Hard Times (1975)

The adventures of a drifter turned illegal prize-fighter during the Depression Era in New Orleans.

Director:

Walter Hill

Writers:

Walter Hill (screenplay), Bryan Gindoff (screenplay)

Stars:

Charles Bronson, James Coburn, Jill Ireland

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Charles Bronson	...	Chaney
James Coburn	...	Speed
Jill Ireland	...	Lucy Simpson
Strother Martin	...	Poe
Margaret Blye	...	Gayleen Schoonover (as Maggie Blye)
Michael McGuire	...	Gandil
Felice Orlandi	...	Le Beau
Edward Walsh	...	Pettibon
Bruce Glover	...	Doty
Robert Tessier	...	Jim Henry
Nick Dimitri	...	Street
Frank McRae	...	Hammerman
Maurice Kowalewski	...	Caesare
Naomi Stevens	...	Madam
Lyla Hay Owen	...	Waitress

Storyline

During the Great Depression, the mysterious drifter Chaney befriends the promoter of illegal street fights Speed and they go to New Orleans to make money fighting on the streets. Speed is welcomed by his mistress Gayleen Schoonoverand invites his former partner Poe to team-up with them. Meanwhile Chaney has a love affair with the local Lucy Simpson. Speed has a huge debt with the dangerous loan shark Doty and borrows money to promote the fight of Chaney and the local champion Jim Henry, who is managed by the also promoter. Casey wins the fight, they make a lot of money but Speed is an addicted gambler and loses his share in the dice table. But Doty wants his money back and Speed's only chance is Chaney accepts to bet his own money that he is saving and fight a winner that Gandil brought from Chicago. Will he accept the challenge?

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Plot Keywords:

prizefighting | street fighter | 1930s | great depression | drifter | 

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Taglines:

New Orleans, 1933. In those days words didn't buy much. [Theatrical]

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Sport

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Did You Know?

Trivia

This is one of two Charles Bronson movies with the same title as an unrelated piece of literature. Charles Dickens wrote a novel called "Hard Times" in 1854. Robert Louis Stevenson wrote "St. Ives: Being The Adventures of a French Prisoner in England" in 1897.

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Goofs

When Chaney's car arrives at Pettibon's bar at night, it is completely dark out. But as Chaney's group drives away following the confrontation with Pettibon, the sky is light, appearing to be late afternoon, approaching sunset.

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Quotes

Speed: I suppose you've been down the long, hard road?
Chaney: Who hasn't?

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Connections

Referenced in Times Square (1980)

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Soundtracks

Lafite Two-Step
(uncredited)
Written by Allen Fontenoy

User Reviews

Great Bronson Movie

Saw this movie when it first came out and I loved it. I watched it again last night and my opinion has not changed at all. It's just a fabulous movie and definitely my favorite Bronson flick. Fine work from Bronson, James Coburn and Strother Martin. The dialog is sharp and the fight scenes are excellent. This is no "Rocky" fantasy, but a tough look at a brutal game. The film really conveys what a desperate place Depression-era America was. The final fight scene is great. No roaring crowds, no dramatic music, just two tough guys pounding away at each other. Coburn is great and Strother Martin has some of the best lines in the picture. ("Some are born to fail...") Also we get to see some great New Orleans locations,which are painful to look at now in light of the damage caused by Hurricane Katrina.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 August 1975 (France)

Also Known As:

Ein stahlharter Mann

Filming Locations:

Union Station - 800 N. Alameda Street, Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$2,700,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures, Columbia Pictures, Claridge Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1