Customer Reviews

Tough Guys

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

A cast of old pros (Burt Lancaster, Kirk Douglas, Alexis Smith, Charles Durning, and a flat-out hilarious Eli Wallach) shine in a comic tale of nonconformity and criminal "readjustment".

As recently released cons trying to adjust to freedom, Lancaster and Douglas are in fine form. One really has compassion for all the amusing stumbling blocks that they, like many "elders", must endure. Smith, as the love interest of Lancaster, displays a beauty and elegance that can only be acquired by age. She possesses a stunning smile and gaze. Durning, as the police detective that captured the duo thirty years earlier, is relentless in his quest to prove that these "old dogs" haven't changed their spots.

Wallach, as the other reviewer has stated, is memorable as a bespeckled hit man with an agenda.

This may not rank along with other Lancaster-Douglas pairings like "Seven Days in May" or "The Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, but it does offer a last opportunity to see "originals" display their craft.

I have to say I do love this movie, it's pretty cool to see two aging ex-cons having trouble adjusting to society after a long stint in prison for robbing a train in their youth. Finding out the place they used to hang out at has been turned into a gay bar, trying to keep a job and causing a riot at an old folks home are all really cool. The two (Lancaster and Douglas) play their hearts out in this movie, too bad it was their last together.

Even though it was great to see the gruesome twosome working together again in a comedy, it was Eli Wallach (of "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" fame) who stole the film for me as the blundering and also aging Hitman, Leon B. Little, who with his sarcasm, lack of good vision and shotgun provides the best humour. If anything, it is worth watching for his antics alone.

-agp

This movie is very unique. It is the only movie that I can think of that sticks two of the greats from the golden age of film into a modern day comedy. Just to sit and watch these two act in this type of genre is terrific. What happened to this style of acting?
All and all a brilliant comedy.
Would love to see a DvD release.

...the way these two old cons are treated by the rest of society when they get out is criminal. Folks barking orders at you like you can't understand, the nursing home becomes more prison like than prison itself. And the new styles and fashion? Way too much lame (La-may). It's no wonder a pair of ol' tommygun criminals don't mind risking it all to take the train that they heisted years back again. After the thrill of seeing this pair of classic con actors reunited then the story is maintained by their delightful chemistry, the supporting cast--Eli Wallach, Dana Carvey and Charles Durning--and the fact that you start rooting for these thugs because you think, 'Hey, I ain't exactly a teenager, anymore, and what they're saying and doing makes a lot of sense.' It is an enjoyable flick in the vein of Grumpy Old Men.

I would love to have this film but not on VHS. Why was it on only a region 2 dvd a few years ago? GET THIS ON DVD NOW!!!!!!!

This movie stars two of the Icons from the Golden Age Of Cinema namely Kirk Douglas and Burt Lancaster. These two very fine actors play a couple of ex convicts who can't adjust to life on the outside so they decide to rob one last train.Eli Wallach is also very funny and memorable in this movie as a myopic hitman who will stop at nothingto fulfill a 40 year old contract. This movie is a wonderful refreshing change from the Hollywood norm of Youth, Youth and yet MORE tiresome Youth on our screens. Sadly Mr. Lancaster passed away a few years ago but he did leave us with a marvellous Legacy of very memorable films including this one.

TOUGH GUYS is a movie about two aging train robbers who are released from prison after serving long terms. They have trouble adjusting to life on the outside and decide to once again try to rob a train. Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas have the starring roles as Harry Doyle and Archie Long. The supporting cast includes Charles Durning, Alexis Smith, Dana Carvey, Eli Wallach and Darlanne Fluegel.

The plot is predictable and unimaginative. The acting, however, is strong in spite of the weak material and the film is very enjoyable in spots.

I looked all over for this movie on DVD. Finally I found it!

This DVD is encoded for Region Code 2 DVD players (the type sold in the U.K.), as is indicated in the product description. For some reason Hollywood neglected to release this movie on DVD in the U.S.A.

Be aware that you will NOT be able to play this on a standard DVD player in the U.S.A.

However, you CAN play it on a region free DVD player

Here is one you can buy on Amazon for about $30:
iView-102DV Region Free Universal DVD Player

Another option would be to install "AnyDVD" on your computer (made by a company called Slysoft), which would make your computer think that the region code on this DVD is Region 1, and allow you to play it right on your computer. You could even burn a copy of the DVD to a blank DVD (with AnyDVD installed), and the region code would be changed to Region Code 1, and you could then play the copy in a standard DVD or Blu-ray player.

DVD was what they said it would be. Great movie, fun to watch. Leon B. Little really makes it a great movie.

For anyone interested in trains, this is action packed, ranks right up there with Emperor of the North and The Train. This is a hard to find movie. Get while you have the opportunity.