Review: Blue Collar


Searing, ferocious, and surprisingly funny 1978 directorial debut by screenwriter Paul Schrader (the screenwriter of “Taxi Driver” who went on to direct “American Gigolo”) about three increasingly disgruntled auto workers (Harvey Keitel, Yaphet Kotto, and Richard Pryor) who discover they’re being screwed not only by management, but by their own corrupt union. At first, they don’t want to believe it, even being rather hostile to the suggestion of corruption by nosy FBI man Cliff De Young, at one point. But eventually, they see things for what they are and devise a kind of payback, planning to rob the HQ of the union, a decision that will change each of their lives (and their relationship with each other) forever. Keitel, the white man of the trio, is happy to be a dutiful (and blissfully ignorant) employee at first, but the stresses of low pay, long hours, and increasing family commitments (i.e. His kids’ expensive dental bills) become too much to bear. Kotto is the cool, imposing, potentially volatile (but generally laidback) ex-con, a bachelor who likes to party, screw, and take drugs. Pryor is the fast-talking, foul-mouthed, highly-irritable family man who is badly in debt to the IRS, leading to an especially funny scene where he gets a visit from an IRS man questioning his claim that he has six kids (i.e. He has to borrow three of the neighbours kids. And wait ‘til you hear their names!). Lane Smith plays ineffectual union rep Clarence Hill, Ed Begley Jr.  is another co-worker and Harry Bellaver is the patronising, completely dishonest boss.

 

Written by Paul and brother Leonard Schrader (“Kiss of the Spider Woman”), this is a scathing, extremely angry film (I bet Michael Moore loves this movie!), with several outstanding performances (Kotto and a mostly serious Pryor the best among them, and apparently all three actors hated each other passionately and violently!) and powerful scenes (Kotto’s harrowing final scene is forever etched in my memory), and although the film slides into melodrama towards the end, there’s a lot of realism here, too.

 

My one real criticism would be that I found the partying and fornicating on the parts of married men Kotto and Pryor just didn’t seem to fit into a film where they are supposed to be sympathetic characters. But then, maybe I’m just being judgemental (And yet I had no problem with them committing robbery?). Absolutely top-notch, blues soundtrack and score by Jack Nietzsche (“Stand By Me”, “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”) is a definite standout. Absolutely worth seeking out if you’ve missed this one.

 

Rating: B+

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