When three automotive factory workers who're struggling financially try to steal from their own labor union, they discover corruption, and reluctantly decide to use this information for blackmail.
Director:
Writers:
Stars:
Awards:
- 1 win & 2 nominations.
- See more »
Photos and Videos
Complete, Cast awaiting verification
| Richard Pryor | ... |
Zeke
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| Harvey Keitel | ... |
Jerry
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| Yaphet Kotto | ... |
Smokey
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| Ed Begley Jr. | ... |
Bobby Joe
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| Harry Bellaver | ... |
Eddie Johnson
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| George Memmoli | ... |
Jenkins
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| Lucy Saroyan | ... |
Arlene Bartowski
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| Lane Smith | ... |
Clarence Hill
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| Cliff De Young | ... |
John Burrows
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| Borah Silver | ... |
Dogshit Miller
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| Chip Fields | ... |
Caroline Brown
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| Harry Northup | ... |
Hank
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Leonard Gaines | ... |
I.R.S. Man
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| Milton Selzer | ... |
Sumabitch
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Sammy Warren | ... |
Barney
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| Jimmy Martinez | ... |
Charlie T. Hernandez
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Jerry Dahlmann | ... |
Superintendent
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Denny Arnold | ... |
Unshaven Thug
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| Rock Riddle | ... |
Blond Thug
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Stacey Baldwin | ... |
Debby Bartowski
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Steve Butts | ... |
Bob Bartowski
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Stephen P. Dunn | ... |
Flannigan
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Speedy Brown | ... |
Slim
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Davone Florence | ... |
Frazier Brown
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Eddie Singleton | ... |
Ali Brown
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Ava Singleton | ... |
Aretha Brown
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Vermettya Royster | ... |
Neighbor
(as Vernetta Royster)
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Jaime Carreire | ... |
Little Joe
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Victoria McFarland | ... |
Doris
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Gloria Delaney | ... |
Party Girl
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Rosa Flores | ... |
Party Girl
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Crystal McCarey | ... |
Party Girl
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Debra Fay Walker | ... |
Party Girl
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Gino Ardito | ... |
Detective
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Sean Fallon Walsh | ... |
Detective
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Vincent Lucchesi | ... |
Newspaper Reporter
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Jerry Snider | ... |
TV Reporter
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| Colby Chester | ... |
TV Reporter
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Donl Morse | ... |
Union Member
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William Pelt | ... |
Union Member
(as William Pert)
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| Tracey Walter | ... |
Union Member
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Almeria Quinn | ... |
Union Secretary
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Lee McDonald | ... |
Security Guard
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Rodney Lee Walker | ... |
Boy in Dime Store
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| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
| Vincent Di Paolo | ... |
Factory Worker (uncredited)
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| Doctor Hayes | ... |
Union worker (uncredited)
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| Jeannine Oppewall | ... |
Woman with bicycle (uncredited)
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Jimmy Williams | ... |
Union Member with Broken Leg (uncredited)
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Directed by
| Paul Schrader | ||
Written by
| Paul Schrader | ... | (written by) and |
| Leonard Schrader | ... | (written by) |
| Sydney A. Glass | ... | (source material) |
Produced by
| Robin French | ... | executive producer |
| Don Guest | ... | producer |
| David Nichols | ... | associate producer |
Music by
| Jack Nitzsche | ||
Cinematography by
| Bobby Byrne | ... | director of photography |
Editing by
| Tom Rolf | ||
Editorial Department
| Sandy Davis | ... | assistant film editor |
| Janice Hampton | ... | assistant film editor |
Casting By
| Vic Ramos | ||
Production Design by
| Lawrence G. Paull | ||
Set Decoration by
| Peg Cummings | ||
Makeup Department
| Donl Morse | ... | makeup artist (as Sir Lord Donl) |
| Robert L. Stevenson | ... | hair stylist (as Robert Stevenson) |
Production Management
| Rusty Meek | ... | production manager (as G.C. Rusty Meek) |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
| Daniel Franklin | ... | second assistant director (as Dan Franklin) |
| Rusty Meek | ... | first assistant director (as G.C. Rusty Meek) |
Art Department
| Michael C. Ayers | ... | property master (as Michael Ayers) |
| Ernie Sawyers | ... | property master |
| Mort Zwicker | ... | construction |
Sound Department
| Tom Beckert | ... | sound re-recordist |
| Willie D. Burton | ... | sound (as Willie Burton) |
