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Tough Guys (1986)

*** (out of 4)

Lifelong friends Harry Doyle (Burt Lancaster) and Archie Long (Kirk Douglas) are being released from prison after thirty-years. They were in there for the last train robbery in American history but once on the outside they find that times have changed. They find it hard fitting in with the current world so that's when Archie gets the idea of robbing the train one last time.

If you're looking for a hard-hitting drama or some sort of nasty comedy then TOUGH GUYS certainly won't be for you. I'm really not sure why this film has gotten so many negative reviews. Look, I'll admit that this isn't a masterpiece or a classic but at the same time it's great getting to see Lancaster and Douglas working together. It's not like they were given countless great roles later in their careers so getting to see them having some fun together makes this movie worth watching.

As far as the comedy goes, I thought a lot of it was rather funny. Yes, the story is pretty simple and the basic gag is having these two old men walking around and having to deal with "young" people. A lot of these situations are quite funny thanks to the two actors being good sports about it. There's the scene where Douglas enters a gay bar not knowing it. There are a couple other scenes where Douglas has to battle people at his pathetic jobs. With Lancaster, he plays it more straight and this includes a relationship with an old fling (Alexis Smith) of his.

The reason to watch this movie is for the actors. Lancaster and Douglas have a wonderful chemistry together and they have no problem fitting these roles. The two of them play well off of each other and they certainly add a lot of charm to the film. Charles Durning is the cop who originally brought him down and he too has some nice scenes with the boys. Dana Carvey is fun in his supporting role as is Smith. Eli Wallach plays a nutbag trying to kill the boys and he too adds a lot of fun.

TOUGH GUYS isn't a masterpiece and there's no question that it overstays its welcome with the extended running time. With that said, if you're a fan of the veteran cast then you'll certainly get a kick out of the film.

I wasn't disappointed when in 1986, Burt Lancaster announced on BBC's Wogan show that his new movie was going to star himself and his long time friend and frequent co-star Kirk Douglas. Since their first pairing in the brilliant noir thriller 'I Walk Alone' (1947), Lancaster and Douglas had made several appearances together. Who can forget Lancaster's tough talking Wyatt Earp and Douglas's equally tough yet terminally ill Doc Holliday in 'Gunfight at the OK Corral'?

So now it was the mid 80's, the age of the pepsi generation, I wondered how these two consistent stars would adapt to staring together again for the first time since the 60's. The answer is brilliant.

Harry Doyle (Lancaster), and Archie Long (Douglas) are released from prison after a 30 years sentence after being caught dead bang robbing a train. Eager to make a clean sweep, the two senior citizens, are looking forward to starting their new legitimate lives. However, all is not as they had hoped on the outside, and Harry and Archie have problems coming to terms with the way the world has changed. Director Kanew gives us a new genre here. Instead of the 'fish out of water' scenario, we have the 'two fishes that have been put back in the water after a severely long time' genre. However, Kanew also gives the audience the inevitable Clichés that go with it, and is always ready to fall back on a youth versus experience incident just about everytime the movie gets enjoyable. After being humiliated, patronised, and generally treated like dirt for the better part of a week, The two ageing gangsters decide that a life of crime has to be better then honest work, and predictably they revert to their previous careers as train robbers.

The film is enjoyable there's no escaping it, but there are more holes in the plot than there are in a grannies cardigan, and is also SOoooo predictable in fact the films outcome is more predictable than the outcome of a fight betwix elephant and duck. First of all to get 30 years simply for robbing a train, seems a bit excessive for the viewer to even find it believable. Co-incidentally the day the get out of prison is 1 week before the train they were caught robbing is making it's farewell run.

This aside the film IS enjoyable, and Lancaster and Douglas play their parts wonderfully and you enjoy the film more for their presence. Other cast members also rate highly, Eli Wallach is by far the funniest character, and his wonderful performance in some ways steals the film from it's intended stars. and the devine Alexis Smith makes a small cameo as Lancaster's ex lover. Charles Durning is unfortunately once again typecast as the over-weight lazy flatfoot (ala Dog Day Afternoon/The Sting) and although his performances are always good, you get tired pretty quickly of his tough talking patronising character. and finally there is (Pre Wayne's World) Dana Carvey as the Youthful Idealistic Parole Officer, but it's a shame that Carvey is restricted to playing pretty much a straight character, especially considering he is probably one of the funniest men working in Hollywood today.

Tough Guys should have been better, but I feel Kanew spent most of the budget on getting the perfect Sterling cast, rather than to hire a good script writer. Worth watching for the final appearance on-screen of this top notch duo. Since Lancaster's Death in 1994, I've warmed to this movie more knowing it could never happen again. It's just a shame it wasn't better as it could have been much better.

