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:

It was tough in the streets, but Bronson was tougher. [As 'The Streetfighter'; Theatrical]

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Sport

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Did You Know?

Trivia

Production notes state that the seamy side of contemporary New Orleans was not glossed over, but rather celebrated in a bordello sequence shot on the city's Jackson Street. Naturally enough, the residence was not really used for such goings-on, although one crew member allegedly claimed that "about 80% of the girls employed as atmosphere extras were the genuine article". The press kite goes on to say that "interiors, by the way, were shot elsewhere and it would not be fair to reveal where".

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Goofs

Bronson smokes a filtered tipped cigarette. Filters were not used on cigarettes until the early '50s.

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Quotes

Chick Gandil: There's no point in avoiding this thing, you know; it's going to happen.
Street: He's right.
Chaney: You want it that much?
Street: I'm getting paid.
[Chaney turns away and goes back to his beer]
Street: I can always reach over and start things right now.
Chaney: [takes a swig of beer without looking at Street] Yeah, but you won't.
Street: You don't think so?
[Chaney finishes his beer and walks past Street to leave]
Chaney: You're not going to do it for free.

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Connections

Featured in Outside Xbox: 7 Things Games Stole Shamelessly from Movies (2018)

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Soundtracks

Exactly Like You
(uncredited)
Written by Jimmy McHugh and Dorothy Fields

User Reviews

Some of the best fight scenes

Great role for Bronson.

Compare Bronson's fighting style with almost any other fight movie like Kirk Douglas in 'Champion' or Stallone in the 'Rocky' series. Bronson slips and ducks his opponent's punches like a real fighter does, putting as much effort into not getting hit as he does hitting the other guy. Any fighter taking the hits that most movie boxers take would be unconscious or dead in a matter of minutes, and even sluggers like Rocky Marciano and George Frazier were constantly moving, never offering a good target.

This depression era movie is similar in flavor to the Lee Marvin Ernest Borgnine vehicle 'Emperor of The North'. Both movies have unsentimental, tough, taciturn heroes who communicate more with glances and gestures.

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