Three Tough Guys


Three Tough Guys is a 1974 crime-action film directed by Duccio Tessari. It stars Lino Ventura, Fred Williamson and Isaac Hayes, who also composed the soundtrack. It is a coproduction between United States, Italy and France. The film was shot in Chicago.

Plot

priest Father Charlie and former police officer Lee solve a bank robbery mystery that stretches across the city. After Lee is removed from the force due to $1,000,000 being stolen from the bank, Father Charlie helps him to gain revenge for the loss of one of his friends.

Cast

Three Tough Guys was filmed in Rome and on location in Chicago between September 4 and October 1973. The film was Isaac Hayes' acting debut.

Release

Three Tough Guys opened in New York on March 15, 1974. was released in France under the title Les durs on May 29, 1974. It was released in Italy under the title Uomini duri where it was distributed by Titanus. It grossed a total of 761.271 million Italian lire. Italian film historian and critic Roberto Curti said this gross was "moderate, but not outstanding success" as it had grossed less than half of Enzo G. Castellari's Street Law.

Soundtrack

The soundtrack was composed, conducted and performed by Isaac Hayes, with string arrangements performed by the Memphis Symphony Orchestra and rhythm tracks performed by Isaac Hayes' band the Movement. The original LP record, Tough Guys, was released by Enterprise Records, an imprint of Stax Records.
The main theme of Three Tough Guys would be used in Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill Vol. 2. "Hung Up on My Baby" was sampled in the Geto Boys song "Mind Playing Tricks on Me."

Original track listing

Side one
  1. "Title Theme" - 2:32
  2. "Randolph & Dearborn" - 4:24
  3. "The Red Rooster" - 4:04
  4. "Joe Bell" - 4:57
Side two
  1. "Hung Up On My Baby" - 6:15
  2. "Kidnapped" - 2:40
  3. "Run Fay Run" - 2:45
  4. "Buns O' Plenty" - 4:37
  5. "The End Theme" - 1:13