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IMDb > Heart Like a Wheel (1983)

Heart Like a Wheel (1983) More at IMDbPro »

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Overview

User Rating:
6.6/10   513 votes
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Up 2% in popularity this week. See rank & trends on IMDbPro.
Director:
Jonathan Kaplan
Writers:
Ken Friedman (writer)
Joan McCall (screenplay)
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Contact:
View company contact information for Heart Like a Wheel on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
1 April 1983 (USA) more
Genre:
Biography | Drama | Sport more
Plot:
Shirley Muldowney is determined to be a top-fuel drag racer, although no woman has ever raced them before... more | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
Nominated for Oscar. Another 3 nominations more
User Comments:
Moving story about an unusual woman more

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Bonnie Bedelia ... Shirley Muldowney

Beau Bridges ... Connie Kalitta
Bruce Barlow ... Bass Player, Tex's Band

Leo Rossi ... Jack Muldowney

Anthony Edwards ... John Muldowney (age 15-23)

Hoyt Axton ... Tex Roque
Paul Bartel ... Chef Paul
Missy Basile ... Angela

Creed Bratton ... Photographer
Jesse Aragon ... Carlos
Tiffany Brissette ... Little Shirley
Paul Bryar ... Matt, Card Player
James Burton ... Guitar Player, Tex's Band
Martin Casella ... Repoter #1
Michael Cavanaugh ... NHRA Boss
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Additional Details

Runtime:
113 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Sound Mix:
Stereo
Certification:
Iceland:L | USA:PG (certificate #26895) | Australia:PG
Company:
Aurora more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Sound clips from the movie was used on the song "Shirley" by L7 on their CD "HUNGRY FOR STINK" from 1994. more
Goofs:
Anachronisms: When Shirley first meets Connie Kalitta in 1966 (and indeed in many scenes thereafter), his funny car is prominently featured - a 1971-73 Ford Mustang. more
Movie Connections:
Featured in Shirley Muldowney: Behind the Wheel (2006) (V) more
Soundtrack:
Happy Together more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
6 out of 6 people found the following comment useful:-
Moving story about an unusual woman, 16 October 2002
Author: trpdean from New York, New York

This is one of those rare performances in which you fall in love with the actress. Bonnie Bedelia was apparently nominated for a Golden Globe as Best Actress for her performance as Shirley Muldowney - she should have won an Oscar.

Whether or not you care anything about drag racing - I don't - this is just as much a movie about an unusual, sweet but driven, woman through two decades. It's really tops.

The only criticism I have is that the movie lets the character off rather lightly for abandoning her husband and child after a fight over whether she should be gone from home throughout the year. The truth is that it must be terribly difficult for someone not in the industry to keep a marriage going - including parenthood of a 12 year old - with someone who wants to be gone throughout the year and throughout the country. At one point, Beau Bridges accuses her of abandoning her husband due to ambition - and I suspect there may be more in the accusation than the movie allows the viewer to believe (since Beau Bridges at that point is behaving pretty awfully).

Still, Bonnie Bedelia is so charming, sweet, pretty, winning in every way - that the viewer does nothing but cheer her success.

This is very enjoyable.

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Heart Like a Wheel (1983)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
The real Connie Kalitta? countkat
affair the wife hadn't known about geezabrek-1
The Real Shirley KansaMS
Type of Car in 1st Street Race? marney75
Heart Like a Wheel Soundtrack kmschindler3
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