HOFFA

US, 1992, 140 minutes, Colour.
Jack Nicholson, Danny de Vito, Armand Assante, J.T.Walsh, Kevin Anderson, Frank Whaley, Robert Prosky.
Directed by Danny de Vito.

Hoffa is a strong biopic, focusing on the Teamster boss, Jimmy Hoffa. The American press painted a grim picture of Hoffa, especially in his latter years, before his disappearance.

However, playwright David Mamet (Glengarry Glen Ross, Speed the Plow, House of Games as well as screenplays for The Untouchables, The Postman Always Rings Twice, The Spanish Prisoner) takes a more sympathetic view of Hoffa. This is shared by the film's director, Danny de Vito.

Flashback techniques are used, but the film focuses on key elements of Hoffa's career from the '30s to the '70s. We see him as a young man, campaigning for truck drivers' rights. We see him supporting strike action, experiencing the brutality of the clashes between strikers and scabs. He is elected to office for the Teamsters, he makes deals with the Mafia for gaining interest on loans for superannuation. He clashes with Bobby Kennedy, is sent to prison - and finally disappears in the '70s. The screenplay speculates that he was a victim of a Mafia hit man.

Jack Nicholson gives one of his strongest performances as Hoffa. He is well-matched by Danny de Vito as a fictitious character based on Hoffa's associates, Bobby Ciaro. The film has a very strong supporting cast including Armand Assante as the Mafia connection, J.T. Walsh as Hoffa's associate and successor, Kevin Anderson as Bobby Kennedy. Some actors appear in brief roles like John P. Ryan as leader Red Bennett and Robert Prosky as Billy Flynn.

The film is excellent in its recapturing of the various decades, of the atmosphere of the unions and the American distrust of socialism. Danny de Vito as director stages some scenes excellently, for example the strike battles and the hearings with Bobby Kennedy.

The film has more impact for an American audience, more familiar with union and social issues. However, for an outsider it offers a great deal, especially in its reinterpretation of history where different sources are looked at for reputations of people and past villains become heroes and heroes, like Bobby Kennedy, appear as villains.

1.Impact of the biopic? A reinterpretation of history? Personalities? Truth and accuracy, validity of interpretation?

2.The re-creation of period, decor and authenticity, the '30s to the '70s? A piece of Americana? The musical score - echoing the periods?

3.The writing of David Mamet, the direction of Danny de Vito? Their stance, Hoffa as hero, victim? The rights and wrongs of his life and career? His work for the unions, his ascendancy in the Teamsters? Rights for workers? Clashes with government, justice? Mafia connections? The audience response to him at the end?

4.The significance of audience knowledge of Hoffa, for and against?

5.The flashback technique, Hoffa and Bobby Ciaro, in the car together, the memories - alternately Hoffa's memories and Ciaro's memories? In the car in the '70s, the past achievement? Waiting, the mystery of why they were waiting? Hoffa as ageing and benign? Ciaro and his energy? The parked car, the diner, the cups of coffee? The young kid and his chat, the truck, waiting, Ciaro and his help, the phone call - and the irony of the assassins coming? The taking of the coffee after his admiration for Hoffa, the Judas shooting of Hoffa and Ciaro? The trucks taking the car and the bodies away? The impact for the audience of this assassination? A dramatic speculation about Hoffa's disappearance and the motives for people to get rid of him?

6.The American tradition of the unions, hardships for workers, the Cold War and anti-communist stances, anti-socialist suspicion, the country of capitalism? The need for change, the workers and the bosses? The role of government?

7.The introduction of Hoffa and Ciaro, Hoffa and his campaigning, working with the drivers, getting lifts, talking, pressurising them? The needs of the '30s, the hardships for the truckies, the cigarette burns on their hands as they slept at the wheel? The strike, the lines at the factory, carrying the fruit and vegetables to the truck? The confrontation, Ciaro losing his job? Hoffa giving him a job, going with Hoffa and Billy Flynn, the planting of the bomb, the fire and Billy Flynn's death? The priest coming - and Ciaro continually mythologising Billy Flynn's last words, the focus on this world, anti-Heaven? The beginning of the friendship?

8.The confrontation with the bosses, the power of the bosses? The strikes and the companies, picket lines, scabs? Hoffa and his campaigns, reliance on Fitzsimmons, the introduction of Pete Connolly? The growing violence and brutality? The scenes of the battles - and the capitalist shutting the curtains? The young woman and her child? The mourners and the dead bodies? The young woman and the little boy? Hoffa and his leadership? Red Bennett and his rallies, enthusiasm, rabble-rousing? His leadership? Taking credit?

9.The elections, the ascendancy of Hoffa, the campaign and the rally? The support of Fitzsimmons? Red Bennett and his support? The speeches, the leadership, the bond of Hoffa with the unionists?

10.Mrs Hoffa, her love for her husband, in the background? His children, grandchildren? Her going to the rallies, present? Her farewelling him to prison? Women not in the foreground of the film?

11.The character of Bobby Ciaro, the strong association with Hoffa? The antagonistic beginning? Doing his jobs, the friendship? His relationship with women (the sexual liaisons, going to the performance with the chorus girls)? Tough, doing the dirty jobs - the Detroit reporter and the standover tactics, the castration? The cancelling of the article? Going to New York, the confrontation with the club owner?

12.The Mafia, D'Allesandro and the contacts with Hoffa, the meetings, Hoffa in charge? Discussions? Money deals? The hunting sequence, the discussion about the formula for the superannuation loans, Peter Connolly and the document for signing? The testimony later given by him? The irony of Bobby Ciaro shooting the deer at close range with the small gun? The theme of hunting throughout the film?

13.The hearings with Bobby Kennedy, Bobby Kennedy and his ambitions, style? The Senate, the members of the board? Hoffa in charge, his speaking back to Bobby Kennedy, his strong speeches? His attorney and his advice? The reaction of the press?

14.Hoffa's achievement, popularity? The musical benefit? The press? The revelations about the money deals? The Mafia? The court cases, his attorney and advice? The sentence, going to prison, the prison experience and its effect on him? The years passing, his activities in prison, depression? Ciaro and his time in prison, getting out earlier, campaigning for Hoffa to get out? Leaving Fitzsimmons in charge, Fitzsimmons and his style? The aftermath of the release, Hoffa's disagreement with the deal from Nixon, the pardon? Unable to go back into the Teamsters? Fitzsimmons and his double-dealing?

15.The release and its effect on him personally, a sense of loss, wanting to keep up in deals? Going to D'Allesandro? The irony of his disappearance as a Mafia hit?

16.How well did the film draw his character, his work and its legacy? Seen through Bobby Ciaro's eyes?

17.The rewriting of American history, villains as heroes, heroes as villains?