Zeke, Smokey and Jerry are workers on the assembly line of an auto-factory in Michigan. They toil each and every day for too little pay and no benefits. Management is corrupt, and their union is no help whatsoever. After unforeseen events in their personal lives necessitate Zeke and Jerry having some extra cash, the three men decide to rob the safe at union headquarters. After the heist, things begin to unravel as the corruption and strong-arm tactics of the union come to light. Will Zeke, Smokey and Jerry make it out from under the union's thumb, or will the system keep them in their places and at each other's throats?

Paul Schrader's 'Blue Collar' is a powerful, gritty comedy-drama that is realistic, entertaining and surprisingly sapient. Written by Schrader and his brother Leonard (inspired by a story from Sydney A. Glass) the film skewers 70's society and the auto workers union, with its' inherent racism, classism and capitalist greed. It is in many places a hard film to watch because it's so believable, so sadly true. The characters in the film are kept down and in their place by a system they don't have the power to overthrow, or even escape from. Zeke, Smokey and Jerry are little more than pawns in the union's game, and the Schrader brothers' story is a critique of the corrupt game-players at the head of the table, as well as the system that allows them to thrive.

'Blue Collar' is also a wickedly funny crime caper, featuring sharp dialogue and set-pieces that are as memorable as they are mad-cap. The heist itself- though tense- is one of the funniest moments in the film. The back and forth between the characters throughout is fast-paced, clever and full of barbed wit. There are numerous compelling dramatic scenes- particularly in the latter half- which are generally counter-poised well with comedy; so things never become too dark or uncomfortable. It is a marvel of tone and an exercise in clever, balanced screenwriting and direction.

Credit must also go to Tom Rolf for his subtly assured editing, which helps maintain that tone. His work reinforces the power and drama at the heart of 'Blue Collar' deftly and with great dexterity. Bobby Byrne's cinematography must also be mentioned, as it is naturalistic but not without artistic stylizations. His composition is striking- be it a shot of three wasted men on a couch that has near religious symbolism, or an ending freeze frame that looks like a poster from the 40's- Byrne's work lingers in the mind long after the credits have rolled and you've left the cinema.

Jack Nitzsche's score is atmospheric and thunderously effective. Utilizing synthesizers and tools (and in one scene the sound of ominous bees) to create a naturalistic sound, Nitzsche's music is as angry and as wound-up as the characters in the film. His 'Hard Workin Man', sung by Captain Beefheart, is particularly memorable. He also makes efficacious use of songs from the likes of Lynyrd Skynyrd, Howlin' Wolf and Ike & Tina Turner, which complement the film and its' themes astutely.

Richard Pryor, Yaphet Kotto and Harvey Keitel star as Zeke, Smokey and Jerry respectively. Though they were reportedly bickering constantly during the making of 'Blue Collar', their chemistry seems genuine and each give grounded, commanding performances. Pryor's work as a dramatic actor is largely overlooked nowadays, with his eloquent, understated turns in moving films like 'Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling' and 'Some Kind Of Hero' going largely unsung. His work as Zeke in 'Blue Collar' is better remembered, though, and he is brilliant in the film. Funny at times, brash at others, but always enveloped in an air of vulnerability; you sympathize with him completely. It is naturalistic, enthralling work that is at the peak of Pryor's filmography.

Kotto and Keitel are somewhat side-lined in most reviews- both contemporary and retrospective- though they too deliver masterful performances full of range and energy. Perhaps it is because they are better known as actors of much depth, whereas Pryor is primarily remembered as a comedian, that they get the short end of the stick come critique time. Whatever the reason, Kotto is wonderful in the film, a cool cat built like a pressure cooker: at any moment you feel he could explode in a fit of violent anger. He said he played Smokey like "an Italian in black skin," and his volatile but immensely smooth performance reflects that notion.

Arguably one of the finest actors of his generation, Keitel is something of the straight man of the three, though his performance is still one of immense strength and emotional sagacity. His Jerry is really a conduit for the audience, in the latter half of the film especially; and you're on his side the whole way through. Harry Bellaver leads the supporting cast as Eddie Johnson, the leader of the union, and he is magnificent; sinister despite his crooked grin and friendly countenance. Lane Smith, Ed Begley Jr and Lucy Saroyan also do admirable work that stands the test of time.

