Opinion: ‘North Country’ takes on sexual harassment

Lois Jenson’s story was chronicled in the book “Class Action: The Landmark Case That Changed Sexual Harassment Law.” In 1975, Jenson was one of the first four women to be hired by Eveleth Mines in northern Minnesota.

Jenson and the other women who eventually signed on at the mine suffered harassment, humiliation, and emotional and physical duress. Jenson was even preyed upon by a co-worker who stalked her.

Thirteen years later, she’d had enough and filed a lawsuit. Sexual harassment was soon to come to the fore when a few years later the Clarence Thomas hearings were broadcast on national TV in their entirety.

Although Jenson, et al., won their case and America seems to be more sensitive to the issue, there are still many people – male and female – who have the mindset that women are either making too much of the matter or even asking for it.

Niki Caro’s new film, “North Country,” is very loosely based on “Class Action.”

Instead of Lois Jenson, the lead character is Josie Stiles, played by Charlize Theron. Josie isn’t one of the first women to sign on at the mine. After leaving her abusive husband, she returns to her hometown and must find a way to support herself and her two kids.

She meets an old friend named Glory who is working at the mine and encourages Josie to apply. Glory is played by Frances McDormand, already experienced in talking Minnesotan from her role in “Fargo.” McDormand is among the finest actors working today and turns in a powerful performance as Glory.

Josie’s uneasiness begins even before she’s hired as she must go through a gynecological exam to pass the mine’s medical requirements. “The doc says you look pretty good under them clothes,” the man taking her application says with a leer.

After being hired, things go from bad to worse.

Many of the women are thick-skinned. Some, like Glory, the men don’t bother. She’s as tough as they are, and they know it. Some of the women don’t have to worry about being harassed – but they don’t look like Charlize Theron.

An old boyfriend manhandles Josie. The response from the abuser’s wife, and the community in general, is that she’s a whore.

Sexually explicit items turn up in the women’s lockers and lunch boxes. Derogatory remarks and crude cartoons are drawn on the walls and the machinery. When Josie complains, the company merely says it will waive the “two weeks notice before quitting” requirement.

After nearly being raped, Josie has had enough. She quits and hires a lawyer (Woody Harrelson). The judge hearing the case says if two more women will step forward, he will award class action status to the complaint. This will be very bad for the mining company. While all of the women know it’s the right thing to do, they also need their jobs.

Eventually, after an emotional roller coaster ride played out in flashbacks, the class action suit is filed.

Much more than a great courtroom drama, which it is, “North Country” explores the mindset of people who have no concept of why it’s wrong to grab a person’s behind, make lewd comments or generally intimidate someone. The culture of blaming the victim adds to the general uneasiness the film evokes.

A prime example is Josie’s dad, Hank. When Josie comes to stay after leaving her husband, Hank asks, “Did he catch you in bed with another man? Is that why he put his hands on you?”

As if that really mattered. Richard Jenkins gives the best male performance in the film. The emotional complexity he displays, using very few words, is astonishing.

Even many of the women side with the men. Josie’s mom, played by Sissy Spacek, begs her not to work at the mine. That’s where Hank works and it would “disgrace” him.

There’s a subplot involving Glory that is devastating, and the back-story about the father of Josie’s oldest child weaves in and out of the main tale.

The first two acts are well-measured and take the time to develop the “feel” of what’s going on at the mine and the characters’ reactions. In act three, it seems minds are changed too quickly. It’s hard to believe that lifelong, ingrained prejudices could disappear at one union meeting or court session. That’s my only complaint about the entire film.

Director Caro, a native of New Zealand, had a breakout critical success in 2002. “Whale Rider,” which concerned a young woman who believed it was her destiny to become chief of her New Zealand tribe, though women aren’t allowed to do such things.

While the themes of the two are similar, “North Country” is a distinctly American film. But Caro shows that some emotions, struggles and strife are universal to the human spirit.

Jim Wunderle owns Wunderle Sound Services and is a Springfield free-lance writer and musician.[[In-content Ad]]