[1] The drama focuses on screenwriter/director Herbert Biberman and his efforts to make what would become the historic political film, Salt of the Earth in 1954, produced without studio backing after he was blacklisted for belonging to the American Communist Party.

Yet, with Cold War paranoia growing, a group of Hollywood directors and actors — Biberman, Sondergaard, Danny Kaye and Dalton Trumbo among them - are labelled Communists and questioned in front of Congress.

She feels the lead role of Esperanza Quintero, who rallied the wives of the unemployed miners and urged them to support their husbands, is an ideal way to jump-start her stagnating career.

Juan Chacón, the Union Local president, is cast as the fiery Ramon Quintero opposite Mexican actress Rosaura Revueltas as his wife Esperanza.

[4] Jack L. Warner, Humphrey Bogart, Edward Dmytryk, Howard Hughes, Dalton Trumbo, and George Jessel are among the real-life personalities depicted in the film.

"[5] Leslie Camhi, writing for The Village Voice, liked the work of director Karl Francis and how he kept close to the true story, and wrote, "As Biberman, Jeff Goldblum mutes his considerable charisma; his stilted intellectual is so consumed by ideology that he hardly notices the harm done to his wife, actress Gale Sondergaard (played by firebrand Greta Scacchi), whose Oscar-winning career was cut short by his unflinching idealism.