Release CalendarDVD & Blu-ray ReleasesTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsIn TheatersComing SoonMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersEmmysAPA Heritage MonthSTARmeter AwardsSan Diego Comic-ConNew York Comic-ConSundance Film FestivalToronto Int'l Film FestivalAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)

Three the Hard Way

  • 19741974
  • RR
  • 1h 29m
IMDb RATING
6.1/10
1.5K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Three the Hard Way (1974)
Blaxploitation film about three martial-arts specialists who prevent white supremacists from tainting the U.S. water supply with a toxin that's only harmful to black people.
Play trailer3:06
1 Video
42 Photos
  • Action
  • Thriller

Blaxploitation film about three martial-arts specialists who prevent white supremacists from tainting the U.S. water supply with a toxin that's only harmful to black people.Blaxploitation film about three martial-arts specialists who prevent white supremacists from tainting the U.S. water supply with a toxin that's only harmful to black people.Blaxploitation film about three martial-arts specialists who prevent white supremacists from tainting the U.S. water supply with a toxin that's only harmful to black people.

IMDb RATING
6.1/10
1.5K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Gordon Parks Jr.
  • Writers
    • Eric Bercovici
    • Jerrold L. Ludwig
  • Stars
    • Jim Brown
    • Fred Williamson
    • Jim Kelly
Top credits
  • Director
    • Gordon Parks Jr.
  • Writers
    • Eric Bercovici
    • Jerrold L. Ludwig
  • Stars
    • Jim Brown
    • Fred Williamson
    • Jim Kelly
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 38User reviews
    • 37Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 3:06
    Trailer

    Photos42

    Three the Hard Way (1974)
    Black Belt Jones (1974)
    Jay Robinson in Three the Hard Way (1974)
    Richard Angarola and Jay Robinson in Three the Hard Way (1974)
    Howard Platt in Three the Hard Way (1974)
    Three the Hard Way (1974)
    Three the Hard Way (1974)
    Three the Hard Way (1974)
    Three the Hard Way (1974)
    Three the Hard Way (1974)
    Three the Hard Way (1974)
    Three the Hard Way (1974)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Jim Brown
    Jim Brown
    • Jimmy Laitas Jimmy Lait
    Fred Williamson
    Fred Williamson
    • Jagger Danielsas Jagger Daniels
    Jim Kelly
    Jim Kelly
    • Mister Keyesas Mister Keyes
    Sheila Frazier
    Sheila Frazier
    • Wendy Kaneas Wendy Kane
    Jay Robinson
    Jay Robinson
    • Monroe Featheras Monroe Feather
    Charles McGregor
    • Charleyas Charley
    Howard Platt
    Howard Platt
    • Keepas Keep
    Richard Angarola
    Richard Angarola
    • Dr. Fortreroas Dr. Fortrero
    David Chow
    • Linkas Link
    Marian Collier
    Marian Collier
    • Evaas Eva
    Junero Jennings
    • Houseas House
    Alex Rocco
    Alex Rocco
    • Lt. Di Niscoas Lt. Di Nisco
    Corbin Bernsen
    Corbin Bernsen
    • Boyas Boy
    Renie Radich
    • Girlas Girl
    Janice Carroll
    • Nurseas Nurse
    Angelyn Chester
    • Chicago Girlas Chicago Girl
    Norman Evans
    • N.Y. Copas N.Y. Cop
    Pamela Serpe
    • Countessas Countess
    • Director
      • Gordon Parks Jr.
    • Writers
      • Eric Bercovici
      • Jerrold L. Ludwig
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

    More like this

    Black Belt Jones
    6.2
    Black Belt Jones
    Black Caesar
    6.4
    Black Caesar
    Hell Up in Harlem
    5.9
    Hell Up in Harlem
    Truck Turner
    6.9
    Truck Turner
    Trouble Man
    6.7
    Trouble Man
    Friday Foster
    6.0
    Friday Foster
    The Mack
    6.5
    The Mack
    Bucktown
    6.1
    Bucktown
    Cotton Comes to Harlem
    6.5
    Cotton Comes to Harlem
    Slaughter
    5.9
    Slaughter
    Black Samson
    6.0
    Black Samson
    Sugar Hill
    5.8
    Sugar Hill

    Storyline

    Edit
    The story involves a white supremist plot to taint the United States water supply with a toxin that is harmless to whites but lethal to blacks. The only obstacles that stand in the way of this dastardly plan are Jim Brown, Fred Williamson and Jim Kelly, who shoot, kick and karate chop their way to final victory. —<gilesw@hotmail.com>
    • beer
    • chess
    • red wine
    • pool table
    • chased by a car
    • 86 more
    • Plot summary
    • Add synopsis
    • Taglines
      • Action explodes all over the place when the big three join forces to save their race!
    • Genres
      • Action
      • Thriller
    • Certificate
      • R
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Eight years after this film's release, Fred Williamson produced, directed and wrote One Down, Two to Go (1982), which reunited him with his co-stars on this film,Jim Brown, and Jim Kelly along with Richard Roundtree as the major addition to that film. Williamson conceived the idea of doing another sequel after there was a break in his schedule between the filming of The Big Score (1983), and Vigilante (1982). The funding for the film, the film crew, scouting locations and actors all came together quickly and would film for about a month. Years after the film was made, Williamson considers One Down, Two to Go (1982) as a true sequel to Three the Hard Way (1974)
    • Goofs
      In the Chicago sequence, Jimmy and Jagger are chasing one of the white supremacists through town and they pass the same man twice.
    • Quotes

      Dr. Fortrero: This little mixture of mine is as lethal as cyanide and as selective as a lady buying perfume.

