Blood Feud (TV 1983)

Made for TV movie about Bobby Kennedy's campaign to bring Jimmy Hoffa to justice.

Director:

Mike Newell

Writer:

Robert Boris

Stars:

Robert Blake, Cotter Smith, Danny Aiello

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Robert Blake	...	James Riddle 'Jimmy' Hoffa
Cotter Smith	...	Robert F. Kennedy
Danny Aiello	...	Randy Powers
Edward Albert	...	Phil Wharton (Kennedy Committee investigator)
Brian Dennehy	...	Edward Grady Partin (Hoffa aide and head of Teamsters Local 5, Baton Rouge)
Douglas Dirkson	...	Clark Mollenhoff (labor reporter)
Sam Groom	...	John F. Kennedy
Lance Henriksen	...	Mel Pierce (polygraph operator)
Michael Lerner	...	Eddie Cheyfitz (Hoffa's attorney)
Sandy McPeak	...	L.A. Police Department Capt. Hamilton
Forrest Tucker	...	Lyndon B. Johnson
Ernest Borgnine	...	J. Edgar Hoover
José Ferrer	...	Edward Bennett Williams (Hoffa's attorney)
Jim Antonio	...	James Neal
Seymour Cassel	...	Frank Kierdorff (Hoffa enforcer / torch)

Storyline

Made for TV movie about Bobby Kennedy's campaign to bring Jimmy Hoffa to justice.

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Plot Keywords:

fbi chief | corruption | organized crime | fbi | labor union

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Genres:

Crime | Drama

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 April 1983 (USA)

Also Known As:

Verfolgt bis in den Tod

Company Credits

Production Co:

20th Century Fox Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

210 min 193 min (FMC Library Print)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Robert Blake was said to have wanted the part of Jimmy Hoffa so badly, that he made a deal that if he acted up during production, they could fire him without pay.

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Quotes

Robert F. Kennedy: You - go to jail!
James Riddle 'Jimmy' Hoffa: Yeah?
Robert F. Kennedy: [pointing to himself] And this is the face that's going to put you there.

User Reviews

A Thumb on the Scales

Great production values for a TV miniseries. Director Mike Newell shows great gusto in dealing with groups of people, a trait which became even more evident as he went on to "Enchanted April," "Four Weddings and a Funeral" and "Pushing Tin." The supporting cast does distinguished work.

Cotter Smith is daring in his first venture outside series TV when he borrows so many of Robert Kennedy's unsympathetic mannerisms, and he certainly can't be accused of holding back. Unfortunately, he's missing the undisputed charisma of RFK and worse, he's up against Robert Blake as Hoffa.

Evil is always more interesting than good, and Blake has a lifetime of scene-stealing behind him. He's fifteen years past "In Cold Blood" here, and at the top of his game. He's a madman spouting hypocrisy so well that while he's talking you might believe him. You definitely can't take your eyes off him. In the acting duel, as opposed to real life, Kennedy doesn't stand a chance here.

So it's worthwhile viewing, but remember afterwards, after Kennedy was killed by a Palestinian gunman, RFK's lifetime of work for civil rights and against crime left the world a better place.

And as Jimmy Hoffa slumbers peacefully under the 50-yard line at Meadowlands Stadium, remember that he stole recklessly from his union membership, and connived at far worse crimes than that. Nixon may have pardoned him, but we don't have to.