07/26/2025
"Three the Hard Way" (1974) is an action film directed by Gordon Parks Jr. and stars Jim Brown, Fred Williamson, and Jim Kelly, three action superstars during the 1970s. Eric Bercovici and Jerrold L. Ludwig were responsible for the screenplay, and Allied Artists Pictures Corporation distributed the film. The movie follows three friends attempting to stop the poisoning of the black population by a terrorist organization that wants to use the water system to transport the deadly chemical.
Parks, Brown, Williamson, and Kelly were very active in filmmaking by 1974. Gordon Parks Jr. previously directed "Thomasine and Burshrod" and "Super Fly." The other three actors were action heroes in films such as "Slaughter," "Hammer," and "Black Belt Jones." "Three the Hard Way" doesn't have an intriguing plot or compelling storyline—however, Parks knew that was the case when he accepted the project. In an interview with The Boston Globe in June 1974, Parks said, "I know that 'Three' doesn't demand substantial acting ability, but that's not the point of the movie. It's meant to be entertaining, and beyond that, I wanted to work with superstars." Parks also added that if producers had left the film to him, he would have treated the film more seriously.
The Impressions are responsible for the soundtrack, which Lowrell Simon and Rich Tufo produced and released on Curtis Mayfield's label, Curtom. "Three the Hard Way" is an action-packed fun film. I bet seeing these guys together on the big screen in the 70s was great.
Director: Gordon Parks Jr.
Writers: Eric Bercovici, Jerrold L. Ludwig
Starring Jim Brown, Fred Williamson, Jim Kelly, Sheila Frazier, Jay Robinson, Charles McGregor, Richard Angarola, Howard Platt, Marian Collier, David Chow, Junero Jennings, Alex Rocco
Storyline
A record producer (Jim Brown), a Chicago businessman (Fred Williamson), and a martial artist (Jim Kelly) team up against white supremacists who aim to poison the U.S. water supply with a chemical that adversely affects only black people.
