Tough Guys Don't Dance (1987)
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39% of critics liked it
(18 reviews) -
47% of users liked it
(651 ratings)
Norman Mailer wrote and directed this demented film noir, which takes place in a Provincetown of perpetual twilight. Most of the tale, based on his best-selling novel, is told in flashback as Dougy Madden (Lawrence Tierney) pays a visit to his son Tim (Ryan O'Neal). Dougy, a tough ex-bartender,… More Norman Mailer wrote and directed this demented film noir, which takes place in a Provincetown of perpetual twilight. Most of the tale, based on his best-selling novel, is told in flashback as Dougy Madden (Lawrence Tierney) pays a visit to his son Tim (Ryan O'Neal). Dougy, a tough ex-bartender, is ravaged by cancer and decides to see Tim one last time in order. But Tim is suffering both from writer's block and from the effects of too many years of drink, drugs, and sex. His sexy wife Patty Lariene (Debra Sandlund) has recently left him and disappeared. Even worse, one morning he awakens from his stupor to find the front seat of his car covered with blood and a severed head inside his drug stash. He tries to rekindle a relationship with his ex-wife Madeleine (Isabella Rossellini), now married to the psychotic Provincetown police chief, Alvin Luther Regency (Wings Hauser), and he re-acquaints himself with old prep school friend Wardley Meeks III (John Bedford Lloyd), who was also married to the missing Patty Lareine. As the murders pile up and Tim's psyche takes a beating, Dougy decides to help Tim put an end to this chaotic mess of murders. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi
- Directed By
- Norman Mailer
- Genres
- Mystery & Suspense, Drama
R,
- In Theaters
- Jan 1, 1987 Wide
- Studio
- Media Home Entertainment
Critic Reviews
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Geoff Andrew, Time Out
Neither thrilling nor horrific, the camera, plotting, dialogue and atmosphere are uniformly unconvincing: a conservatoire of false notes.
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Vincent Canby, New York Times
Not the high point of the Mailer career, but it's a small, entertaining part of it.
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Hal Hinson, Washington Post
Hard to classify; at times you laugh raucously at what's up on the screen; at others you stare dumbly, in stunned amazement.
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Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
What is strange is that Tough Guys Don't Dance leaves me with such vivid memories of its times and places, its feelings and weathers, and yet leaves me so completely indifferent to its plot. Watching the film, I laughed a good deal.
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Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader
Norman Mailer's best film, adapted from his worst novel, shows a surprising amount of cinematic savvy and style.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Ryan O'Neal
as Tim Madden
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Isabella Rossellini
as Madeline
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Debra Sandlund
as Patty Lorraine
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Wings Hauser
as Regency
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John Bedford Lloyd
as Wardley Meeks III
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Frances Fisher
as Jessica Pond
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Clarence Williams III
as Bolo
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Lawrence Tierney
as Dougy Madden
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Penn Jillette
as The Big Stoop
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R. Patrick Sullivan
as Lonny Pangborn
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Stephen Morrow
as Stoodie
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John Snyder
as Spider