      Monroe Feather: It goes to work on the black folks, leave the rest of us alone? You better be damn sure!

      Dr. Fortrero: Just like sickle cell anemia, Mr. Feather. And like sickle cell anemia, it will not affect people of the caucasian race. My personal guarantee.

      Monroe Feather: How fast does this stuff work?

      Dr. Fortrero: Seventy-two hours at the most.

      Monroe Feather: Took God seven days to create the world. We can cleanse it, in just three.

    • Alternate versions
      Additional scenes were added to the TV version to pad out the running time and for content.
    • Connections
      Featured in Dusk to Dawn Drive-in Trash-o-Rama Show Vol. 4 (1997)
    • Soundtracks
      Wendy
      Music by Richard Tufo

      Lyrics by Lowrell Simon

      Performed by The Impressions (as Impressions)

      Courtesy of Buddah and Curtom Records

    User reviews38

    Review
    Top review
    Tighten Up the Edit or Fatten Up the Plot
    "Three the Hard Way" earned its reputation on the presence of (and chemistry between) its three roundly diverse Black action stars - Fred Williamson, Jim Brown and Jim Kelly. They were perfectly cast for a film with an engaging premise about "The Man" poisoning the water supply in three major urban/inner cities. It featured some sweet eye-candy along the way (including the always divine Sheila Frazier as imperiled "Wendy" - fresh off of "Superfly" - a more devilish interracial trio of masochistic beauties, and Fred in the bed with yet another babe), an underrated soundtrack by a quartet edition of The Impressions (post-Curtis Mayfield but featured on-screen in a recording session as record producer Brown's rising stars) and all the tricked-out blaxploitation trimmings.

    The problem is that because the script was anemic of healthy plot twists, padding is embarrassingly in full effect...including an overly long speedboat sequence that plays like a vanity piece for Williamson to pose and look pretty (with a second classy lady by his side less than 5 minutes after leaving the first one - "playa-playa," we get the point), and an equally long stretch of the aforementioned leather-clad "hench-bitches" rumbling into town on their choppers. That's too much celluloid cellulite wasted on characters styling and profiling, and not enough story intricacies to keep the tension tightly mounted.

    When things do heat up, it's great to see the three stars interact. Ironically, MVP honors go not to former football giants Brown or Williamson but to Jim Kelly, whoopin' on a crooked cracker cop that makes the mistake of planting some illicit substances in his gold-plated ride. "Wanna set me up," Kelly asks with most righteous indignation, then proceeds to kick the pig's ass all over both sides of a Windy City side street! Director Gordon Parks, Jr. should have also let the soul brothers have more hang time without making them jump straight into their mission to save all brotherhood - maybe even a flashback to when they were youngbloods, foreshadowing their personalities as grown men. While the stars' talents weren't totally wasted, "Three the Hard Way" should have been much more epic.

    Someday an ambitious director and a cast of wanna-be's (likely a rapper or two) will try to remake this flick. Their biggest challenge - beyond fleshing out the story - will be finding three stars as compelling as Brown, Williamson and Kelly. Let's raise a snifter of Harvey's Bristol Creme that somebody at least has the fortitude to release the original on DVD, unedited, with commentary and maybe a featurette including the participation of all three baad-asss action heroes.
    helpful•15
    3
    • asgbeat
    • Jan 3, 2009

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • June 26, 1974 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Trojica neustrašivih
    • Filming locations
      • LaSalle-Van Buren 'L' stop, The Loop, Downtown, Chicago, Illinois, USA
    • Production company
      • Allied Artists Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $1,800,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 29 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

    Related news

    New to Streaming: Apollo 10 ½, Beyond Blaxploitation, Nitram, and More
    New to Streaming: Apollo 10 ½, Beyond Blaxploitation, Nitram, and More
    Apr 1The Film Stage
    The Criterion Channel’s April Lineup Includes Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy, Delphine Seyrig, Ethan Hawke & More
    The Criterion Channel’s April Lineup Includes Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy, Delphine Seyrig, Ethan Hawke & More
    Mar 25The Film Stage

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Three the Hard Way (1974)
    Top Gap
    By what name was Three the Hard Way (1974) officially released in India in English?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    View list
    List
    The Best Movies and Shows to Watch in May
    See the full list
    Image caption not available
    2:14
    The Most Anticipated Movies and Shows to Watch in May
    Watch the video

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Interest-Based Ads

    © 1990-2022 by IMDb.com, Inc.