The Last Hard Men

Revenge guessing game between escaped chain gang convict, James Coburn, and unretired sheriff, Charleton Heston. Coburn, along with a nice assortment of seedy characters, kidnaps Heston's daughter, Barbara Hershey, as bait. A prolonged pursuit leads to some unpleasantness, including gang rape. Michael Parks disappears after the first half hour, but the story moves right along, climaxing with a violent and not totally expected conclusion. When hate is the only thing you have to live for, killing your prey can be a rather empty experience. Technically there is a definite problem with under lit night scenes, and the score is very forgettable, however the the film delivers a brutal and exciting story. Recommended. - MERK

Incarcerated train robber near Yuma breaks free his chain-gang and heads for the retired sheriff responsible for killing his wife (as well as a hidden stash of gold which remains hidden thanks to the screenwriter). Attempt to bring the western genre up-to-date with 1970s-style violence and brutality isn't even in the same league as some of the new-fangled westerns which came out of the late-'60s. It is impossibly simple and square, with the female characters merely around as punching-bags and possible rape victims. As the former sheriff back in command, Charlton Heston gives one of his laziest, least-inspired performances ever (he has one good moment, attempting to read a letter and fumbling for his glasses). James Coburn, as the half-mad half-breed, is pretty much on auto-pilot as well, but Coburn has a way of turning even the hoariest dialogue and situations into something prickly and unnerving. It's his show all the way. *1/2 from ****

Stereotyped, derivative, unoriginal and boring Western. The two popular stars (Charlton Heston and James Coburn) both give performances that are far from their best, and justifiably so; they both have superficial roles and character traits stated mainly by dialogue. Heston is a sheriff who "liked the world better as it used to be before" and Coburn is an outlaw who "owes something to the man who locked him up and has to pay his debt". Additionally, Heston is so old that he has trouble riding a horse and Coburn is mean and tough but not as cold-blooded a killer as some of the minor villains. Apparently, the filmmakers couldn't come up with even ONE original idea about how to make this movie somewhat distinguished. (*1/2)

Charlton Heston is Burgade, trying to retire, with his daughter Susan (Barbara Hershey). when chain gang prisoner Provo (James Coburn) escapes, he comes gunning for Burgade. along with a whole group of fellow prisoners. chris Mitchum, son of robert, is in here as Brickman. mexican muscle man jorgé rivero is Menendez. Larry Wilcox (CHIPS !) is Shelby. Provo manages to kidnap the daughter Susan, so Burgade gets a posse together and goes after Provo and his gang. the usual western, tracking, trailing, threats, shoot-outs. it's good. most of the film is the sheriff tracking Provo and his gang. Directed by Andrew McLaglen. he worked with John Wayne on seventeen films! Story by Brian Garfield. filmed in various beautiful locations around Arizona.

A Movie so Derivative and Dull that without Shame. So much of this Film had come before that this Rip-Off is in Violation of any respect due its Predecessors. The Action is presented in an Unremarkable, Unrestrained, Mirror image of a paint by numbers New Violence kit. The Star Cast is uninspired and seem Uninterested, probably because they feel a Sense of detached, diluted Deja-Vu. It tries to have a Hard Edge with a Soulful Protagonist but delivers a Dud and a Soulless Villain with absolutely Amoral Behavior, but presents a Pathological Bore. The Editing and Exposition is Hackneyed and intrusive and the Movie seems to be quickly stuffed into the can and shipped before anyone Notices that there is Nothing Present beneath the wrapping. The Western, after its explosive Ten Year run from Leone to Peckinpah, didn't need anymore of this type Imitative fodder for its Unfortunate Demise, as the Genre quickly Fell Out of Favor.

I've seen this film on Sky Cinema not too long ago.. I must admit, it was a really good Western which features 2 of the big names.. On one side, there's Charlton Heston, playing the infamous and retired lawman Samuel Burgade. On the other.. The late James Coburn playing the villainous Zach Provo.. seeking revenge on Burgade no matter what the cost..! The good thing about this film was there was some really good characters.. Most of the actors played it out really well.. Especially James Coburn, who I find that he was really mean in this film.. But that how it was.. Christopher Mitchum, who I've seen everywhere in other films.. Playing Hal Brickman.. I felt his character was left out in the cold, but he manage to get himself back in by teaming up with Burgade, to bring down Provo's posse's! All in all, it was a great film.. Very good to watch.. Great score from the late Jerry Goldsmith.. Wonderful piece of Western persona..! 8 out of 10.

Nowadays, people would take a different meaning if you told them you were watching a movie called The Last Hard Men. But this film in question is a Sam Peckinpah styled Western that has two leading men that were cast in Peckinpah's films going head to head against each other in this vicious revenge western. James Coburn escapes from Yuma prison on the chain gang and instead of going on the run, he plots revenge on the lawman that brought him in and kidnapped his daughter. This puts his old nemesis taking himself out of retirement to put down his long time enemy and get back his daughter. Both Heston and Coburn are fantastic and the film is tense, violent and nasty, but is totally well made overall. I can't say that this comes close to Peckinpaw's best work, but for something similar The Last Hard Men gets the job done and is a pretty solid lesser known western.