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Tough Enough

  • 1983
  • PG
  • 1h 46m
IMDb RATING
5.5/10
983
YOUR RATING
Tough Enough (1983)
Home Video Trailer from Anchor Bay Entertainment
Play trailer1:40
1 Video
16 Photos
ActionDramaRomanceSport

A C and W singer has a family to support so he boxes at a TOUGHMAN amateur boxing contest, hoping to win $5000 and maybe go on to the nationals and sing on national TV.A C and W singer has a family to support so he boxes at a TOUGHMAN amateur boxing contest, hoping to win $5000 and maybe go on to the nationals and sing on national TV.A C and W singer has a family to support so he boxes at a TOUGHMAN amateur boxing contest, hoping to win $5000 and maybe go on to the nationals and sing on national TV.

  • Director
    • Richard Fleischer
  • Writer
    • John Leone
  • Stars
    • Dennis Quaid
    • Carlene Watkins
    • Stan Shaw
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    5.5/10
    983
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Richard Fleischer
    • Writer
      • John Leone
    • Stars
      • Dennis Quaid
      • Carlene Watkins
      • Stan Shaw
    • 12User reviews
    • 8Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    Tough Enough
    Trailer 1:40
    Tough Enough

    Photos16

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    Top cast43

    Edit
    Dennis Quaid
    Dennis Quaid
    • Art Long
    Carlene Watkins
    Carlene Watkins
    • Caroline Long
    Stan Shaw
    Stan Shaw
    • P.T. Coolidge
    Pam Grier
    Pam Grier
    • Myra
    Warren Oates
    Warren Oates
    • James Neese
    Bruce McGill
    Bruce McGill
    • Tony Fallon
    Wilford Brimley
    Wilford Brimley
    • Bill Long
    Fran Ryan
    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
    Susan Benn
    • Girl in Torreyson's
    Mark Edson
    • Janitor in Torreyson's
    Steve 'Monk' Miller
    • Tigran Baldasarian
    Jimmy Nickerson
    • Jackhammer Malamud
    Rod Kieschnick
    • Gregor Samsa
    Preston Salisbury
    • Ike Kennedy
    • Director
      • Richard Fleischer
    • Writer
      • John Leone
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews12

    5.5983
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    Featured reviews

    10a1969cowboy

    looking for a song from this movie

    The song I'm attempting to find the lyric's maybe sheet music to in tab is the one he is singing to his kids. I know kind of silly little ditty but i would love to learn and sing it to my kids any help would be highly appreciated. By the way this movie rocked i remember when it came out watching it and loving it as a kid and watched it several times since and just keeps getting funnier. thanks in advanced for any help.My favorite parts in the movie where all the fight scenes the characters where outrageously funny. The movie isn't for everyone how ever most southern folk should enjoy it thoroughly if they like this type of comedy with some odd little twists and turns its not all funny just bits and peaces mixed with some other stuff thrown in.
    4barbara_lee_olson

    looking for the song "don't make me dream alone"

    can anyone help me find the song, that was sung at the end of the show, Don't make me dream alone, I've looked on the internet and cant find any song by that name,, i am looking for the lyrics,, but have been unable to find them, as far as the movie goes i really liked it, but then again i am a big rocky fan, i love boxing and loved the singing in the show. i have also looked for the song on lime wire and still nothing, its almost like it really don't exist. but it does. I want to thank every one for letting me make this post i know I'm not good at it, but its really nice to be able to tell others how u do or don't like a film, and to be able to ask questions about it.
    6Doylenf

    Dennis Quaid carries the film with fine performance...

    TOUGH GUY is another boxing film that is somewhat reminiscent of the old Kirk Douglas film, CHAMPION, except that the character DENNIS QUAID plays is not stepping on people in his way up the ladder of success. Instead, Quaid plays an aspiring country singer in need of cash who decides to compete in the "Tough Man" boxing contest. He falls into the hands of an unscrupulous manager, well played by WARREN OATES, and wins a number of fights (in what appears to be "against all odds" judging from some of the other contenders).

    It's a fast-moving tale, colorfully enacted and giving Quaid a chance to warble a couple of pleasant country western songs while strumming a guitar. But he's ferocious in all of the fighting scenes and really does look like a convincing boxer in some amazingly well staged matches that stand inspection even under the merciless eye of the close-up camera.

    Quaid is so good--and the other players are equally competent--that they lift the film out of the "average" category into "very watchable" territory. Passes the time quickly in an hour and forty-six minutes.

    The script could have been a lot tidier, especially for the climactic fight scene and the end result is a film that's message is no more than follow your dream no matter what.
    6Hypguy02

    Dennis Quaid made the movie.

    Dennis Quaid did make the movie. The fight scenes were good, a few a little unbelievable, but overall was enjoyable. The supporting cast was also very good. It was somewhat of a fairy tale script. Keep this in mind when watching it if you haven't seen it yet. The direction lacked some punch, the script a little weak, but I still enjoyed seeing it, again and again.
    1flackjacket

    Acting skills? Not so much.

    I saw this movie for the first time today on broadcast TV. I watched, or rather, suffered through, the entire thing. And the whole time I kept thinking to myself - this would have been a really great movie if the lead actor could actually act. I didn't know his name, figured he'd never act again and that this must have been some kind of low budget B movie that blew their budget on sets rather than real actors... that and the fact that dude with the big mustache from the Quaker Oats commercial played the dad.

    Each line he spoke was flat, fake, stiff and sounded like it was being read off a cue card by freshman who just signed up for the high school play. Or, a beginner, that didn't know how to get into character and didn't know how to feel the line. To be honest, he almost sounded drunk. It was especially noticeable, almost painful, in the first part of the film. But thankfully, the film has less lines for him in the last half, after it turns into a series of Rocky style fight scenes.

    So that's why I was amazed when I came here and saw how many reviewers said the biggest flaw, the "actor" who played the lead role, is what made the film great. I was also amazed that he continued acting after this film and somehow became famous. Maybe it was the fight scenes where he didn't have any lines? Abs over acting skill? I don't know, but I know bad acting when see it. I originally came here to point out to aspiring actors, that if they need a prime example of how to NOT deliver a line, watch this film.

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      This movie, the last film of actor Warren Oates was actually filmed before Oates' penultimate picture, Blue Thunder (1983), but was first released stateside about a week after that movie.
    • Goofs
      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

      Heckler in Torreyson's: Boys, we ain't gon' get them titties back till this bum get's off.

    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: Spacehunter/Tough Enough/WarGames/Harlequin (1983)
    • Soundtracks
      Tough Enough
      Music & Lyrics by Tom Bresh (as Thom Bresh) and Lane Brody

      Sung by T.G. Sheppard

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    FAQ

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • March 25, 1983 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Tough Dreams
    • Filming locations
      • Coliseum, Fort Worth Stockyards, 121 E Exchange Avenue, Fort Worth, Texas, USA(Tough Guy fight venue)
    • Production companies
      • American Cinema Productions
      • Pelleport Investments
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    • Budget
      • $5,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $2,433,722
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $725,117
      • Mar 27, 1983
    • Gross worldwide
      • $2,433,722
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 46 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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