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IMDbPro

Blue Collar

  • 1978
  • R
  • 1h 54m
IMDb RATING
7.5/10
10K
YOUR RATING
Blue Collar (1978)
Watch Trailer
Play trailer2:36
1 Video
80 Photos
CrimeDrama

When three workers try to steal from the local union, they instead discover corruption and decide to use this information for blackmail.When three workers try to steal from the local union, they instead discover corruption and decide to use this information for blackmail.When three workers try to steal from the local union, they instead discover corruption and decide to use this information for blackmail.

  • Director
    • Paul Schrader
  • Writers
    • Paul Schrader
    • Leonard Schrader
    • Sydney A. Glass
  • Stars
    • Richard Pryor
    • Harvey Keitel
    • Yaphet Kotto
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • IMDb RATING
    7.5/10
    10K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Paul Schrader
    • Writers
      • Paul Schrader
      • Leonard Schrader
      • Sydney A. Glass
    • Stars
      • Richard Pryor
      • Harvey Keitel
      • Yaphet Kotto
    • 68User reviews
    • 66Critic reviews
    • 77Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win & 2 nominations

    Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 2:36
    Watch Trailer

    Photos80

    Blue Collar (1978)
    Harvey Keitel and Richard Pryor in Blue Collar (1978)
    Harvey Keitel and Richard Pryor in Blue Collar (1978)
    Harvey Keitel, Yaphet Kotto, and Richard Pryor in Blue Collar (1978)
    Harvey Keitel, Yaphet Kotto, and Richard Pryor in Blue Collar (1978)
    Harvey Keitel, Yaphet Kotto, and Richard Pryor in Blue Collar (1978)
    Harvey Keitel and Cliff De Young in Blue Collar (1978)
    Harvey Keitel and Cliff De Young in Blue Collar (1978)
    Harvey Keitel and Cliff De Young in Blue Collar (1978)
    Harvey Keitel and Richard Pryor in Blue Collar (1978)
    Lucy Saroyan in Blue Collar (1978)
    Blue Collar (1978)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Richard Pryor
    Richard Pryor
    • Zeke
    Harvey Keitel
    Harvey Keitel
    • Jerry
    Yaphet Kotto
    Yaphet Kotto
    • Smokey
    Ed Begley Jr.
    Ed Begley Jr.
    • Bobby Joe
    Harry Bellaver
    Harry Bellaver
    • Eddie Johnson
    George Memmoli
    George Memmoli
    • Jenkins
    Lucy Saroyan
    Lucy Saroyan
    • Arlene Bartowski
    Lane Smith
    Lane Smith
    • Clarence Hill
    Cliff De Young
    Cliff De Young
    • John Burrows
    Borah Silver
    Borah Silver
    • Dogshit Miller
    Chip Fields
    Chip Fields
    • Caroline Brown
    Harry Northup
    Harry Northup
    • Hank
    Leonard Gaines
    • I.R.S. Man
    Milton Selzer
    Milton Selzer
    • Sumabitch
    Sammy Warren
    • Barney
    Jimmy Martinez
    Jimmy Martinez
    • Charlie T. Hernandez
    Jerry Dahlmann
    • Superintendent
    Denny Arnold
    • Unshaven Thug
    • Director
      • Paul Schrader
    • Writers
      • Paul Schrader
      • Leonard Schrader
      • Sydney A. Glass
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • 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.
    • 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.
    • 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.

    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: Special Show: At the Cassette Store, Part 3 (1986)
    • Soundtracks
      Hard Workin Man
      Music by Jack Nitzsche
      Lyrics by Jack Nitzsche, Ry Cooder and Paul Schrader
      Performed by Don Van Vliet (as Captain Beefheart)

    User reviews68

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    9/10
    It's Well Worth Your Time.
    Excellent urban drama depicting the lives of three friends who work at a car plant, and plan revenge on their boss. Pryor is great in the lead role, which is probably his best performance in a movie. Schrader does a fine job in his directorial debut and makes this film a pure enjoyment. Bravo for Keitel and Kotto in their supporting roles. A highly underrated film that deserves much better than it got.

    4 out of 5
    helpful•23
    3
    • phillafella
    • Jul 31, 2003

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    FAQ20

    • How long is Blue Collar?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • April 7, 1978 (Canada)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Blue Collar - Kampf am Fließband
    • Filming locations
      • Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA
    • Production company
      • TAT Communications Company
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $1,700,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $6,521,083
    • Gross worldwide
      • $6,521,083
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 54 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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