[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/fist_1978_movie_poster.jpg]]

''F.I.S.T.'' is a 1978 crime drama film directed by Creator/NormanJewison and starring Creator/SylvesterStallone, Creator/RodSteiger, Creator/PeterBoyle, and Creator/MelindaDillon. Creator/JoeEszterhas wrote the story and co-authored the screenplay with Stallone.

Set in Cleveland between the 1930s and '50s, the film is about the rise and fall of Johnny Kovak (Stallone), a Hungarian-American dockworker who becomes the boss of the Federation of Inter-State Truckers. It is [[VeryLooselyBasedOnATrueStory loosely based]] on Teamsters president UsefulNotes/JimmyHoffa.

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!!Tropes:
* CorruptCorporateExecutive: The management of Consolidated Trucking. However, the higher ups of F.I.S.T. start acting a lot like them.
* IDidWhatIHadToDo: Johnny is all too aware of how F.I.S.T. increasingly behaves like the very corrupt corporate types he fought against. Nonetheless, he tries to stick to his principles even as he strains to keep the organization on track.
* DownerEnding: [[spoiler: Johhny and Abe are killed by TheMafia with the former's body never being found.]] Considering it's based on Jimmy Hoffa, it's not that surprising.
* FistOfRage: An InvokedTrope by the Federation of Interstate Truckers (though it also symbolizes strength through unity as well.)
* FunWithAcronyms[=/=]InitialismTitle: The '''F'''ederation of '''I'''nter'''S'''tate '''T'''ruckers
* HeWhoFightsMonsters: Over the course of the film, F.I.S.T. starts acting ''a lot'' like the {{Corrupt Corporate Executive}}s from the beginning.
* IronicEcho: Max Graham (the original president of F.I.S.T.) claims that Johnny is "going to sell out". Later on when it turns out that Max himself sold out, Johnny reminds him of what he said earlier.
* LawEnforcementInc: The "Law and Order League" are the personal thugs of Consolidated Trucking.
* TheMafia: F.I.S.T. is forced to ally with the mob in order to counter Consolidated Trucking's "[[LawEnforcementInc Law and Order League]]". This leads to unfortunate consequences later on.
* SmashTheSymbol: The climax of the trucking strike is when F.I.S.T. tears down the Consolidated Trucking sign.
* WorkingClassHero: Johnny. Even as he becomes a wealthy and powerful man himself, however, he still fights for the working man.
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