ABSTRACT
Work and labor were found in many American films made between 1970 and 1989, but working life was not always the most prominent theme on display in a given movie. Whether serving in Vietnam, working on an assembly line, engaging in a criminal pursuit, driving a taxi, engaging in domestic tasks, or even battling a galactic empire, work was seen on screen. The stories that were told evolved over a 20-year period, and films that included representations of work and labor reflected wider trends in the movie industry.
