Hardcase is a 1972 American made-for-television Western film directed by John Llewellyn Moxey and starring Clint Walker and Stefanie Powers. It was the first fully live-action feature film of the Hanna-Barbera studios.
Jack Rutherford has returned to his ranch in Texas after soldiering in the Spanish–American War. Because he was presumed dead, his wife Rozaline remarried a Mexican revolutionary leader named Simon Fuegus. Rozaline also sold Jack's ranch and belongings to buy weapons for Simon's band. Jack travels to Mexico to get his share of the proceeds of the sale but gets nothing. Taking matters into his own hands, Jack decides to raise income by kidnapping Simon for $10,000 ransom to be paid either by Simon's band or the Mexican Federal Government who wish to get their hands on Simon.
Tropes used in Hardcase include:
- Not in This for Your Revolution: Jack makes it very clear to Simon that he is not in Mexico to join his revolution. He is only there to collect the money he believes Rozaline and Simon owe him.
- One-Word Title
- Private Military Contractors: Simon's revolutionaries are hiring foreign mercenaries, which make the Federales very suspicious of any gringos in the area. Booker Llewellyn is an American artilleryman working for Simon who acts as Mr. Exposition for Jack when he joins Simon's forces.
- Shot at Dawn: The film opens with a captured revolutionary being executed by a Mexican Army firing squad.
- Still Wearing the Old Colors: Jack Rutherford is wearing an old U.S. Cavalry shirt, and what might be an old cavalry hat. Booker Llewellyn, one of Simon's mercenaries is wearing U.S. Army artillery trousers.
- Twilight of the Old West: The film is set sometime around 1910. The protagonist Jack Rutherford is a veteran of the Spanish-American War who gets caught up in The Mexican Revolution when he ventures into Mexico looking for his wife who has run-off with a Mexican revolutionary.
- We Have Ways of Making You Talk: Major Tozar hopes that subjecting Jack to some Unwilling Suspension will loosen his tongue and make him tell a more interesting story about why he is looking for Simon Fuegus.
- Unwilling Suspension: Major Tozar has Jack strung up by his wrists from an arch in an attempt to force him to talk.