| Marvin E. Lewis | ... | sound (as Marvin Lewis) |
| Stanley H. Polinsky | ... | sound re-recordist (as Stan Polanski) |
| James G. Stewart | ... | sound re-recordist (as Jim Stewart) |
| Winfred Tennison | ... | sound |
Stunts
| Jim Connors | ... | stunt driver (as Matt 'Jim' Connors) |
| Frank Orsatti | ... | stunt driver |
| Glenn R. Wilder | ... | stunt coordinator (as Glenn Wilder) / stunt driver (as Glenn Wilder) |
Camera and Electrical Department
| William D. Barber | ... | second assistant camera (as Bill Barber) |
| Rick Borchardt | ... | key grip |
| James F. Boyle | ... | gaffer (as Jimmy Boyle) |
| Ophelious Braxton | ... | second grip |
| David Calloway | ... | second assistant camera (as David Callaway) |
| Doug J. Campbell | ... | dolly grip (as Doug Campbell) |
| William Dear | ... | additional photographer |
| Wynn Hammer | ... | still photographer |
| Aaron Pazanti | ... | best boy |
| Ted T. Sugura | ... | first assistant camera (as Tadashi Sugiura) |
| Jim Taylor | ... | still photographer |
| Robert C. Thomas | ... | camera operator |
| Ron Kenyon | ... | lighting technician (uncredited) |
Costume and Wardrobe Department
| Ron Dawson | ... | wardrobe |
| Alice Rush | ... | wardrobe |
Location Management
| Joan McWade | ... | location auditor |
Music Department
| Michael Boddicker | ... | musician: synthesizer (uncredited) |
| Ry Cooder | ... | special musical arrangements |
Script and Continuity Department
| Wallace C. Bennett | ... | script supervisor (as Wally Bennett) |
Transportation Department
| Pat Carmen | ... | transportation |
| Gary Littlefield | ... | transportation |
| Thomas A. Gordon | ... | driver (uncredited) |
Additional Crew
| Wallace C. Bennett | ... | assistant to producer (as Wally Bennett) |
| Judy Bornstein | ... | assistant: Paul Schrader |
| Bonnie Bruckheimer | ... | assistant to producer |
| Robbie Curtis | ... | assistant to yaphet Kotto |
| Stephen P. Dunn | ... | assistant: Paul Schrader (as Stephen Dunn) |
| Bryan Greenberg | ... | 2nd Assistant Cameraman 2nd unit |
| David Hoberman | ... | production executive: TAT |
| Barbara Hodous | ... | production coordinator |
| Jeannine Oppewall | ... | technical consultant |
| Dan Perri | ... | title designer |
| Beverly Walker | ... | production consultant |
| Dianne E. Collins | ... | publicist: M/S Billings Publicity Ltd. (uncredited) |
Production Companies
Distributors
- Universal Pictures (1978) (United States) (theatrical)
- Cinema International Corporation (CIC) (1978) (United Kingdom) (theatrical)
- Cinema International Corporation (CIC) (1979) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
- Cinema International Corporation (CIC) (1979) (Norway) (theatrical)
- Cinema International Corporation (CIC) (1979) (Sweden) (theatrical)
- Sonoro Filme (1979) (Portugal) (theatrical)
- DiscoVision (1979) (United States) (video) (laserdisc)
- Cinema International Corporation (CIC) (1980) (Austria) (theatrical)
- MCA Videocassette (1981) (United States) (VHS)
- CIC Video (1986) (West Germany) (VHS)
- MCA/Universal Home Video (1995) (United States) (VHS)
- Anchor Bay Entertainment (1999) (United States) (VHS)
- Anchor Bay Entertainment (2000) (United States) (DVD)
- Universal Pictures (2006) (United Kingdom) (DVD)
- Universal Pictures Home Entertainment (UPHE) (2009) (United States) (DVD)
- Cargo Records (2016) (Germany) (DVD) (and Blu-ray)
- NBC Universal Television Distribution (2018) (United States) (tv) (syndication)
- Powerhouse Films (2018) (United Kingdom) (Blu-ray) (Limited Edition)
- Elephant Films (2019) (France) (video)
Special Effects
Other Companies
- Checker Motors (the filmmakers would like to thank: for their help and cooperation in making this film possible)
- Cinemobile System (locations)
- City of Detroit Police Department (we also wish to thank: for their help and assistance)
- MCA Records (original soundtrack recording available exclusively on)
- Modern Film Effects (optical effects)
- Neiman-Tillar Associates (music and sound effects editing)
- Panavision (lenses and Panaflex camera)
- Porterfield Pontiac (automobiles supplied by)
- The City of Detroit, Michigan (we also wish to thank: for their help and assistance)
Storyline
| Plot Summary |
Three workers, Zeke (Richard Pryor), Jerry (Harvey Keitel), and Smokey (Yaphet Kotto), are working at a car plant and drinking their beers together. One night, when they steal away from their wives to have some fun, they get the idea to rob the local union's bureau safe. First they think it is a flop, because they get only six hundred dollars out of it, but then Zeke realizes that they also have gotten some "hot" material. They decide to blackmail their union. The best reason for that is the union itself. All three are provoked by the fact that the union claims to have lost ten thousand dollars by their robbery. Written by Oliver Heidelbach |
| Plot Keywords | |
| Taglines | The company builds cars and destroys men. See more » |
| Genres | |
| Parents Guide | View content advisory » |
| Certification |
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Additional Details
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Box Office
| Budget | $1,700,000 (estimated) |
Did You Know?
| Trivia | It was a very tense shoot, because Richard Pryor, Yaphet Kotto, and Harvey Keitel argued constantly. There were fights, verbal abuse, walk-offs, and Mexican stand-offs. According to Paul Schrader, Pryor punched Keitel and hit Kotto with a chair during filming. See more » |
| Goofs | In the bowling alley scene, Carolyn bowls a ball toward a set of only a few pins. In the next cutaway shot, all of the pins are there as the ball rolls through them. See more » |
| Movie Connections | Featured in Special Show: At the Cassette Store, Part 3 (1986). See more » |
| Soundtracks | Hard Workin Man See more » |
| Quotes |
[last lines]
Smokey James: [voiceover echoing earlier line] They pit the lifers against the new boy and the young against the old. The black against the white. Everything they do is to keep us in our place. See more » |