Heart Like a Wheel (1983)

Shirley Muldowney is determined to be a top-fuel drag racer, although no woman has ever raced them before. Despite the high risks of this kind of racing and the burden it places on her ... See full summary »

Director:

Jonathan Kaplan

Writer:

Ken Friedman

Stars:

Bonnie Bedelia, Beau Bridges, Bruce Barlow

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 3 nominations.

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

Storyline

Shirley Muldowney is determined to be a top-fuel drag racer, although no woman has ever raced them before. Despite the high risks of this kind of racing and the burden it places on her family life, she perseveres in her dream.

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Plot Keywords:

racing | race car | top fuel | 1960s | drag racing | 

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Taglines:

She did something, women were forbidden to do and, become a World Champion.

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | Romance | Sport

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 April 1983 (USA)

Also Known As:

Corazón sobre ruedas

Filming Locations:

Beeline Raceway, Phoenix, Arizona, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Aurora, Michael Nolin, Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

113 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Black and White Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Sound clips from the movie was used on the song "Shirley" by L7 on their CD "HUNGRY FOR STINK" from 1994.

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Goofs

When Shirley first meets Donnie Kalitta in 1966 (and indeed in many scenes thereafter), his funny car is prominently featured - a 1971-73 Ford Mustang.

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Quotes

[after being slapped, by Shirley]
Connie Kalitta: Cha Cha Cha

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Connections

Featured in At the Movies: Heart Like a Wheel/The Buddy System/La Balance/Carmen/Lonely Hearts (1983)

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Soundtracks

You Taught Me How to Cry
Written and Performed by Hoyt Axton

User Reviews

Moving story about an unusual woman

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.