Dos tipos duros

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

Legends Douglas and Lancaster play two aging ex-train robbers who set out to prove they're not over the hill for one more heist. A fun film. It's nice to see two legends go head to head and have a few laughs...

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.

Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas were inexorably linked not just by their co-starring films together, but by the fact that Hedda Hopper in one of her books did a chapter on both of them. She entitled the chapter, The Terrible Tempered Twins and she bemoaned the fact that these two instead of being good little captives of the studio system that kept her in business, had the audacity to chart their own careers. Go into the production end and take total responsibility for the work they did.

It would never have worked had not Lancaster and Douglas not been good judges of the roles they were best suited for. Some stars never wanted that kind of responsibility or felt they were poor judges. William Holden said point blank after one picture where he was the producer, the responsibility was too much for him. Robert Taylor was widely quoted that he stayed with MGM as long as he did because he felt they knew best how to present him and what were good film properties.

But Burt and Kirk knew their minds and made their own careers work. Fortunately before both of them in the Nineties were felled by illness and Lancaster left us, they gave us one more co-starring part.

This one's a comedy though, something different for them. As Harry Doyle and Archie Long two elderly crooks released after a thirty year stretch for robbing the West Coast Flyer train, they find roles perfectly suited to their age and personality.

Lancaster's old and he knows it, but he still wants to be treated with some dignity. Douglas hasn't quite figured it out yet, but in time he gets the fact that time's caught up with him. They just can't adjust to changing times so they try all kinds of things to fit in. And then they decide on one spectacular coda to their lives and careers in the wonderful world of crime.

The two men are in great form and they get some able support from Alexis Smith, Charles Durning and Dana Carvey in the supporting cast. But special comment must be made for Eli Wallach's seeing eye hit-man. Good thing his part is not as long as the stars because he steals every scene he's in.

Of course Kirk Douglas did quite a few more films after this but he didn't do em with this kind of fun in mind.

Two former train robbers get parole after 30 years. Now they have to decide what to do when they get out. They're 65 and 72 years old and don't have a lot of skills. On top of that they don't fit in the 80's way of life. Their parole officer tells them they cant see each other for 3 years as per condition of their parole. They both have a heckuva time adjusting to this new existence and finally decide to go back to their old way of life.

This is one of those 80's gems that I never forgot. Two great actors in their last good film doing what they do best... Acting tough and being guys....Tough Guys. Burt Lancaster is the straight man and Kirk Douglas has all the good lines. Keep a watch out for Eli Wallach...he steals almost the entire film with the small role he has. Yes you will see a very young Dana Carvey pre SNL.

Grab this 80's flick and have a laugh cause I'll bet it won't be too hard to do.