Semi-Tough (1977)

Director:

Michael Ritchie

Writers:

Walter Bernstein (writer)
Dan Jenkins (novel)
(more)

Release Date:

June 1978 (Austria)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

They Lead The League In Scoring ... After The Game!

Plot:

A three-way friendship between two free-spirited professional football players and the owner's daughter becomes compromised when two of them become romantically involved.

Plot Keywords:

Self Help Group | Rolfing | Meditation | Massage | Urination

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Burt Reynolds	...	Billy Clyde Puckett
Kris Kristofferson	...	Marvin 'Shake' Tiller
Jill Clayburgh	...	Barbara Jane Bookman
Robert Preston	...	Big Ed Bookman
Bert Convy	...	Friedrich Bismark
Roger E. Mosley	...	Puddin Patterson Sr.
Lotte Lenya	...	Clara Pelf
Richard Masur	...	Phillip Hooper
Carl Weathers	...	Dreamer Tatum
Brian Dennehy	...	T.J. Lambert
Mary Jo Catlett	...	Earlene Emery
Joe Kapp	...	Hose Manning
Ron Silver	...	Vlada Kostov
Jim McKrell	...	Bud McNair
Peter Bromilow	...	Kostov's Interpreter
Norman Alden	...	Coach Alvin Parks
Fred Stuthman	...	Minister Fred
Janet Brandt	...	Wedding Dressmaker
William Wolf	...	Tuxedo Fitter
Jenifer Shaw	...	Stewardess
Kevin Furry	...	Puddin Patterson Jr.
Ava Roberts	...	Puddin's Wife
Melonie Magruder	...	Linda
Mickey Caruso	...	Curtis
Ed 'Too Tall' Jones	...	Football Player (as Edward Jones)
Jerry Belson	...	TV Director
Mark Franklin	...	B.E.A.T. Attendant Tom
Niki Flacks	...	B.E.A.T. Woman
Rose Pearson	...	B.E.A.T. Woman
Thom Alan Phillips	...	B.E.A.T. Man (as Thom Phillips)
Hugh Gorrian	...	B.E.A.T. Man
Dick Schaap	...	Himself - TV Sportscaster
Lindsey Nelson	...	Himself - TV Sportscaster
Paul Hornung	...	Himself - TV Newscaster
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Rick Herod	...	Football player
Mary Rae Hoskins	...	B.E.A.T. Woman
Jim Beaver	...	B.E.A.T. Member (uncredited)
Bill Bragg	...	CBS TV Cameraman (uncredited)
Robert F. Cawley	...	Partygoer (uncredited)
Chuck Dawson	...	Extra (uncredited)
Fernando Lara	...	Waterboy (uncredited)
Jo McDonnell	...	Choir leader (uncredited)
Christopher North	...	Extra (uncredited)
Janet Quist	...	(uncredited)

Directed by
Michael Ritchie

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Walter Bernstein		writer
Dan Jenkins		novel
Ring Lardner Jr.		uncredited

Produced by
David Merrick	....	producer

Original Music by
Jerry Fielding

Cinematography by
Charles Rosher Jr.

Film Editing by
Richard A. Harris

Production Design by
Walter Scott Herndon

Costume Design by
Theoni V. Aldredge

Production Management
Alan Levine	....	production manager

Art Department
Donald B. Nunley	....	property master
Roger Ragland	....	carpenter

Sound Department
Tom Bullock	....	sound editor
Eugene Finley	....	sound editor

Editorial Department
Tim Board	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Dan Wallin	....	score mixer

Other crew
Stanley Brossette	....	unit publicist

Production Companies

• Charley Associates

Distributors

• United Artists (1977) (USA) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1979) (USA) (TV)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM Home Video (1992) (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Sportsrobe  costumes

Runtime:

108 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Iceland:L | Australia:M | Sweden:11 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Dallas, Texas, USA

Company:

Charley Associates

Trivia:

'Burt Reynolds' based his character on friend Don Meredith's football career

Quotes:

Billy Clyde Puckett: [of a football player in a tuxedo] Now who says that clothes don't make the man? That's a well-dressed phone booth!

Movie Connections:

Featured in Transformation: The Life and Legacy of Werner Erhard (2006)

The Heartbreak of Dan Jenkins

Jenkins's novel is one of the funniest books ever written, and THE funniest sports novel. The movie is a total trashing of Jenkins's work. It retains only the title, the names of a few of the characters, none of the book's plot, and none of its humor. The storyline bears absolutely no resemblance to the book. Billy Clyde's diary of the week leading to the Super Bowl, with all its hilarity, has been replaced by a silly look at self-improvement fads and crazes and Gene Autry music. Reynolds and Kristofferson are not believable as professional football players, although Kris would have been a great Elroy Blunt, had that important character been retained from the book. The problem was that Jenkins lost control of the scriptwriting. When the scene in which Billy Clyde and Shake are discussing their rating system for women was written, it used the Dudley Moore scale of 1-10, with 10 being tops. Jenkins informed the director that in the book, the scale went the other way, with a "1" being the top vote. He was informed, "This is the movie!"

I give this one a "1", using the movie's scale.