Hoffa (1992)

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

Director:

Danny DeVito

Writer:

David Mamet

Stars:

Jack Nicholson, Danny DeVito, Armand Assante

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 2 wins & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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
Natalija 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

Storyline

Jack Nicholson's portrait of Union leader James R. Hoffa, as seen through the eyes of his friend, Bobby Ciaro (Danny DeVito). The film follows Hoffa through his countless battles with the RTA and President Roosevelt all the way to a conclusion that negates the theory that he disappeared in 1975.

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Plot Keywords:

union | rise and fall | organized crime | robbery | 1960s | 

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Taglines:

He was capable of anything. He wasn't afraid of anyone. That's why everyone was afraid of him.

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Genres:

Biography | Crime | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence and strong language

Details

Country:

France USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 December 1992 (USA)

Also Known As:

Jimmy Hoffa

Filming Locations:

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

Box Office

Budget:

$35,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$24,276,500 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Canal+, Jersey Films, Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

140 min

Sound Mix:

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

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Tim Burton:  one of the corpses in the Teamsters' funeral scene.

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Goofs

When Jimmy and Billy torch bomb the building, they create a blast so intense, it blows out the passenger side window on Bobby's truck. Yet in the following shots, the window goes from being intact, to being shattered.

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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.

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Connections

References A Clockwork Orange (1971)

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Soundtracks

"Hey Look Me Over"
Written by Cy Coleman & Carolyn Leigh

User Reviews

great film about a great man

I actually knew a guy whose uncle would have coffee with Hoffa regularly in Chicago and they were good friends so this movie is very near and dear to me. Hoffa did for organized labor what Martin Luther King Jr. did for civil rights. He pioneered it, organized it, led it and ultimately died for it. Jack Nicholson is dynamite. He really looks like Jimmy Hoffa and he's got him down pat. You feel empathy for him, what he has to go thru, and the constant, devastating betrayals that occur throughout his life by the Mob and the Teamsters. Danny DeVito is good and you feel sorry for him almost as much as you respect him and even fear him. He's tough, brash, competent and a good shot with a .45 Auto and he loves Hoffa. That is evident early on and doesn't leave you. This movie was made not as a factual piece but more of a testament to his movement and his struggle to fight for his men and get them what they deserve. The ending is very poignant and endearing almost to a fault. If you are interested in finding out what really happened to Hoffa read Contract Killer by William Hoffman and Lake Headley it goes into great detail about his final hours, who killed him and most importantly why. The message is simple. What you love can kill you and most men who sacrifice all for a cause end up becoming martyrs to it.