Tough Guys Don't Dance (1987)

Writer, ex-con and 40-something bottle-baby Tim Madden, who is prone to black-outs, awakens from a two-week bender to discover a pool of blood in his car, a blond woman's severed head in ... See full summary »

Director:

Norman Mailer

Writers:

Norman Mailer (screenplay by), Norman Mailer (based on his novel)

Stars:

Ryan O'Neal, Isabella Rossellini, Debra Stipe

1 win & 10 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ryan O'Neal	...	Tim Madden
Isabella Rossellini	...	Madeleine Regency
Debra Stipe	...	Patty Lareine (as Debra Sandlund)
Wings Hauser	...	Capt. Alvin Luther Regency
John Bedford Lloyd	...	Wardley Meeks III
Lawrence Tierney	...	Dougy Madden
Penn Jillette	...	Big Stoop
Frances Fisher	...	Jessica Pond
R. Patrick Sullivan	...	Lonnie Pangborn
John Snyder	...	Spider
Stephan Morrow	...	Stoodie
Clarence Williams III	...	Bolo
Kathryn Sanders	...	Beth
Ira Lewis	...	Merwyn Finney
Ed Setrakian	...	Lawyer

Storyline

Writer, ex-con and 40-something bottle-baby Tim Madden, who is prone to black-outs, awakens from a two-week bender to discover a pool of blood in his car, a blond woman's severed head in his marijuana stash, and the new Provincetown police chief, Captain Luther Regency, shacked up with his former girlfriend Madeleine. As his father Dougy helps him try to unravel the mystery, he is dogged by the psychotic Capt. Regency, who has it in for Tim as a car-crash that he was involved in with Madeline has left her unable to have children. Flashing-back to the past, Tim remembers the time when he encouraged Madeline to swing with a Li'l Abnerish couple from down South, the fundamentalist preacher Big Stoop and his Daisy Mae-ish wife, Patty Lareine, whose ad Tim had come across in 'Screw' magazine. It's on the trip back that the car crash occurs, since Madeline is incensed that Tim has so enjoyed Patty Lareine's charms. Except for his father Dougy, who is dying of cancer, Tim suspects everyone, ...

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Plot Keywords:

trash | gay | writer | police chief | cancer | 

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Taglines:

A love story shadowed by murder. A comedy laced with horror.

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

Final feature film directed by Norman Mailer.

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Quotes

Madeleine Regency: [narrating a letter] My husband is having an affair with your wife. I don't think we should talk about it... unless you're prepared to kill them.
Tim Madden: Oh man! Oh God, oh man! Oh God, oh man! Oh God, oh man! Oh God, oh man, oh God!

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Connections

Spoofed in The Cleveland Show: A Rodent Like This (2013)

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Soundtracks

Real Man
Music by Angelo Badalamenti
Lyrics by Danielle Badalamenti
Sung by Pam Tillis

User Reviews

One dreadful film

What were they thinking? Didn't anybody read the script or did they read it and then lack the guts to tell Mailer it didn't work? Whatever the reason this is one pathetic film. Bad script and hilariously bad acting. It is the bad acting that keeps you watching. You want to find out how bad can it get. In most films, even bad ones, you can find something to recommend it. I can't think of anything to recommend about this one.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 September 1987 (USA)

Also Known As:

Tough Guys Don't Dance

Filming Locations:

Provincetown, Massachusetts, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$5,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$858,250

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$858,250

Company Credits

Production Co:

Golan-Globus Productions, Zoetrope Studios

Technical Specs

Runtime:

110 min

Sound Mix:

Ultra Stereo

Color:

Color (TVC)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1