DramaActionCrime

Hard Times

- New Orleans, 1933. In those days words didn't say much.

In the depression, Chaney, a strong silent streetfighter, joins with Speed, a promoter of no-holds-barred street boxing bouts. They go to New Orleans where Speed borrows money to set up fights for Chaney, but Speed gambles away any winnings.

Release Date : 1975-08-13

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Columbia PicturesClaridge ProductionsMajor Studio Partners

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles : Street Fighter

Cast

Character Name : Chaney

Original Name : Charles Bronson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Spencer "Speed" Weed

Original Name : James Coburn

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lucy Simpson

Original Name : Jill Ireland

Gender : Female

Character Name : Poe

Original Name : Strother Martin

Gender : Male

Character Name : Gayleen Schoonover

Original Name : Margaret Blye

Gender : Female

Character Name : Gandil

Original Name : Michael McGuire

Gender : Male

Character Name : Le Beau

Original Name : Felice Orlandi

Gender : Male

Character Name : Pettibon

Original Name : Edward Walsh

Gender : Male

Character Name : Doty

Original Name : Bruce Glover

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jim Henry

Original Name : Robert Tessier

Gender : Male

Character Name : Street

Original Name : Nick Dimitri

Gender : Male

Character Name : Hammerman

Original Name : Frank McRae

Gender : Male

Character Name : Caesare

Original Name : Maurice Kowalewski

Gender : Male

Character Name : Madam

Original Name : Naomi Stevens

Gender : Female

Character Name : Waitress

Original Name : Lyla Hay Owen

Gender : Female

Character Name : Apartment Manager

Original Name : John Creamer

Gender : Male

Character Name : Counterman

Original Name : Robert Castleberry

Gender : Male

Character Name : Poe's Date

Original Name : Becky Allen

Gender : Male

Character Name : Carol

Original Name : Joan Kleven

Gender : Male

Character Name : Secretary

Original Name : Anne Welsch

Gender : Male

Character Name : Caesare's Hitter

Original Name : Fred Lerner

Gender : Male

Character Name : Barge Fighter

Original Name : Jimmy Nickerson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Speed's Hitter

Original Name : Chuck Hicks

Gender : Male

Character Name : Pool Player

Original Name : Walter Scott

Gender : Male

Character Name : Pool Player

Original Name : Max Kleven

Gender : Male

Character Name : Handler

Original Name : Valerian Smith

Gender : Male

Character Name : Zack

Original Name : Bob Minor

Gender : Male

Character Name : Driver

Original Name : Larry Martindale

Gender : Male

Character Name : Card Player

Original Name : Charles W. Schaefer Jr.

Gender : Male

Character Name : Card Player

Original Name : Leslie Bonano

Gender : Male

Character Name : Cajun Fighter

Original Name : Ronnie Philips

Gender : Male

Character Name : Fight Spectator (uncredited)

Original Name : Ron Centanni

Gender : Male

Character Name : Party Guest at Mansion (uncredited)

Original Name : M.C. Gainey

Gender : Male

Character Name : Man (uncredited)

Original Name : Brion James

Gender : Male

Character Name : Prostitute (uncredited)

Original Name : Laura Misch Owens

Gender : Female

Reviews

ky1958

@ky1958

2021-06-23

Another great Walter Hill film with a strong cast. Bronson, Coburn, and Martin are all favorites of mine. A depression-era street fighter hooks up with a compulsive gambler and a morphine addict. I've watched it multiple times over it's 40 plus year life. It's worth your time...

John Chard

@John Chard

2024-05-16

You're not going to do it for free. Hard Times sees Charles Bronson play Chaney, a drifter who travels to Louisiana during the Great Depression and begins competing in illegal bare-knuckled boxing matches that are set up by his new found partner Spencer 'Speed' Weed (James Coburn). Directed by Walter Hill on his directorial debut & produced by Lawrence Gordon, the film also stars Jill Ireland, Strother Martin, Margaret Blye, Michael McGuire & Robert Tessier. Hard Times, if you pardon the pun, pulls no punches, it's tightly scripted (Walter Hill in conjunction with Bryan Gindoff & Bruce Henstell) and thankfully doesn't get moralistic and didactic on the depression and hard times era in general. This features tough men earning a living, the respect is there, but it is brutal, with the violence on show very effective. It may be too strong for some, but Hill has pulled it together astutely to make sure we know these are masters of their craft during a very troubling time in history. It is by definition, an honest living for our pugilists. The bitterness that is here is reserved for those outside of the fight floor, as Chaney observes a bear in a cage as it roars in almost anguish, that whole scene then says so much without Bronson's Chaney actually uttering anything. To which it sounds weird to call Hard Times an evocative period piece, but it is. The locations are perfect for the story unfolding, kind of acting as a rich counter point to the violence played out amongst the men. The land worth fighting for perhaps? Tough and with no little bite, the film benefits from having Bronson as the lead. Yes, Coburn takes the honours for acting gravitas, but Bronson keeps Chaney enigmatically interesting. Chaney is loyal and has the potential for love. We know next to nothing about him, but such is the restraint that Bronson shows in the portrayal, we are grateful to not have had back story filler to bog the story down. This is about this point in a man's journey and in particular the next phase of that journey, one which we, thanks to Bronson, are personally involved with. It's a great understated performance from Mr. Buchinsky. Jill Ireland too is excellent with a touching performance as the down-and-out girl who captures Chaney's attention, while Strother Martin is ever reliable as a dope addict forced to work unlicensed as a medic who Speed has brought in as Chaney's cuts and bruises guy. A smashing and undervalued 70s movie that takes this part of history and refuses to entertain by basking in histrionics and parable's for the masses. Blood, brains and brawn cloaked in an evocative cloud of hope. 8/10