The Last Hard Men (film)

The Last Hard Men is a 1976 American Western film directed by Andrew McLaglen, based on the 1971 novel Gundown by Brian Garfield. It stars Charlton Heston and James Coburn, with supporting roles by Barbara Hershey, Jorge Rivero, Michael Parks, and Larry Wilcox in his screen debut.

Plot
In 1909 Arizona Territory (not yet the 48th state until three years later with neighboring New Mexico Territory in 1912), Captain Sam Burgade has retired from his law enforcement career with the state policing agency, the Arizona Rangers. Hoping for peace and quiet, he suddenly learns that his old criminal enemy, Zach Provo, has escaped from a Yuma Territorial Prison chain gang on a desert railway line with other convicts. Zach Provo is a half-Indian outlaw who dreams of exacting revenge on Burgade, not only for putting him away but for the death of his Indian wife who was killed in a crossfire years before. Burgade was shot by Provo and barely survived, but he later sent Provo to prison. Now out for revenge, Provo does not go immediately after a cash shipment as Burgade expects, but instead kidnaps Burgade's daughter, Susan.

The six remaining men of 22 escaped prisoners form an ambush. Provo allows two of them to rape Susan in full view of Burgade and Brickman, Susan’s fiancé, assuming Burgade will show himself in an attempt to rescue her. To prevent him from doing so, Brickman knocks Burgade unconscious, and he is unable to intervene.

With Brickman's help, they set a fire to smoke out the fugitives, Burgade is able to dispose of them one by one until only Provo is left. But he finds himself at gunpoint, then is shot by Provo several times and Provo is about to cut out Burgade's heart when he is able to retaliate at last with a handgun, shooting Provo through the chest. The film ends with Susan and Brickman tending to Burgade's injuries.

Cast

 * Charlton Heston as Sam Burgade
 * James Coburn as Zach Provo
 * Barbara Hershey as Susan Burgade
 * Jorge Rivero as Cesar Menendez
 * Michael Parks as Sheriff Noel Nye
 * Larry Wilcox as Mike Shelby
 * Thalmus Rasulala as George Weed
 * Morgan Paull as Portugee Shiraz
 * John Quade as Will Gant
 * Robert Donner as Lee Roy Tucker
 * Christopher Mitchum as Hal Brickman
 * Riley Hill as Gus Stanton

Production
Coburn said "“It was very hard to justify my character’s vendetta with Charlton Heston. He had no redeeming qualities. He was just out for revenge. The director was Andrew V. McLaglen. He knows how to go out, shoot a film and get it done. That’s about all. He’s another director for hire.”

Critical response
New York Times film critic, Richard Eder gave the film a mostly positive review, writing:"The Last Hard Men is not just a horse opera; it's practically Tristan and Isolde. Only the love-death relation isn't between a man and a woman but between a retired lawman and a half-breed Navajo who is obsessed with the notion of killing him ... Some of the chases are well done, particularly a night scene when the daughter tries to escape the bandits and is hauled back. I liked the dry performance of Michael Parks as the young sheriff who has more faith in his telephone than in old-fashioned shoot-outs." Variety magazine said of the film:"The Last Hard Men is a fairly good actioner with handsome production values and some thoughtful overtones...The details of life at a crucial transition point in American history are well captured in the script and in the art direction." TV Guide magazine wrote:"The story is a rough and realistic portrait of the final days of a Wild West being subdued by civilization. Heston is an archaic type of hero, but his approach is the only one that can meet Coburn's. The cast gives believable and realistic performances, with script and direction contributing a sleekness."