Semi-Tough (1977)

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.

Director:

Michael Ritchie

Writers:

Walter Bernstein, Dan Jenkins (novel)

Stars:

Burt Reynolds, Kris Kristofferson, Jill Clayburgh

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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
James MacKrell	...	Bud McNair (as Jim McKrell)
Peter Bromilow	...	Kostov's Interpreter

Storyline

A comedy about two football players and their mutual girlfriend. Includes many spoofs and parodies about various self-help groups and personal self-improvement seminars that were wildly popular during the 1970's.

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Plot Keywords:

football player | football | self help group | dangling from a rooftop | satire | 

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Taglines:

It's The World's Greatest Game (And It Sure Ain't Football)

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance | Sport

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 May 1978 (Ireland)

Also Known As:

Zwei ausgebuffte Profis

Filming Locations:

Tarrant County, Texas, USA

Box Office

Gross USA:

$37,187,139

Company Credits

Production Co:

Charley Associates

Technical Specs

Runtime:

108 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Both Burt Reynolds and Kris Kristofferson were outstanding footballers while attending college. Reynolds almost turned pro. Kristofferson was also a Golden Gloves boxer, but quit football after he started losing his short-term memory.

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Goofs

During the wedding rehearsal there is a child carrying the bride's train. Camera cuts to a shot from the altar where the child is seen dropping the train. Cut to a shot from the isle toward the altar and the child is seen dropping the train again.

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Quotes

Puddin Patterson Sr.: What you got is a bad case of Barbara Jane Bookman!
Billy Clyde Puckett: I've always had that. I just didn't know how bad until now.
Puddin Patterson Sr.: [realizing what Billy Clyde is up to and laughing] Oh man... you don't really think you're going to pull this scam off, do you?
Billy Clyde Puckett: I'm sure gonna give it my best shot.

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Connections

Followed by Semi-Tough (1980)

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Soundtracks

You're The Only Good Thing (That's Happened To Me)
(uncredited)
Sung by Gene Autry
Written by Jack Toombs

User Reviews

If you know who Elroy Blunt was, don't watch this movie

Supposedly based on the book of the same name, the only similarities are the characters' names -- SOME of the characters. Some of the best ones, such as Elroy Blunt, greatest country/western singer ever to warble a tune, were left out completely. The whole thing is a shame, because this was by far the funniest book I ever read. I remember eagerly anticipating the forthcoming movie back in 1977. Then I heard that Burt Reynolds, Kris Kristofferson and Jill Clayburgh were the stars and thought "oh-oh." Still, I went to see the movie -- just awful. Watched it again a couple of years ago with the hope that time might have taken the edge off. Wrong; it was worse than ever. While I respect the "favorable" reviews given by some above, it's obvious that they didn't read the book. I'd invite them to do so, then watch the movie again and see how they'd rate it again.