Touchstone Plus-Or-Minus: Tough Guys

While Touchstone occasionally caught hold of rising stars on their way up the Hollywood ladder, such as Tom Hanks, Judge Reinhold and the guy who’ll be in this column next week, they typically had better luck with folks who’d been in the business awhile. But the relatively tepid response to Tough Guys suggested there might be an expiration date on even the most iconic screen actors. Which is a bit of a shame, as this is a genial and charming little movie on its own terms.

Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas had appeared together in six films prior to Tough Guys, beginning with the film noir I Walk Alone in 1947. Lancaster’s long, distinguished career had included such classics as From Here To Eternity, Sweet Smell Of Success and Birdman Of Alcatraz (to say nothing of one of my personal favorites, The Swimmer). At the age of 73 in 1986, his health had recently forced him to slow down a little. But he was still making interesting movies such as Louis Malle’s Atlantic City, which had earned him his fourth Oscar nomination, and Bill Forsyth’s Local Hero. Considering the choices he’d made over the years, it’s not too surprising that this was his first time working for Disney.

Kirk Douglas, of course, had starred in Disney’s 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea back in 1954. His career, of course, was no less impressive. He’d racked up three Oscar nominations. His production company, Bryna Productions, had been solely or partially responsible for the likes of Paths Of Glory, Spartacus, One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest and, of particular interest to this column, Something Wicked This Way Comes. Tough Guys would end up being the final film from Bryna.