Blue Collar (1978)

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 | Work | Racial Slur

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

Color:

Color (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:

It was a very tense shoot because the three lead actors, Richard Pryor, Yaphet Kotto and Harvey Keitel argued constantly. According to Paul Schrader, Pryor punched Keitel and hit Kotto with a chair during filming.

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:

References Bells of Rosarita (1945)

Soundtrack:

Saturday Night Special

Pryor does his thing.

I was extremely impressed with the acting of the 3 main characters(Pryor, Kotto, and Keitel). Since I grew up in Detroit and my Dad and uncles worked for the big 3 the Auto Industry angle caught me. In the scene where Keitel was on the Belle Isle Bridge, I spotted in the background the Uniroyal Tire Company, where my Grandad worked for over 40 years. Yet Pryor's performance was terrific. The scene with the IRS agent was CLASSIC and a perfect example of blending comedy into a not so funny situation for Zeke's somewhat straight character. I thoroughly enjoyed this movie and seeing some old landmarks and areas the way they were was a treat.