This is the tale of industrial strife at WC Boggs' Lavatory factory. The players received a pittance and turned to the only source of financial security they could find, the bookies. With stunning performance by John Cusack as the only player who refuses to go along, and a cameo by Studs Terkel. Loosely based on Jimmy Hoffa and the Teamsters, is very sympathetic to the difficulties of workers against armed company goons. John Garfield, as a gambling syndicate lawyer, is pitted against his brother who runs a small, independent bookmaking operation.
Racketeering is portrayed as a form of monopoly capitalism.
Christopher Walken and Chris Penn, gangster brothers involved in labor racketeering, are arranging the funeral of a third brother who had been developing leftist sympathies. A prostitute falls in love with one of her customers. Also a disturbed man discovers that he's gay. The Odyssey of the American working stiff. Sally Field in Oscar winning performance, based on a true story.