Kirk Douglas. Burt Lancaster. 'Nuff said! As two train robbers, released from prison after a 30 year stretch, this dynamic duo try to adjust to life in the '80's and all the changes that have taken place. Douglas looks great for a man in his 60's and eventually attracts the eye of a young aerobics instructor. Their scenes together are both funny and sincere, as the differences between them eventually dictate the direction of their relationship. Kirk is also forced to work in menial jobs that involve him dealing with rude customers and a boss who doesn't like ex-cons. These scenes provide the film's best humor. Lancaster's role however is far less interested, as he is relegated to an old-folks home, wherein he becomes somewhat of a revolutionary. Realizing that they just don't fit in with society anymore, the two return to train robbing and the film moves downhill from this point. Eli Wallach contributes some funny scenes as a near-sighted hit-man who has waited 30 years to fulfill a contract to kill the duo. Despite the thin script, this is a very enjoyable film that may best be viewed with a senior citizen family member who can both identify with the characters and who remembers Lancaster and Douglas when they were A-List actors. I recommend it.

The 1980s was a period of transition as many great film legends died. Cary Grant, Bette Davis, Lawrence Olivier, Fred Astaire, Jimmy Cagney were just a few of those who left the scene. But there were attempts (before the end) to bring some of the great figures together. Bette Davis and Jimmy Steward made there only film together. Henry Fonda and Katherine Hepburn did ON GOLDEN POND. Cagney appeared with pal Pat O'Brien, as well as Donald O'Connor, in RAGTIME. Davis appeared with Lillian Gish, Anne Southern, and Vincent Price in THE WHALES OF AUGUST. And Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas appeared in this film.

In the Oscar ceremonies of 1985, Lancaster and Douglas had come in together to deliver an award, and everyone noted how healthy both men still were. It was over two decades since they appeared in a film as co-stars (SEVEN DAYS IN MAY), and some of the news items in the wake of their appearance suggested it was too bad there was no property that they could develop together. Shortly afterward this comedy was produced.

It had a great build-up, and I was fortunate to see it in a movie house. But it did not have a massive audience box-office, and was gone within six weeks. It was too bad, because it was a funny film, and would turn out to be the best comedy buddy film of the films that they did together.

Harry and Archie (Lancaster and Douglas) pulled off one of the smoothest and most impressive railway train robberies in American history back in 1947. They almost got away with it, except for the persistence of a police officer (played by Charles Durning) who broke the case and managed to bring them to jail. They have served nearly forty years in jail, and when released they are in for time shocks. After all, they were used to the world of 1946/47. While both are physically fit, both can't get out of their mental views from their youth.

On top of that, they have to deal with Durning, whose police career - after it's brilliant start - petered out leaving him embittered, and desperate to prove himself to the young pups who count the days until his enforced retirement. They have to deal with parole officer Dana Carvey, who has all the typical problems of a nice, naive parole officer. They have to deal with hostility around them from all peoples - mostly the young, but the middle aged are not much better. They resemble Reggie Kray, one time kingpin of London's largest criminal empire, who in his later years when interviewed pointed out to reporters that (while he did not dismiss his own use of violence against opponents in other gangs) he did dislike the lack of respect he observed towards older citizens. He and his brother Ronnie never stood for that kind of thing. Neither do Harry and Archie here. When threatened as easy, elderly targets by a gang of punks, they beat up the punks quite effectively.

To add to their woes is the most ridiculous, but scrupulous, hit-man in modern cinema: Leon B. Little (Eli Wallach - who almost walks off with the picture). Hired on a contract against the boys back in their heyday, their being in prison prevented the ever ready Little from completing their executions. Even the death of the idiot who hired him means nothing - he was paid already, and he has a code of honor with his clients.

That in the end, the battle of youth and old age unites Lancaster, Douglas, Wallach, and even Durning should not surprise anyone. All four manage to demonstrate that it is street smarts and brains, not youthful idealism (paging Carvey) that will win out in the end. The film has some nice moments, such as Douglas almost going in for dirty dancing with a young chippy, and Lancaster protesting the slop he has to eat in an old age home, and memorably showing his teeth to advantage for a purpose (for a change). It was a good conclusion to the long road of movies these two cinema giants made together - and a funny one too.

Tough Guys re-unites after a near 30 year gap the screen pairing of Kirk Douglas and Burt Lancaster and as such it's a wonderful piece of nostalgia. The premise suits the stars very well Archie Long and Harry Doyle after 30 years in prison for a train robbery are released into society and find things aren't want the used to be back in the old neighbourhood. The duo are soon mixed up with a short sighted hit-man (a scene stealing Eli Wallach), a hero worshipping parole officer (Dana Cavey), an old time cop convinced they'll rob again (Charles Durning) and some seriously 80's style thugs. Add to this just dealing with Archies day job and Harry's new life in a retirement home and their is a recipe for comedy and some surprisingly touching moments as the pair come to terms with old age.

The film is fun and well paced although there are some big plot holes and inconsistencies you can overlook these as its not a serious film. Douglas and Lancaster are clearly having a blast making the movie and seeing them on screen again one last time is great. I'd recommend this film for a feel good comedy or a bit of nostalgia for older movie fans. 7/10