The Hard Way R1 Patrick McGoohan

[hammicus]

Just a heads up for anyone in Canada, and I guess the U.S.
You never know when you'll stumble on to a gold mine, or Sewers Of Gold. Stopped into my local Wal-Mart a few days ago (in Scarborough Ontario Canada) and saw a display of what I thought was crappy multi pack films of public domain B movies and unheard of TV films, but then amongst all the covers, the words The Hard Way caught my eye, I quickly grabbed the case and low and behold I was holding a set that contained Mr.Jerico, The Hard Way, and Sewers Of Gold, all three films in one set for $10 Canadian, a fiver in UK money. Have played the discs, pretty basic menu with play and chapter options, no subtittles, nice clean clear pictures. The Granada International logo appears after the end of the films credits.

I know Mr. Jerico & Sewers Of Gold have been released in the UK by Network, but this is the first time I think The Hard Way starring Patrick McGoohan & Lee Van Cleef has ever been available on DVD, except for I believe a French DVD with no English language track.

I've tried looking for this set on line from all the usual R1 retailer, but haven't found it anywhere, maybe it's a Wal-Mart exclusive? Here's the companies web site Direct Source Special Products Inc.
They're a French Canadian outfit in Quebec.
This set was the only set that did contain Granada International films, all the other were indeed 'B' movies and unheard of TV films.

[Moor Larkin]

C'est magnifique!

[batman]

I have a few dvds from Direct Source and they are all region 0 releases. I wouldexpect this dvd is also region 0.

Bats.

[warren]

Hi, Do you know if there are any more copies of the hard way at walmart? I have had a look at walmart online and cant see it. I have found the french version too. I am in the uk and am tearing my hair out to find a genuine copy not one of those vhs to dvd copies! Regards Warren.

Originally Posted by hammicus Just a heads up for anyone in Canada, and I guess the U.S. You never know when you'll stumble on to a gold mine, or Sewers Of Gold. Stopped into my local Wal-Mart a few days ago (in Scarborough Ontario Canada) and saw a display of what I thought was crappy multi pack films of public domain B movies and unheard of TV films, but then amongst all the covers, the words The Hard Way caught my eye, I quickly grabbed the case and low and behold I was holding a set that contained Mr.Jerico, The Hard Way, and Sewers Of Gold, all three films in one set for $10 Canadian, a fiver in UK money. Have played the discs, pretty basic menu with play and chapter options, no subtittles, nice clean clear pictures. The Granada International logo appears after the end of the films credits. I know Mr. Jerico & Sewers Of Gold have been released in the UK by Network, but this is the first time I think The Hard Way starring Patrick McGoohan & Lee Van Cleef has ever been available on DVD, except for I believe a French DVD with no English language track. I've tried looking for this set on line from all the usual R1 retailer, but haven't found it anywhere, maybe it's a Wal-Mart exclusive? Here's the companies web site Direct Source Special Products Inc. They're a French Canadian outfit in Quebec. This set was the only set that did contain Granada International films, all the other were indeed 'B' movies and unheard of TV films.

[Moor Larkin]

Originally Posted by warren I am in the uk and am tearing my hair out to find a genuine copy not one of those vhs to dvd copies!

Careful, or you'll end up as bald as me........

I was reading a 1979 magazine article about Lee Van Cleef last evening. It included a photo of him and McGoohan in the pub scene. There was a slightly obscure line that concluded the article, referring to the two old pro's "tearing things up recently in Ireland"!

I wonder what that was meant to mean......

Van Cleef made some comment about his invariably playing bad guys and how he always liked to try and insert a spark of humanity, in some way, by his acting, into the character, to give it a third dimension. I recall a very similar comment by McGoohan after he'd done Hell Drivers. He said playing 'toughs' was all very well, but it would be nice to give some idea of "why they were tough".

I suspect the two old pro's would have had a lot in common. Van Cleef made over forty movies in the five years after his debut in 'High Noon'. McGoohan made much of his love of 'hard work' in many interviews over the years.

[Number 15]

Try eBaY for an original Precision video or NTSC release of The Hard Way, you may get lucky! I am fanatical about this film and have collected the French DVD (in colour), the French PAL video (in black and white - and it really translates well!), as well as the 2nd generation DVD. I have just acquired an original Precision video and although the picture quality isn't brilliant I am still keeping it for sentimental reasons!

I agree with Moor Larkin that Patrick McGoohan gave the main protaganist a human, third dimension and that is what attracts me most to the film. The film is so underrated and needs to get more exposure for sure. I am so obsessed with it that I found out where the film was shot and went and sought out the film studio in Bray, as well as: the cottage where John Connor "lived"; "his" village, and the church where he was supposedly "buried". All 3 are thankfully still there after 30 years, although of course the village (Newtownmountkennedy in Wicklow) has been developed and changed considerably since the filming took place. I am pleased to report that there are no Connors actually named on any of the headstones in the churchyard :)

[Moor Larkin]

Originally Posted by Number 15 The film is so underrated and needs to get more exposure for sure. I am so obsessed with it that I found out where the film was shot and went and sought out the film studio in Bray, as well as: the cottage where John Connor "lived"; "his" village, and the church where he was supposedly "buried". All 3 are thankfully still there after 30 years, although of course the village (Newtownmountkennedy in Wicklow) has been developed and changed considerably since the filming took place. I am pleased to report that there are no Connors actually named on any of the headstones in the churchyard :)

What about Conner? I'm sure one of the hit-man cheques was made out to that name....... but it could just be lousy hand-writing.

