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I like the storyline of this show,it attract me so much

Absolutely Fantastic

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

It's an amazing and heartbreaking story.

Scenarist Walter Hill made his directorial debut with "Hard Times," a rough and tumble, but realistic, bare-knuckles boxing saga set in New Orleans during the Depression where Charles Bronson becomes the number one knuckle-buster. All too often during his career, Charles Bronson starred in far-fetched, unbelievable action movies that would ultimately be forgotten long after their initial release. This is not the case with "Hard Times," an atmospheric yarn that casts the "Death Wish" star in one of his finest roles as Chaney, a taciturn itinerant to rides the rails to the next town but doesn't sink roots. The rugged strongman has just gotten off a train when he notices people crowding into a nearby warehouse. Curiously, he investigates and watches as guys place bets on two opposing bare-knuckle boxers. Essentially, the man left standing is the man who wins. Speed (James Coburn of "The Great Escape") loses when his fighter is beaten to a pulp. Afterward, in a bar, Chaney meets with Speed and offers to fight for him. Chaney goes so far as to wager his own wad on himself. Aside from the air conditioning units that stick out of the windows on Bourbon Street, "Hard Times" tries to evoke the era. Speed is one of those guys who loses more often than he wins, and he is constantly contending with the bothersome guys who loaned him money that he hasn't repaid. When Chaney and he hook up, they make an unbeatable pair. Speed brings in an associate, Poe (Strother Martin of "Cool Hand Luke"), who spent two years in a medical college. He attends to Speed's fighters should the need arise for such treatment. Initially, things are uncertain because Chaney doesn't want to fight as often as Speed would like. Nevertheless, when Speed gets Chaney a fight, Chaney demolishes his opponent. The refreshing thing about "Hard Times" is that it eschews a romance for the sake of a romance. Mind you, Chaney does meet a girl, Lucy Simpson (Jill Ireland of "So Evil, So Young"), but it isn't love at first sight. Ireland seems to be around because she was married to Bronson at the time, but also because a woman will brighten up any movie. Interestingly enough, she wants to earn her own money and doesn't want to rely on a man for her welfare. You know when the superstar lead in a movie like this doesn't walk off with the dame on his arm in the end that this is might be an art film. Furthermore, Walter Hill sticks to the fundamentals, keeps things simple and straightforward, and doesn't fall back on contrivance. He stages the fights impromptu like, and things never get distressingly bloody. Of course, like your standard-issue boxing movie, Chaney has to work himself up the ladder to get better fights. Chaney's fight with Jim Henry (Bob Tessier of "The Longest Yard") is the highlight of the film. The fight that takes place before Chaney squares off against Jim shows a kid popping his fists off Jim's head. Later, Jim will smash his rock-hard cranium into his adversaries face three times. Tessier ranks as the best villain of the film. If the film appears to have lapses in continuity, you can blame director Walter Hill who pared it down to the quick. Reportedly, Coburn wasn't happy with what he saw. At least twenty minutes or more has been deleted. "Hard Times" provides a memorable glimpse of illegal fist-fighting may have been like during the Depression era in New Orleans.

I mean I am not that of a fan of the films like these, but it is certainly film which I enjoyed. It is one of the Bronson*s classics, if not the best of his films.Acting is so 1970*s. I love it! And fighting scenes are so cool and professional. Plot is not that original, but for those times they must of been. Sets and and editing is so interesting from this time that every student of film editing and directing should see this film.If you want to see vintage film which was so excellent and original for those times, this is the one for you. Since is probably one of the best Bronson*s works, if you are a fan of that actor this is a film for you.

Set during the great depression, Chaney (Charles Bronson) is a quiet drifter who joins fight manager Speed (James Coburn) in an underground no rules fights. They are joined by cut man Poe (Strother Martin). In New Orleans, Chaney has an affair with Lucy Simpson (Jill Ireland). They confront promoter Chick Gandil (Michael McGuire) and his unbeatable fight champ.The story is very bare bones. It is Walter Hill's directorial debut. The strong silent acting from Bronson works well as a solo act. He has difficulties developing chemistry with Coburn or Ireland. In the end, it is the fights that are so much fun. It is an early depiction of MMA where kicks are used. The boxing parts are still the old standard of pre-Rocky. However when kicks, head butting, and other things are added. The fights ascend to a whole other level.

Both Charles Bronson and Clint Eastwood played during the Seventies bare knuckle prize fighters. But Charles Bronson in Hard Times was infinitely more serious about it whereas Clint's two films Every Which Way But Loose and Any Which Way You Can were played strictly for laughs.Hard Times is set during the Great Depression and in those desperate economic straights people would do just about anything for a little cash. Bronson who grew up in that period actually did do some legitimate prize fighting at one time which is why he looks so natural in the role. With the possible exception of Robert Mitchum, I don't know any other major male film star who came from such a hardscrabble background as Charles Bronson. James Coburn is his co-star and the two veterans from The Magnificent Seven and The Great Escape play beautifully off against each other. Coburn is a gambler/manager. Coburn likes to live life to the fullest and on the edge which exasperates his girl friend Margaret Blye. It's Bronson who approaches Coburn, but it's Coburn with his reckless ways that nearly lands both of them in the toilet with other gamblers and loan sharks. Chief villain of them is Michael McGuire playing Chick Gandil.An interesting choice of name for a villain because Chick Gandil was the ringleader of the infamous Black Sox who threw the 1919 World Series. I did a little research on Gandil and there was no mention of him being involved in the illegal bare knuckle prize fight game. Wikipedia does mention that Gandil did do some boxing before deciding on baseball as a career. At the time of these bare knuckle fights, the real Chick Gandil was involved in some outlaw semi-pro baseball leagues along with other banned players. And he was from California not New Orleans where this film is set. McGuire however is every inch the rogue Gandil was alleged to be.Strother Martin gives a good account of himself as a would be doctor who got thrown out of medical school for opium addiction. As it was called back then, Martin was a hop head. He plays the corner man for Bronson.Hard Times is a nice and occasionally brutal look at how some had to make a living during the Great Depression. A really worthwhile film capturing the era and some of the men who survived it.