Tough Enough (1983)

Director:

Richard Fleischer

Writer:

John Leone (writer)

Release Date:

20 May 1983 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Romance | Sport

Tagline:

"Rocky" without rules

Plot:

An aspiring country/western singer, whose money is disappearing faster than his career opportunities...

Plot Keywords:

Boxing

Cast

Dennis Quaid	...	Art Long
Carlene Watkins	...	Caroline Long
Stan Shaw	...	P.T. (Paul Thomas) Coolidge
Pam Grier	...	Myra
Warren Oates	...	James Neese
Bruce McGill	...	Tony Fallon
Wilford Brimley	...	Bill Long
Fran Ryan	...	Gert Long
Christopher Norris	...	Christopher Long
Terra Perry	...	Wet T-Shirt Girl
Big John Hamilton	...	Big John
Steve Ward	...	Heckler in Torreyson's
Susan Benn	...	Girl in Torreyson's
Mark Edson	...	Janitor in Torreyson's
Steve 'Monk' Miller	...	Tigran Baldasarian

Runtime:

106 min | West Germany:101 min (video)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:PG | Iceland:12 | USA:PG | Norway:(Banned) (1983-2003) (cinema release)

Filming Locations:

Fort Worth, Texas, USA

Company:

American Cinema Productions

Trivia:

Warren Oates' final film.

Goofs:

Continuity: During the final fight, blood is spattered across the front of Tony Fallon's suit but when shown shortly afterward, the blood has disappeared.

Quotes:

Bill Long: Did you get a look at that big meat-headed sonofabitch?
Art Long: What'd they say he was? Albanian?
Bill Long: I know one thing: he's some kind of goddamned foreigner, and there ain't but one way to whip 'em.
Art Long: What's that?
Bill Long: Kick him right square in the nuts, and then tell him his mother's whore.
Art Long: Thanks a lot, Dad. Will you just shut up, please?
Bill Long: I'm just tryin' to help you, Son. You're the one that's gotta go in there and fight this big dumb sonofabitch. Look at him. Probably some kind of a goddamned... Communist savage.

Movie Connections:

References Rocky (1976)

Soundtrack:

You've Got The Touch

Dennis Quaid is tough as nails and so is this movie

Tough Enough is an entertaining little flick.

A little too close to Rocky, Tough Enough is about Art Long, an out of luck unknown country singer. Art loves his music but he's got to pay his bills. So he ends up signing up for the Strong Man Contest, an amateur boxing tournament. Against all odds he wins the Forth Worth contest and advances to the country's finals. The movie follows his path while Art tries to find his success in music and ends up knowing if he really is the toughest man in the US, even if he has to go against the not very honest promoter Neece for it.

The movie is nothing but a way for Dennis Quaid to shine and he does just that. Quaid carries the film with no difficulty and plays his character perfectly. Art is sympathetic, funny and a `warrior' fighting for his dreams against the odds. Quaid has the needed charisma to be the star as would be seen later in his career and without him, Tough Enough wouldn't be nothing but a mediocre film. Warren Oates also delivers a good performance as the clichè rich promoter without scruples. He gives Neece a personality and was a great match for Quaid. Carlene Watkins who played Caroline also did a great job. She's beautiful, really sexy and I have to admit she was in my mind for some time after the movie ended. A very attractive woman indeed. Notice also Pam Grier, the legend. In other words, a wonderful female cast.

Tough Enough is also hilarious at times. The fights with these big, fat clumsy guys are great. There's a guy who's almost blind that's just too funny. Then in the finals we get some nice fights meaning real boxing, well choreographed. In this department Quaid is again successful.

There are even some nice songs, if you like country music. I'm not even a fan and I enjoyed it.

Tough Enough is a funny, light movie. Nice acting, amusing fights, good music. Not bad at all. Hey, its the triumph of the little guy.

So see it and find out just who is the toughest man…on imdb?