Tough Guys is the 7th and final film legendary actors Kirk Douglas and Burt Lancaster made together . They play Harry Doyle ( Lancaster ) and Archie Long ( Douglas ) , the last American train robbers who just finished a 30 year prison sentence. A lot has changed since the 1950's as they attempt to adjust to civilian life in 1980's Los Angeles.Tough Guys as a film holds up real well due to the great chemistry of Lancaster and Douglas .Eli Wallach nearly steals the show as an aging hit-man who 's waited 30 years to kill Doyle and Long .Charles Durning and Dana Carvie are great as well in this fast paced ,nostalgic action comedy . Also check out an early performance from The Red Hot Chili Peppers before they blew up and were still part of the LA punk scene. Tough Guys is still funny and is easily one of the most overlooked comedies to come out in the late 80's . Definitely needs a US DVD release as my VHS tape won't last forever.Tough Guys is a great comedy classic that should satisfy fans of the 80's.

Train robbers Harry Doyle (marvelously played by Burt Lancaster) and Archie Long (an excellent and vigorous Kirk Douglas) get paroled from prison after serving a three decade sentence. Not only do the pair have to dodge crazy myopic hit-man Leon B. Little (a gloriously batty Eli Wallach),but they also have a hard time adjusting to the wild'n'funky 1980's.

Director Jeff Kanew keeps the enjoyable story moving along at a snappy pace, maintains a likable good-natured tone throughout, and stages the rousing train hijacking climax with gusto. The witty script by James Orr and Jim Cruickshank delivers plenty of funny gags concerning Harry and Archie's difficulty in dealing with life's limited options and the radical changes that have happened in the world thirty years down the road as well as makes a few valid points about society's prejudice towards and lack of respect for the elderly (Harry's scenes in which he clashes with the patronizing staff at a hellish retirement home are absolute gold). Douglas and Lancaster display a natural and engaging chemistry in the lead roles; they receive fine support from Charles Durning as bitter and grouchy detective Deke Yablonski, Alexis Smith as Harry's adoring old flame Belle, Dana Carvey as friendly probation officer Richie Evans, and Darlanne Fluegel as perky oversexed gym owner Skye. King Baggot's slick widescreen cinematography provides an attractive glossy look. James Newton Howard's bouncy score hits the sprightly spot. A real riot.

Harry Doyle (Burt Lancaster) and Archie Long (Kirk Douglas) are old gangsters who were sentenced together to 30 years in prison for a famous train robbery of The Gold Coast Flyer. They are the last train robbers and The Gold Coast Flyer is set to retire. They are released and ready to collect Social Security. Their parole officer Richie Evans (Dana Carvey) is an eager fan. Leon B. Little (Eli Wallach) is a Mr. Magoo assassin taking shots after waiting for 30 years to fulfill his contract. Harry insists on the straight and narrow. He even stops a bank robbery but is forced into a retirement home where he reconnects with Belle (Alexis Smith). The guys are forbidden to see each other for 3 years. Archie gets a job at a ice cream parlor and starts dating Skye (Darlanne Fluegel). Sgt Deke Yablonski (Charles Durning) arrested the guys in the first place but is now reduced to doing payroll. He is sure that the guys are up to no good and is willing to push them.

It's great to have these old timers. They have good chemistry together. They are forced to be apart which doesn't help. The comedy around them is a little cheesy. The movie overplays the fish out of water theme. The movie world is done very broadly. Despite various little problems, these two veterans pull the movie through with their charisma.