Blue Collar (1978)
Genre: Crime / Drama
Duration: 114 minuten
Country:
United States
Directed by: Paul Schrader
Stars: Richard Pryor, Harvey Keitel and Yaphet Kotto
IMDb score:
7,5 (12.172)
Releasedate: 10 February 1978
Blue Collar plot
"Whatever became of the American Dream?"
Three workers in Detroit; Zeke, Jerry and Smokey drink their beers together. One evening they flee the domestic family to have some fun and decide to rob the local union building. At first it looks like a flop as they only find $600 until Zeke realizes they are finding classified information. They decide to extort the union...
Actors and actresses
Zeke Brown
Jerry Bartowski
Smokey James
Bobby Joe
Eddie Johnson Union President AAW Local 291
Jenkins
Arlene Bartowski
Clarence Hill, Union Steward
John Burrows
Dogshit Miller, Foreman
Reviews & comments
james_cameron
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- 7187 messages
- 9926 votes
Fine directorial debut by Paul Schrader, somewhat dated but still topical and relevant. On dvd the film still looks fine. Most striking aspect is the strong role of Richard Pryor, who proves here that he can also handle more dramatic work excellently. Too bad he was not able to show that more. The film is surprisingly humorous, despite the grim aspects of the plot and the gloomy ending.
Translated from Dutch · View original
Filmkriebel
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- 10133 messages
- 4740 votes
The familiar story from those years. Bosses and unions in cahoots until everyone is satisfied ... Detroit, in an assembly plant for cars ... The trio in financial trouble who decide to rob the union office are naive enough to believe that they can blackmail the union, but it turns against them. I can easily believe that such situations once existed. My uncle, who worked in a factory at the time, I heard more than once complain about how little the union did for the workers. The 70s were a mega-corrupt decade.
Great atmosphere with bowling alleys, rough looking bars, shabby factory spaces, those crazy cars. I almost get nostalgic for this even though I only knew those years as a toddler. Not a bad debut from Schrader but the film had some trouble finding the right tone. At some moments it tended more towards comedy; fortunately the rudder then turned again towards social satire.
Translated from Dutch · View original
wendyvortex
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- 5293 messages
- 7309 votes
Great intro with Captain Beefheart in a variation on Mannish Boy accompanied by the machines in the factory. 3 friends decide to rob their union out of need for money. Richard Pryor in a serious role, Harvey Keitel in his best years and Yaphet Kotto (a little less known but he was Roger Moore's opponent in Live and Let Die). What if the union is just as corrupt as the bosses? Pitch black around the end.
Translated from Dutch · View originalLatest News
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