6 Best Mining Town and Steel Town Movies

By Vlad Zakh · April 2, 2026

Towns built around a single mine or mill tell powerful stories about community, hardship and change. The Full Monty has unemployed steelworkers planning a striptease, Billy Elliot has a miner’s son chasing ballet during a bitter strike, and The Deer Hunter follows steel mill friends changed by Vietnam. F.I.S.T., The Molly Maguires and How Green Was My Valley round out the six.

The Full Monty (1997)

TMDB ★ 7.2

A group of unemployed steelworkers plan a striptease act to earn some badly needed money.

Directed by Peter Cattaneo · 1h 31m · Rated R

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Billy Elliot (2000)

IMDb ★ 7.7 RT 85% Metacritic 74

A miner's son secretly trains as a ballet dancer against his family's wishes.

Directed by Stephen Daldry · 1h 51m · Rated R

Nominated for 3 Oscars55 wins & 71 nominations

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Deer Hunter (1978)

IMDb ★ 8.1 RT 86% Metacritic 90

Three friends from a Pennsylvania steel town are forever changed by their experiences in the Vietnam War.

Directed by Michael Cimino · 3h 03m · Rated R

Won 5 Oscars24 wins & 27 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, FlixFling · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

F.I.S.T. (1978)

TMDB ★ 6.0

An idealistic labour organiser's rise to power within his union gradually corrupts his original principles.

Directed by Norman Jewison · 2h 25m · Rated PG

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Molly Maguires (1970)

TMDB ★ 6.7

A Pinkerton detective infiltrates a secret society of Irish coal miners fighting brutal working conditions.

Directed by Martin Ritt · 2h 00m · Rated PG

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

How Green Was My Valley (1941)

TMDB ★ 7.7

A Welsh mining family's bonds are tested by economic hardship and generational change.

Directed by John Ford · 1h 58m · Rated NR

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Streaming availability data from JustWatch, via TMDB. Availability changes often, so check the service before you plan a movie night.

Vlad Zakh

Founder, Movieix

Founder of Movieix. He started the site because most recommendation pages felt like noise. Here, lists are sorted by who's in the film, where it's from and what mood you're in tonight.

6 Best Mining Town and Steel Town Movies

The Full Monty (1997)

Billy Elliot (2000)

The Deer Hunter (1978)

F.I.S.T. (1978)

The Molly Maguires (1970)

How Green Was My Valley (1941)

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