Karry Best movie of this year hands down!

JinRoz For all the hype it got I was expecting a lot more!

Lucia Ayala It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

Kimball Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

rodrig58 I saw "Hard Times" several times as a child, as an adult, each time with great pleasure. It can be seen any time, in "hard times" or in happier times, never gets old. Because it has four aces: Charles Bronson, James Coburn, Strother Martin and director Walter Hill. There's also Jill Ireland, true life's partner of Charles Bronson, they were together also in "Cold Sweat"(1970), "Someone Behind the Door"(1971), "The Valachi Papers"(1972), "The Mechanic"(1972), "Chino"(1973), "Breakout"(1975), "Breakheart Pass"(1975), "From Noon Till Three"(1976), "Love and Bullets"(1979), "Death Wish II"(1982), "Assassination"(1987). Plus two unique faces, Robert Tessier (who appeared with Bronson in "Breakheart Pass") and Nick Dimitri, another favorite of director Walter Hill. Good music and highest level picture signed by Philip H. Lathrop. Editing provided by Roger Spottiswoode, who would become a great director himself ("Under Fire"(1983), "Air America"(1990), "Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot"(1992), "Tomorrow Never Dies"(1997).

FilmCriticLalitRao 'Boxing pictures' is one of the most popular genres in American cinema. This genre aims to depict class and the tensions arising as a result of the boxer's desire for individual glory and the wider socio-economic forces that shape the fighter's identity. Hard Times has achieved a unique position in the realm of this genre for its effective use of a popular sport to depict tough times in American history and their impact on ordinary people. For his début film, director Walter Hill chose to delineate hardships faced by ordinary people in Louisiana during the Great depression. It was during such depressing times that men were instantly hooked to boxing which provided necessary thrills aimed at entertaining a public which had means to pay for bare knuckle fights. Although it can be said that actor Charles Bronson carried the film on his shoulders, there are some good performances by James Coburn too. Watching their team succeed, one is led to believe that a man has to use his hands as effectively as his mind. One thing which can bother some viewers especially the weaker gender as there are some absolutely negligible roles for women.

Jim Marchese Hard Times is a story about what Cajuns did for entertainment in 1933. Street fights were held with big money being wagered by spectators and principal participants on the outcome of these confrontations.Charles Bronson plays the part of Chaney, the main principal in the story. He begins with only $6.00 to his name and after crossing paths with James Coburn (Speed), sets out on adventurous times.Hard Times portrays the American con while dealing with the rigors of the era's loan sharks. Coburn is Chaney's manager; and being the ultimate con man, is finally backed into a corner from which there appears no escape.Bronson portrays great knowledge of the boxing sport; the stance, defense, and hitting from the shoulder to name a few fundamentals. His girlfriend (Jill Ireland) is a delightful addition to the story.Robert Tessier puts on an excellent performance as one of the "hitters" in the story while Lou Antonio makes a couple of cameo appearances in the beginning.Ironically Chic Gandil, Coburn's chief rival, was the name of one of the Chicago White Sox baseball players involved in the infamous 1919 world series scandal in which several White Sox players were permanently thrown out of baseball for throwing the series to the Cincinnati National League ball club.Hard Times will definitely entertain you and the Cajun bar juke box scene is priceless.It should also be noted that 20 some odd years before, a teenage Jack Dempsey in Manassa, Colorado would essentially do the same thing to earn money. Nothing personal, strictly money !!!

Wuchak "Hard Times" was Walter Hill's 1975 directorial debut. He also wrote the screenplay. His preferred (more accurate and better) title was "The Streetfighter," as it was/is known in Europe. Hill went on to do more popular films like "The Warriors" (1979) and "The Long Riders" (1980). The reason I was interested in checking out "Hard Times" is because it had garnered a bit of a cult reputation over the years (although not as cult-ish as "The Warriors").THE PLOT: Charles Bronson plays a poor drifter/loner, Chaney, during the Depression who travels by boxcar to New Orleans. He spies an illegal bare-knuckle fight in a warehouse and offers his fighting talents to a fast-talking gambler, Speed (James Coburn). Chaney proves himself a formidable and profitable fighter, but Speed can't hold on to money because of his gambling addiction and is in constant trouble with the mob.One thing that's amazing is that Bronson was 53 freakin' years-old when the film was made, yet physically looks better than most guys half that age. Bronson's beautiful wife, Jill Ireland, plays his love interest (as usual) and was 39 years old at the time.Although very little is revealed in the film about Chaney's past (we know he had experience as a coal miner), it becomes fairly certain that he had a lot of experience with bare knuckle fighting. We know this because he is supremely confident of his skills despite his age. Chaney is not big or ultra-muscular, but he's fearless, calmly self-controlled, doesn't bleed easy and expertly knows how to READ other fighters. Chaney's weakness is that he's a loner and doesn't talk much, hence he NEEDS Speed to do the talking' for him and set up matches in order to make money from his uncommon skills.I first saw "Hard Times" two years ago and thought it was decent, but I didn't quite get the 'great cult film' hoopla. Perhaps I wasn't prepared for the ugly/dirty Depression era sets and New Orleans locations; or maybe I just wasn't in the mood for a fight film. I just saw it again, however, and appreciate it more."Hard Times" has numerous memorable scenes, lines and characters. I was entertained throughout its 90 minute runtime -- grinning, frequently busting out laughing and even clapping (huh?). Speaking of the runtime, I love it when pictures aren't needlessly overlong.Here's one sample of some of the great dialogue: Chaney's date asks him what he does for a living. Chaney simply responds that he makes money by knocking people down. She mockingly asks, "What does it feel like to knock somebody down?" He brilliantly replies, "It makes me feel a hell of a lot better than it does him." Although Chaney is depicted as a likable, honorable, bold and compassionate person, his downfall is that he is unable to make long-term commitments, preferring to be "free" and mysterious. ***SPOILER ALERT! -- THE REMAINDER OF THIS PARAGRAPH AND THE NEXT TWO*** Because of this flaw he ultimately loses his beautiful girl to someone else. He then leaves New Orleans as mysteriously as he came, albeit now a streetfighting legend and carrying a lot of cash.The ending leaves many questions to ponder: What prompts Chaney to change his mind and try to save Speed by taking on an expert fighter from Chicago? Didn't Speed dig his own pit? Chaney himself angrily told Speed that he didn't owe him anything. Perhaps, as Chaney laid on his bed under the ceiling fan in his dump of an apartment, he realized that maybe he DID owe Speed for granting him the opportunity to utilize his talents and make money. In other words, without Speed he wouldn't have had his success. Perhaps he decided he wanted to make even MORE money in one final fight before leaving New Orleans. Possibly, it dawned on him that, although Speed is certainly to blame for his own problems, Chaney realized that he had fallen into his OWN-dug pits in the past and needed someone to help him get out. Or maybe he realized that, in all the world, he had less friends than can be counted on three fingers and felt it was his duty to help Speed (and Poe) out.Regardless of his reasons, the ending expertly shows Chaney's loyal and generous character. He may be a man of few words, but he certainly CARED about those connected to him, even if they were severely flawed addicts and con-artists. Heck, he even LOVED his cat! ***END SPOILER*** FINAL WORD: "Hard Times" is worthy of its cult film status. Enjoy.GRADE: B