F.I.S.T. (1978)

F.I.S.T. is Sylvester Stallone's first film after gaining success and stardom in Rocky.In it,he plays Johnny Kovak, a Cleveland warehouse worker who becomes involved in the labor union leadership of the fictional "Federation of Inter-State Truckers" or F.I.S.T. He finds that he must sacrifice his principles as he moves up through the union and attempts to expand its influence. Among them is getting involved with the mob.It was loosely based on the Teamsters union and their former union president,Jimmy Hoffa.It was definitely an enjoyable and entertaining film as the viewer get to see Stallone play a different role that relies on his capability as an actor rather than an action star.He did well as a Kovak.Also,the film provides great insight on unions and how the mob gets involved with it through its detriment.This also is a signature films for unions and union members.As for the performances,the rest of the cast played their roles with conviction and director Norman Jewison was steady behind the camera.

This is one of Sylvester Stallone's most well developed and acted role of his early career. Stallone plays a character named Johnny Kovak which ought as well be Jimmy Hoffa.Kovak is a character who starts as a small time worker but after feeling him and his fellow co-workers are getting the shaft by management sets out to improve their working conditions. Soon he is working for the F.I.S.T.(Federal Interstates Truckers) union. As the years go by he's worked his way up to being the head of the union.The movie is unofficially basically the rise and fall of Jimmy Hoffa, I think it's a much better done movie then the movie Hoffa with Jack Nicholson in the title role.

This film proved that Sly could really act in lead dramatic role. What has happened since have been sub-par performances (although big grossing films) from Sly. This film is about Johnny Kovak, a blue collar factory worker during the 1930's who rises to the top of a national union called F.I.S.T or Federation of Interstate Truckers. It was said it was loosely based on the life of Jimmy Hoffa who like johnny's character vanishes at the end of the film. This film really captured what it must have been like in the days before there was such a thing as worker safety, and that sticking your neck out to support a union would have gotten you killed. No one could have played this part better than Sly with his street smart looks, and tough guy persona which works in this film and does not lead to cheesy moments as his other films did. In this film it was about survival. Also what is interesting about this film is how it shows how power corrupts even the best of people when they are giving too much of it. Johnny Kovak rose to the top and gained a lot of power but in the process made enemies with the men who helped get him there. In any case if you are familiar with the story of Jimmy Hoffa you will understand when you see this film.Too bad Sly never stayed with these types of roles....he really could act...

F.I.S.T. Is not your normal Stallone movie. In this early one he actually get's a chance to ACT and create a role that is not even remotely like Rocky Balboa The Story is simple enough Johnny Kovack is a dock worker in the middle of the depression and he is a disgruntled worker who does not like being used or being taken advantage of. When Kovack leads a worker staged revolt on the warehouse dock he meets the Big boss and lays the conditions down that they want met. Kovack and the boys lose their job however the local union federation of interstate truckers F.I.S.T. is interested in hiring Kovack. HE it seems has a gift of Gab and he's a strong leader they hire him as a union organizer and Kovack begins organizing the Truckers all around the state. However Kovack creates a strike at one of the toughest businesses in Cleveland and Tragedy happens. Kovack angered and grief stricken turns to the mob to get a little extra push to secure good contracts and break companies that want to strike break or break unions. Kovack accepts the mobs help in return he gives them little favours. And that's the story more or less The story starts in 1938 and ends roughly around 1959-60 with the racketeering investigation by the senate. Rod Steiger portrays a crusading senater out to clean up the labour movement and burn the mobs out and Johnny Kovack the charismatic and powerful leader and president of F.I.S.T. is his next target. The movie is a grand and Epic film the kind we wish were made more today but are not. Stallone has clearly his best role as the Jimmy Hoffa influenced Johnny Kovack. The movie didn't really go anywhere when it was released and it fed the rumors that Stallone was only really able to act if the movie was a Rocky film later to be just Rocky and Rambo films but here Stallone burns very brightly as a good but not great actor taking his first steps in a movie that should have done much better and a role that should always be long remembered as one of his greatest roles even more then Rambo. This is a movie that shows us there are no unscarred heroes just scarred men fighting to survive in a world that does not care about them.