Blue Collar (1978)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

Paul Schrader

Writers:

Paul Schrader (written by) and
Leonard Schrader (written by) ...

Release Date:

10 February 1978 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Tagline:

Whatever became of the "American Dream"?

Plot:

Three workers, Zeke, Jerry and Smokey, are working at a car plant and drinking their beers together...

Plot Keywords:

Union | Robbery | Worker | Factory | Black Comedy

Cast

Richard Pryor	...	Zeke Brown
Harvey Keitel	...	Jerry Bartowski
Yaphet Kotto	...	Smokey James
Ed Begley Jr.	...	Bobby Joe
Harry Bellaver	...	Eddie Johnson Union President AAW Local 291
George Memmoli	...	Jenkins
Lucy Saroyan	...	Arlene Bartowski
Lane Smith	...	Clarence Hill, Union Steward
Cliff De Young	...	John Burrows
Borah Silver	...	Dogshit Miller, Foreman
Chip Fields	...	Caroline Brown
Harry Northup	...	Hank
Leonard Gaines	...	Mr. Bird, I.R.S. Man
Milton Selzer	...	Sumabitch
Sammy Warren	...	Barney

Runtime:

114 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Netherlands:16 | West Germany:16 | Finland:K-16 | Norway:15 | Norway:16 (original rating) | UK:18 | USA:R | Iceland:12

Filming Locations:

Detroit, Michigan, USA

Company:

TAT Communications Company

Trivia:

The word "fuck" and all various permutations of it are said 173 times.

Quotes:

Smokey James: Why do you go to the line every Friday?
Jerry Bartowski: Well ...
Smokey James: Because the finance man's gonna be at your house on Saturday, right? That's exactly what the company wants - to keep you on their line. They'll do anything to keep you on their line. They pit the lifers against the new boys, the old against the young, the black against the white - ANYTHING to keep us in our place.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in A Decade Under the Influence (2003)

Soundtrack:

Goodbye, So Long

Memorable film

Certain films remain at the back of one's mind for many years. The first time I saw the film, on television, I was impressed by the realism of the situation and honesty of acting. The film is enhanced by the driving power of the theme music. Years later, I again saw the film on television and was reminded of it and how good it is. The lead actors, Yaphet Koto, Harvey Keitel and Richard Prior, must have enjoyed much critical acclaim from fellow actors for their performances. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good story without too obvious predictability and easy options, especially those who think that all American movies are romanticism floss.