Great that you've made such a study of the movie. Do you know any of the background to John Boorman's involvement? I gather Michael Dryhurst was his head honcho, but Hard Way seems to be Mr. Dryhurst's one and only Directorial gig. Boorman gave a very interesting interview about himself not so long ago on BBC24.

I was also struck by the contribution of Edna O'Brien. The movie seems to have been her one and only too...... as an actor. Her narration contributions gave an extra feminine depth of emotion to the film, I felt, that amplified the tragedy of McGoohan's own evocation of Connor. It could have been corny but whoever's idea it was to do it, it worked for me and helped ensure the movie did not become just a macho male, battle of wills.

The setting of the whole assassin thing in Ireland, at that time, seemed too coincidental not to have been uncomfortable viewing on some levels, I've thought. I've wondered if that's one reason for it's almost complete disappearance since.

[asiamiles]

Originally Posted by Number 15 Try eBaY for an original Precision video or NTSC release of The Hard Way, you may get lucky! I am fanatical about this film and have collected the French DVD (in colour), the French PAL video (in black and white - and it really translates well!), as well as the 2nd generation DVD.

Wouldn't a French video be SECAM not PAL and thus would play back in b/w on a PAL-only TV/VCR?

[Steve Crook]

Originally Posted by asiamiles Wouldn't a French video be SECAM not PAL and thus would play back in b/w on a PAL-only TV/VCR?

SECAM isn't really all that common. Most of the DVDs & videos I've seen sold by Amazon France are PAL

See Wikipedia entry

Steve

[asiamiles]

Originally Posted by Steve Crook SECAM isn't really all that common. Most of the DVDs & videos I've seen sold by Amazon France are PAL

I'm not aware of any SECAM DVD's (do such exist?) but I was always under the impression that all French VHS video releases were SECAM.

[Steve Crook]

Originally Posted by asiamiles I'm not aware of any SECAM DVD's (do such exist?) but I was always under the impression that all French VHS video releases were SECAM.

VHS PAL outnumbers VHS SECAM 15:1 on Amazon.fr
Many of the PAL videos are imports but quite a few are made in France

The whole idea of SECAM was effectively dropped when everyone started using SCART (which originated in France) as that allows separate RGB signals and there's no need for any sort of analogue coding of the signal or composite video on a single "channel" (wire)

Steve

[jod]

Originally Posted by Number 15 I am so obsessed with it that I found out where the film was shot and went and sought out the film studio in Bray, as well as: the cottage where John Connor "lived"; "his" village, and the church where he was supposedly "buried". All 3 are thankfully still there after 30 years, although of course the village (Newtownmountkennedy in Wicklow) has been developed and changed considerably since the filming took place. I am pleased to report that there are no Connors actually named on any of the headstones in the churchyard :)

Excellent research Number 15! I'll be paying a visit soon, is the graveyard actually in Newtownmountkennedy? Will it be easy for me to find?

You're probably already aware but the pub in the Joe Lynch scene is Toner's on Baggot St in Dublin and remains unchanged today. It also appears in the film A Fistful of Dynamite.

Moor, I did hear that McGoohan himself was originally lined up to direct but for some reason Dryhurst took the reigns. Boorman doesn't mention the film at all in his autobiography, maybe he's forgotton about it!

[Moor Larkin]

Originally Posted by jod Moor, I did hear that McGoohan himself was originally lined up to direct but for some reason Dryhurst took the reigns.

Really? I'm quite curious as to how Edna O'Brien got involved........ Not to mention how the heck they got The Van man!

Boorman doesn't mention the film at all in his autobiography, maybe he's forgotton about it!

Mr. Boorman lives in Eire I understand so you would think it might have been a movie a little closer to his heart. Mind you, he's down as Executive Producer. Maybe all he did was give permission for his right-hand man to take the gig.

How did a Dublin pub end up in a movie set in Mexico.....

What/Where was the big country house where they had their final shoot-out?

[van]

Hi Hammicus,

I saw this in the St Clair / keele Walmart this morning and then found your thread. I have the Hard Way converted from region 1 VHS to dvd. I don't know how the direct source dvd compares, their public domain westerns are typically poor quality pan and scan, although since this was a made for tv movie, full screen is the correct aspect ratio.

What are the other 2 films in the set like, especially the 1969 warren clarke and ian mcshane movie.

If anyone doesn't know, the warren clarke / nigel havers mini-series 'Sleepers' has had an official region 1 release.

I'm also happy to send copies to anyone in need (no exta cost)

ta

[hammicus]

Hey Van,

The picture quality is excellent, clean and sharp, nothing like those spaghetti western cheapo dvds.

I highly recommend Sewers Of Gold aka The Great Riviera Bank Robbery in North America, is a nice little tv heist film, based on a true event, The Bank Job with Jason Statham is very similar.

Haven't got around to watching Mr.Jericko yet.

For $10 the set is well worth getting, I bought three extra sets just in case it disappeared of the shelves, nice to have for swaps or eBay, I see there's still some left at my local wal-mart, Eglington and Warden, stock has dwindled somewhat though.

James

James