F.I.S.T.

The rise and fall of a Jimmy Hoffa-like labor organizer, F.I.S.T. benefits from a strong supporting cast,a knowing script and a good sense of place. Those tired of the archetypal Stallone underdog may find interest in his morally challenged Johnny Kovak character. Norman Jewison directs Stallone into some dark, unlikable territory here. He does an admirable job, though the aging Kovak with crude graying temples in the 3rd act doesn't work well. Still, this is very engaging drama, sober and cynical. It's much better than Hoffa or the equally clownish All the King's Men remake. F.I.S.T. is rooted firmly in 70's disillusionment cinema and worth a look.

When FIST came out in 1978, I had the opportunity to see it in the theaters. It was just two years after ROCKY and everyone knew the name Sylvester Stallone. The film is fictional but loosely based on the life of Jimmy Hoffa, the union leader whose relationship with powerful underworld figures ultimately led to his downfall and eventual murder in 1975.The film is powerfully acted by Stallone, as the fictional union leader Johnny Kovak. Stallone gives perhaps his best performance after Rocky. The supporting players include Rod Steiger, as Senator Madison, who investigates possible mafia ties between Kovak and Babe Milano, played by Tony LoBianco. This is based on the Hoffa Kennedy fued in the late fifties that lasted well into the Kennedy presidency where Senator Bobby Kennedy soon to become Attorney General never let up on his efforts to get Hoffa at whatever cost.FIST begins in 1937 where Johnny Kovak working in a warehouse begins to witness the abuse by the bosses against the workers, including working longer hours, docking pay and no compensation. This leads to Kovak and his friend Abe Belkin, played with compassion and courage by David Huffman, one of our most underrated actors, to join the Federation of Interstate Truckers (F.I.S.T.). The next 20 years in the film follows Johnny's rise to the presidency of the union and his relationship with mafia boss Anthony "Babe" Milano. Melinda Dillon plays Anna, Johnny's love interest throughout the film.The opening credits are the largest I have ever seen in a film. They fill the screen obliterating most of the background behind them. Bill Conti's music evokes the grandeur and tragedy of power in robust swelling fashion.Highly recommended!!Charles Blanchardauthor of Mourning Doves After The Fire

What can I say it's Sylvester stallone..great movie for being older .bot as good as Hoffa but not bad .

I'm a Union Guy who is for the people and by the people...You can debate this movie/subject and its cause until the end of time but one this is for sure this is one of Stallone's BEST works of ART! And I do mean ART!!!!!

I purchased this movie because parts of this were produced in the city of Dubuque,Iowa some 30 years ago. The movie was released after the first Rocky movie came out. Critics were lukewarm to this movie but I thought Sly Stallone gave an okay performance as Johnny Kovac, a man instrumental with the Federation of Inter State Truckers, sort of like the Teamsters. The movie follows Kovac in his years working in a loading dock,followed by a strike and the eventual leadership of his union into the 1950's to his death. Good acting but too bad the movie didn't get the recognition it deserved.

This fictionalized account of Jimmy Hoffa and the Teamsters Union is riveting for more than half the film but looses steam as it reaches it's conclusion. It's not that the latter part of the story doesn't have inherent interest rather director Norman Jewison directs this portion rather ploddingly and less assured than the film's earlier moments. What is refreshing is that this is probably the best work that Sylvester Stallone has ever done in a film. Stallone is required to age 20 years or so in the film and he is more than up to the demands of playing Johnny Kovak, a union leader forced to make unconscionable compromises in order to strengthen his union. It's unfortunate that Stallone didn't gravitate more towards these type of projects during the course of his career. Film does contain a strong supporting cast in David Huffman, Kevin Conway, Peter Boyle, Tony LoBianco, and Melinda Dillon. I did find a little overbearing Rod Steiger as a headline grabbing Senator.

Good movie. It's like the story of Jimmy Hoffa but with another historical protagonist.

Rocket shipping! Great product! Thank you!

I am not a Stallone 'fan'. I am not concerned with H-wood ego's, whether Stallone or Norman Jewison wrote the script I don't care. Whether it was 14 mins shorn I don't care. What I care about is history. This is a warts 'n all depiction of American Trade unionism in the Age of Capital. The Big bosses, who would send in the bully boys, and the cops who were on the Capitalist pay-roll, killing or sacking whosoever got in the way of the profit imperative. This is a great film. Beats Rocky all ends up. The Yank middle class nay sayers, they are apolologists for Capitalists who were happy to pay for Fascist bully boys but not pay for social programs. This must be understood in the context of 'Organised crime', the Sicilian Mafia, the mob were fighting their own class war. After all what is Capitalism but organised crime but they have the Fascist State, the Guns the Bombs the Drones on their side. This is a great film. It would not be made today. The American white middle class pussy foot around this issue. watch this film if you want to have an inkling what they are pussy footing around. Forget the 14 min's. the Stallone romantic inserts. When the base ball bats and the bullets are flying. This beats 'Reds' any day of the week for a social history of the American Working Class.

Great Stallone performance on Blu-ray. just a few pointers about the Disc/Packaging. You only get the Blu-ray disc no DVD as stated on the artwork. The artwork has been changed and the disc no longer states blu-ray and DVD on the front.The product itself is from T2 Entertainment Soul Media.the synopsis on the back is in Dutch i think or Scandinavian.Picture is 1080/50i MPEG - 4 AVC, Sound Dolby Stereo, no special features just subtitles.I must say this is the best picture i have seen from this film and it's worth the purchase, it plays on UK players as stated on the back as region B.

IT'S MR STALLONE WHAT MORE CAN YOU SAY FANTASTIC MOVIE GRITTY AND AS NORMAL BRILLIANT ACTING BY SLY AS JOHNNY KOVAKS WATCH AND ENJOY

Yes it did, brilliant film and enjoyed watching it again after all these years, (one of the best Stallone films in our opinion), worth buying and really great story line to it.

Disapointment

Good DVD

Very Good.

Advert say English language and English subtitlesBut I has seen polish,Hebrew,German,two different number for subtitles and NO ENGLISH SUBTITLES on my DVD player ?I need English subtitles are important to me

Very happy came on time wicked copy would recommend

Film was as stated would buy again from this seller

good solid movie by my mate sly stone! power get su in the end! where is jimmi hoffa???

Great value good dvd.

this is a very good movie the pic of the Blu-ray Video Quality is tops and so is the Audio

Brilliant fight for a good course x

An excellent film well worth a watch