The whole film does. 'Blue Collar' is a stunning, startling comedy-drama that is an alarmingly true portrait of corruption and greed. It is funny in places, sad in others, while always being knowing and original. Though Paul Schrader distanced himself from the film in later years, it is one of the finest pieces he ever directed, up there with 'Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters' and 'Affliction.' It is- in short- a veristic, entertaining and profound portrait of disunion within the union that is completely unforgettable and utterly engrossing.

Paul Schrader's Blue Collar paints a depressing picture of the American blue collar worker - one Karl Marx would've simply shook his head at and scoff at in disgust. It shows a group of relatable individuals, all of whom slumming their lives away at a dead end, blue collar job, knowing all too well that they're expendable employees, when one particular member of the labor union is so unsatisfied with the lack of productivity on part of his union bosses that he challenges the incumbent to run for union boss. He believes that, if elected, he'd work for the people rather than having the people voice demands that ostensibly appear to fall on deaf ears. It isn't until he inches closer and closer to this potential gig that he realizes just what he's up against, the hoops he'll have to jump through, and the soul of his he'll have to sell in order as a price that comes with that kind of title.

The optimistic soul is Zeke Brown (Richard Pryor), who works alongside his two best friends Jerry Bartowski (Harvey Keitel) and Smokey James (Yaphet Kotto). A great deal of Zeke's motivation to run for union boss comes when a tax collector comes to his house to collect unpaid taxes. In a bout of rage and frustration I'm sure many of us have felt, Zeke rants at the blameless tax collector by saying he barely makes enough money to buy food for his home, let alone keep the electricity running. He follows up by asking why he can't get a break when the same tax collectors give countless breaks to those on Wall Street. Zeke's rant is one of the defining scenes of this film, for it tackles a problem that, even over thirty years following this film's release, is a constant, every-day problem and insurmountable battle for a great deal of families.

Zeke, Jerry, and Smokey decide to find a way to rob the union headquarters. However, upon executing their plan, they discover the union boss doesn't lie when he says that the union is low on cash, for they find very little money. The trio then stumble upon a ledger that contains information about illegal loans that reveal mob connections. Now the men know what it's like to be plunged into a world of crime and uncertainty, with their lives at risk and their optimism for their careers turned into a bitter, backstabbing game of survival of the fittest in a capitalist nightmare.

There's a sadness that lurks in many American crime dramas and that sadness usually stems from the fact that something that should benefit people, or, at the very least, give them something to believe in, doesn't actually operate the way people think it does. Martin Scorsese's Casino showed us the brutal interworkings of a Las Vegas casino that was rigged to make the consumer lose at all cost, and make the soul pay a hefty price had they tried to beat the odds, and a movie like Oldboy shows the real ugliness of people in a crowded, tight-knit area that would lead you to believe people would be brought together or at least unified on a collective term. Blue Collar, however, cuts deeper. These are blue collar jobs we're looking at with this film; not clean-cut white collar jobs and not a rare case of fraud or backhanded dealings in one company. These kinds of manipulating tactics used amongst big business are an unfortunately common practice and Schrader exposes it in a startling manner.

Schrader uses his exposure by getting Richard Pryor the leading role in a film that only manages to be funny when Pryor's character shows off his brazen attitude, which is very infrequent. Here, Pryor goes from the easily recognizable funny-man many of us know him as to a frighteningly hungry character, be it hungry for truth, or eventually, hungry for manipulation and winning. He commands the screen, even when assisted by the likes of Kotto and Keitel. This is his film through and through, a film where his formerly basic color palette of an actors transcends any kind of pre-conceived notions or judgment and shine bright and really show audiences his capabilities as a well-rounded character actor.

Blue Collar is an ugly film, thematically and in terms of the situations its characters are forced into. It shows personal economic freedom and progress as a neverending cycle that results in nothing but further inequality and disenfranchisement from a country that allegedly fights against it. If a film like this came out in present time it would be a strong social statement, but its 1978 release date shows that little has changed in present time when it comes to the dealings of big business.

Starring: Richard Pryor, Harvey Keitel, and Yaphet Kotto. Directed by: Paul Schrader.

Another great film from Paul Schrader. Snappily written, intensely realistic and telling another union story as good as the ones in ON THE WATERFRONT and THE IRISHMAN. The pace starts off slow, which is great because it draws you into the story and the working class lives of the three men; needless to say, all three actors are great in their very different roles. The second half becomes entirely unpredictable, leading to some unexpected and affecting set-pieces. It all hangs together very nicely as another relevant and powerful slice of 1970s filmmaking.