The Big Wheel (1949) User Reviews

Indy.....Over 60 Years Ago

[ccthemovieman-1 · 7/10 · 28 June 2010]

A strong second-half made this Mickey Rooney film a decent one and definitely one of his historical value if you follow the Indianapolis 500 Race. It was fascinating to go back see footage of racing and the famous oval from 1949. Man, compared to what you see today, both around the outside and inside of the track, it's a shock to look back to see how much has changed. Even though cars average almost a hundred miles per hour faster today than when this movie took place, it is so much safer. Check out what the drivers were wearing.....almost no protection.

Even though the subject is race-car driving, this is not an untypical movie of Rooney's. You'll know what I mean if you watch the film. Rooney plays the cocky little guy (a la James Cagney) whose self-assuredness gets him far but not without periodic bouts with humility. By the way, Rooney, the following year, was convincing in a film noir called "Quicksand." Rooney could (can) act in about any genre. He is amazing when you consider his career, which is still going at the age of 90!!! I mean, the man's been in more than 300 movies and he's almost always very entertaining.

The actress who played a woman who had a crush on "Billy Coy" (Rooney), Mary Hatcher ("Louise Riley"), was a pretty and wholesome-looking actress, the kind you don't see too much today on screen. She had a short movie career but was a success on Broadway and had a fine singing voice. She doesn't sing in this film, just play the faithful grease-monkey, a girl who pines for him but he's too stupid - most of the time - to see what he has in her.

Meanwhile, the only actual romance where something happens, is between two "old" folks, played by veteran screen stars Thomas Mitchell and Spring Byington.

For a film made 50 years ago, the driving scenes in here were very good, not just a stock footage filmed background. It actually looks like, in some scenes at least, there is a car just ahead of these driving filming the action, like you'd see in modern movies. Then they'd cut to a fake closeup of Rooney but, overall, it was done well for the time period. At the end, with the big race at Indy, they even had real aerial shots from some recent (late '40s) actual Indy race.

In all, not a bad little flick. If you can stay with it through the first half, you'll be rewarded with a strong finish and interesting race finale that is not clichéd.

The Big Wheel was a pretty entertaining Mickey Rooney car racing movie

[tavm · 7/10 · 2 August 2015]

In this one, Mickey Rooney reunites with two of his "Andy Hardy" series castmates: Spring Byington who played his mother there as Mrs. Emily Hardy in the first entry-A Family Affair-and plays his mother here as well. And Lina Romay who was in Love Laughs at Andy Hardy singing a couple of songs there and sings one here as well as also dance with Mickey here as she did in that Hardy movie a few years before. It also has a couple of stars from Gone with the Wind: Hattie McDaniel whose last feature film appearance this was for her and Thomas Mitchell who, as I always like to cite in these reviews, was also in my favorite movie-It's a Wonderful Life. I'll just now say this was quite an entertaining racing picture. Oh, and the leading lady is a Mary Hatcher whose mostly dressed as a mechanic with a cap covering her head but in one scene, she's dressed glamorously thinking she's on a real date with Rooney but the latter was thinking of something work-related during that time!

"Take it easy around the curve!"

[classicsoncall · 6/10 · 7 November 2009]

It was interesting to hear it stated in 1949 when this picture was made that the Indianapolis 500 was already in it's thirty third year. The film never mentioned the term 'Indy 500', and the event took place on Decoration Day, not Memorial Day. Funny, my mother still calls it Decoration Day; I guess old habits die hard.

For Mickey Rooney, this would have to be one of his quintessential performances, alternately cocky and swaggering, and at other times pensive and solemn. He comes on the scene with an ego as big as all outdoors, and has to get taken down a peg or two before getting a chance to hit the jackpot. Storywise, the movie seems to be all over the place with a disjointed continuity that often left me scratching my head. Like the eye-blinking scene in which he crashes during a race, a newspaper headline announces he has a broken leg, and the very next scene he's up and around good as new with scant reference to the accident.

Rooney gets decent support from Thomas Mitchell as his sponsor Red Stanley, and Spring Byington as his mom. I expected a bit more in the way of romance between Billy Coy (Rooney) and his grease monkey sweetheart Buddy (Mary Hatcher), but as I mentioned, there was a lot going on. Funny, but I don't recall her ever being called Louise in the story, her character name as listed in the credits.

Though most of the race scenes were stock footage, they were still effectively done, and some of the crashes looked unusually violent. One in particular, a crash and burn into a wall during the Indy race was especially nasty. Virtually every race made it look like accidents were more the norm than just the occasional mishap.

Of course today, race films and the events themselves are a virtual panoply of commercial endorsements. There were a few instances of product placement here, like Mobil Oil and Coca Cola, but you had to be looking for them.

If you enjoyed this film, try going back another seventeen years to Jimmy Cagney's 1932 picture "The Crowd Roars". It also gets it's start on California dirt tracks, including Culver City which shows up in this flick. There are some Indy scenes as well, though a main point of difference is that it also cameoed some leading race car drivers of the day. Nevertheless, fans of the sport and old time movies get a nice two for one with either of these stories.

