Hard Times Review
Walter_Hill's first outing in the director's chair is also arguably his best, in this near-mythic tale of a bare-knuckle boxer trying to survive during the Depression. Charles_Bronson, in what is also his best role, plays the aging fighter who arrives in New Orleans looking as though he's already absorbed a few thousand punches. Possibly the only film in which Bronson has a good backstory to explain that remarkable face, it's the perfect marriage of a timelessly archetypal character with the condensed history of a desperate time. Bronson, who was 54 when he did the film, plays a fighter who uses his age to sucker unwitting gamblers into betting against him. Something of a Zen warrior, he keeps talk to a minimum, wanting only to fight and get paid. The film's deliberate pace allows one to appreciate the small details of his bone-crunching life, as well as the marvelously atmospheric city of New Orleans, which is a more important character than anyone but the protagonist. Cinematographer Philip_Lathrop, who had previously shot the city in The_Cincinnati_Kid (1966), uses minimal lighting to give the film a subdued, slightly sinister feel. While as good as usual, James_Coburn and Strother_Martin are less characters here than elements of the local color. Michael Costello, Rovi
Great Film Moments:
- In Theaters
- This Week
- Coming Soon
- New on DVD
Browse More Movies:
