Hard Times

release year: 1975
genre: action/adventure
viewing setting: home DVD, 1/16/01 and home laserdisc, 2/5/99
what I expected: wasn't sure
what I got: a simple but bone-crunching fighting movie

synopsis: In Depression-era America, a drifter makes his living with his fists.

impressions: Generally an entertaining movie, though I have to point out that the laserdisc had bad audio hiss on side B. Anyhow...this movie had what I call the "Seventies Problem": lots of mumbled dialogue that doesn't make sense even if you can hear it. Still, the fistfights were direct and well-done, and the main character took no crap from anyone - a good attitude.

acting: This is the kind of role that Charles Bronson was born to play: tough, simple, a man of few words. James Coburn did well as a fight booker.

the good: Fistfights, tough-guy dialogue and moments.

the bad: Slow parts between the action, could've used more fistfights (there were only 4.)

final word: Decent viewing, if only once.

rating: C

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