Three Tough Guys

Three Tough Guys
Directed byDuccio Tessari
Screenplay by
Story by
  • Luciano Vincenzoni
  • Nicola Badalucco[1]
Produced byDino De Laurentiis[1]
Starring
CinematographyAldo Tonti[1]
Edited byMario Morra[1]
Music byIsaac Hayes[1]
Production
companies
  • Produzioni Cinematografiche Inter. Ma. Co.
  • Columbia Film[1]
Distributed byTitanus[1]
Release dates
  • 15 March 1974 (1974-03-15) (New York)
  • 29 May 1974 (1974-05-29) (France)
  • 13 August 1974 (1974-08-13) (Italy)
Running time
92 minutes[1]
Countries
  • Italy
  • France[1]
Box office₤761.271 million

Three Tough Guys (also known as Tough Guys) is a 1974 crime-action film directed by Duccio Tessari.[2] It stars Lino Ventura, Fred Williamson and Isaac Hayes, who also composed the soundtrack. It is a coproduction between United States, Italy (where it was released Uomini duri) and France (where is known as Les Durs). The film was shot in Chicago.[3]

Plot[edit]

Roman Catholic priest Father Charlie and former police officer Lee solve a bank robbery mystery that stretches across the city. After Lee is removed from the force due to $1,000,000 being stolen from the bank, Father Charlie helps him to gain revenge for the loss of one of his friends.

Cast[edit]

Production[edit]

Three Tough Guys was filmed in Rome and on location in Chicago between September 4 and October 1973.[1][4] The film was Isaac Hayes' acting debut.[1]

Release[edit]

Three Tough Guys opened in New York on March 15, 1974.[4] was released in France under the title Les durs on May 29, 1974.[1] It was released in Italy under the title Uomini duri where it was distributed by Titanus.[1] It grossed a total of 761.271 million Italian lire.[1] Italian film historian and critic Roberto Curti said this gross was "moderate, but not outstanding success" as it had grossed less than half of Enzo G. Castellari's Street Law.[1]

Soundtrack[edit]

Tough Guys
Soundtrack album by
Isaac Hayes
ReleasedMay 1974
Recorded1974
GenreProgressive soul,[5] funk[6]
Length34:13
LabelEnterprise
ENS-7504
ProducerIsaac Hayes
Isaac Hayes chronology
Joy
(1973) 		Tough Guys
(1974) 		Truck Turner
(1974)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[6]

The soundtrack was composed, conducted and performed by Isaac Hayes, with string arrangements performed by the Memphis Symphony Orchestra and rhythm tracks performed by Isaac Hayes' band, The Movement. The original LP record, Tough Guys, was released by Enterprise Records, an imprint of Stax Records.

The main theme of Three Tough Guys would be used in Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill Vol. 2.[1] "Hung Up on My Baby" was sampled for the Geto Boys song "Mind Playing Tricks on Me."

Original track listing[edit]

Side one

  1. "Title Theme" - 2:32
  2. "Randolph & Dearborn" - 4:24
  3. "The Red Rooster" - 4:04
  4. "Joe Bell" - 4:57

Side two

  1. "Hung Up On My Baby" - 6:15
  2. "Kidnapped" - 2:40
  3. "Run Fay Run" - 2:45
  4. "Buns O' Plenty" - 4:37
  5. "The End Theme" - 1:13

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Curti 2013, p. 124.
  2. ^ Joe Bob Briggs. Profoundly disturbing. Universe, 2003.
  3. ^ Roberto Curti. Italia odia: il cinema poliziesco italiano. Lindau, 2006.
  4. ^ a b "Three Tough Guys". American Film Institute. Archived from the original on 3 April 2014. Retrieved December 9, 2016.
  5. ^ Winistorfer, Andrew (December 28, 2020). "Isaac Hayes' Prog-Soul Soundtrack Epic". Vinyl Me, Please. Retrieved January 23, 2021.
  6. ^ a b Unterberger, Richie. Review: Tough Guys Archived 2017-06-23 at the Wayback Machine. Allmusic. Retrieved on 2017-04-14.

References[edit]

  • Curti, Roberto (2013). Italian Crime Filmography, 1968-1980. McFarland. ISBN 978-0786469765.

External links[edit]

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Three_Tough_Guys&oldid=1193426166"