent money he provides after their eldest son, Zacharie, marries the girl he impregnated.
The main action of the film occurs after a cave-in in the mines due to insufficient timbering. The director of Voreux, Philippe Hennebeau, lowered the price of each coal cart to encourage the miners to spend more time timbering after the costly accident. Étienne who arrived at "Le Voreux" after punching his former boss and getting fired, had already been encouraging workers to go on strike. His lively conversations with Rassneur (who possesses socialist views) and Souvarine (who possesses anarchist views) about going on strike and earning better working conditions for the miners occur throughout the film. The workers go on strike led by Maheu and Étienne; however, Catherine, influenced by her possessive lover, Chaval, goes to work at Jean Bart, another mine in the area. Maheude, Catherine's mother and Maheu's wife, kicks her out of the house, and she is forced to live with the emotionally abusive Chaval, while Etienne pines for her.
As the strike progresses, soldiers are sent to Voreux to protect the mine and keep the town in check. Maheu and Etienne host a rally one night and Chaval appears, claiming allegiance to the cause. The next day, he arrives at Jean Bart to stop work. However, he is unsuccessful; even Catherine is against him, and the miners return to work after a minor interruption until Maheu and Étienne arrive at Jean Barts.
At the height of the strike, the workers of Voreux march on the factory, which is protected by soldiers, and demand they stand down. The workers who brought women and children, including Maheude and her infant, were emboldened to destroy the mine. After a brief standoff, Maheu is shot and killed and the strike comes to a halt.
The following day, the workers return to Voreux, but Souvarine, the anarchist, sabotages the mine so that it would flood. The workers return as Souvarine leaves, and Étienne, Chaval, and Catherine are trapped in the mine when it fills with water and the mine shaft collapses. Chaval tries to attack Catherine after accusing her of cheating on him with Étienne, so Étienne defends her by killing Chaval. The two lovers are finally together for a brief moment before Catherine dies in the mine. Zacharie and several other miners enter the mine at another point to save Catherine and Étienne but is killed by an explosion from his lantern. Étienne makes it out of the mine alive and leaves Voreux for good in the final scene after saying goodbye to Maheude, who is seen descending into the mine with the other workers.
While the strike occurs, the audience receives glimpses into the lives of the Director (Hennebeau) of mines and his family. Hennebeau's nephew, Paul Négrel, is the engineer at Voreux. He is engaged to Cécile Gregoire, the daughter of, Voreux's owner Léon Gregoire. However, Paul is having an affair with this aunt, Madame Hennebeau.