Hoffa (1992)

User Rating:

6.5/10   

Director:

Danny DeVito

Writer (WGA):

David Mamet (written by)

Release Date:

25 December 1992 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Crime | Drama

Tagline:

He didn't want law. He wanted justice.

Plot:

A film based on the story of legendary union figure Jimmy Hoffa.

Plot Keywords:

Union | Tense | Labor Dispute | Labor Union | Political

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 2 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Jack Nicholson	...	James R. 'Jimmy' Hoffa
Danny DeVito	...	Bobby Ciaro
Armand Assante	...	Carol D'Allesandro
J.T. Walsh	...	Frank Fitzsimmons
John C. Reilly	...	Pete Connelly
Frank Whaley	...	Young Kid
Kevin Anderson	...	Robert Kennedy
John P. Ryan	...	Red Bennett
Robert Prosky	...	Billy Flynn
Natalia Nogulich	...	Jo Hoffa
Nicholas Pryor	...	Hoffa's Attorney
Paul Guilfoyle	...	Ted Harmon
Karen Young	...	Young Woman at RTA
Cliff Gorman	...	Solly Stein
Joanne Neer	...	Soignee Woman

MPAA:

Rated R for violence and strong language.

Runtime:

140 min

Country:

France | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby SR (35 mm prints)

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Singapore:M18 | South Korea:15 | USA:R (certificate #32066) | Brazil:14 | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Chile:18 | Finland:K-14 | Norway:15 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Carnegie Mellon University - 5000 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

Company:

Canal+

Trivia:

Original screenplay was written by Robin Moore.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): In the scene where Hoffa, Billy Flynn, and Bobby Ciaro are preparing to set fire to a laundromat, Hoffa tells Ciaro to stay in the truck's cab and keep the engine running and in gear. This makes no sense, since Ciaro would have to keep the clutch down for the entire time it takes Hoffa and Flynn to set the fire. It would make more sense for Ciaro to keep the transmission running in idle, then quickly put it in gear for the getaway when Hoffa and Flynn are about to re-enter the truck.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Bobby Ciaro: Want me to go call him up?
Jimmy Hoffa: Uh-unh.
Bobby Ciaro: Want a cup of coffee?
Jimmy Hoffa: No.
Bobby Ciaro: Want to go?
[Hoffa gives him a scornful glance]
Bobby Ciaro: You OK?
Jimmy Hoffa: Yeah.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Kicking and Screaming (1995)

Soundtrack:

When You're Smiling

Great Film

I thought this was a great film, and I stress the word "film" because so many people are critical of "Hoffa" due to its lack of total historical accuracy. Its a movie based on a historical figure ,not a historical biography. Creative license was used to portray a man that while corrupt, was necessary for the American labor movement at that time. Many people owe Jimmy Hoffa a great deal of gratitude for the advancements he made for the "Working Man". This is often lost today because Jimmy Hoffa ultimately went down, and as we all know Americans love a winner. Danny Devito and Jack Nicholson were great. The DVD is well worth its price and contains some great extras, including some actual footage of Jimmy Hoffa and Robert Kennedy at the hearings in the late 50's. 9 out of 10 .