Good Character For Rooney, Good Atmosphere

[Snow Leopard · 28 November 2005]

Mickey Rooney gets a character well-suited to his abilities, and the good atmosphere at garages and auto racing tracks also helps make this a solid B-melodrama. The story follows a familiar pattern, but the setting is different enough to make it interesting.

Rooney plays the son of a race driver who wants to establish a racing career of his own. The character goes through a number of changes as his fortunes ebb and flow, and Rooney makes him believable at each stage. He had the ability to be sympathetic when necessary, and he also had the knack of making a character turn abrasive in a believable fashion. Here, it helps to flesh out a familiar plot.

Most of the other characters are one-dimensional, and are only there to give Rooney something to play off of. An exception is Thomas Mitchell, whose skill at playing seemingly simple roles makes the garage owner into a believable character in his own right.

The auto racing settings are interesting, and although the racing sequences rely on stock footage, they are still enjoyable. The story takes Rooney's character from hot rods to midget racers to the Indianapolis-style cars. It was set in what was then the present, and race fans in its audiences probably could have spotted some familiar cars. Now, it is also of interest as a decent recreation of the Indy racers of its day.

Like father, like son

[jeben · 6/10 · 1 January 2003]

Not a bad film... the three central characters are played by talented, convincing actors. The plot focus is on Mickey Rooney's character Bill Coy who follows in his father's footsteps for good and for bad. No other characters are developed- all the emotion and story energy is on the cocky, proud star racer/mechanic who does some mellowing under life's hard knocks... the final indy race is an exciting high-point in the action. This picture recently became available on DVD in a MADACY Mickey Rooney Triple Feature Movie Marathon series...

Early movie about car racing with a phenomenal Mickey Rooney

[ma-cortes · 6/10 · 25 May 2006]

A look at the world of Grand Prix auto racing concerning about Billy (Mickey Rooney) , a young man bursting with raw energy and talent , he is hired by a garage owner named Carrell (Thomas Mitchell) as a mechanic . But Billy gets employment as a speedcar driver and quickly slipping in the rankings . He must learn to deal with his partners and he gets Indianapolis car race where his dad died long time ago . Meanwhile , he is emotionally involvement with attractive girls (Mary Hatcher, Alicia Romay) .

This is a tale of speed and love where Rooney battles competitions , he has his own demons including a horrific , nearly deadly crashing where dies a pilot , being he blamed , besides the mummy fears his death . Car crashes abound and Rooney tempers flaring . There appears uncredited Denver Pyle , Monte Blue and Hattie McDaniel's last movie . The film is developed in top competitors circle , the world's most famous racing circuits as Daiton , Culver city and of course the home of ¨500 miles Indianapolis¨ . It's almost all over the road . The movie belongs to car racing sub-genre with numerous known titles as ¨Grand Prix¨ (by John Frankheimer) ; ¨Le Mans¨ (Lee H Kazkin) in which Steve McQueen does his own driving ; ¨Winning¨ (James Goldstone) where Paul Newman does equally his own driving ; ¨Days of Thunder¨ with Tom Cruise and ¨Driven¨ (Renny Harlin) . Here Mickey Rooney doesn't drive but there are documentary style race footage . The motion picture was well directed by Edward Ludwing . The flick is strictly for those who like cars racing round and round although nowadays dated ; including a brief drama and a good acting by Mickey Rooney .

If it feels like you've seen this before, you probably have....or at least a film very much like it.

[planktonrules · 5/10 · 11 August 2014]

"The Big Wheel" is not a bad movie. However, the plot is very, very familiar and although I hadn't seen this movie before, it sure felt that way as MANY films made during the 1930s, 40s and 50s had similar themes. So the film certainly won't get any kudos from me for originality. But, it is moderately engaging and isn't a bad time-passer.

Mickey Rooney plays Billy Coy--the son of a very famous race car driver that was killed years ago at the Indy 500. He's intent on following in his father's footsteps--well, as least as far as being a racing champ! But he's a bit too cocky and young and folks around him think that he's a bit too eager. However, it turns out he is very talented and has what it takes to win--provided he doesn't sabotage himself. In addition, his father's old pal (Thomas Mitchell) is intent on wooing the widow Coy (Spring Byington). What's to happen? See the film...or not.

Rooney and the rest of the cast were just fine in this film. There were some other similar films before it and the plot about a guy who alienates everyone but eventually learns humility and makes good is possibly one of the oldest clichés in films! Fortunately, the racing sequences are competently made and the film has enough going for it that you won't hate it. Not exactly a glowing endorsement, huh?

A Lot To Prove

[bkoganbing · 6/10 · 9 December 2010]

Mickey Rooney's first film after leaving MGM was this independent production for United Artists, The Big Wheel. This is a racetrack story done with hardly the budget of Le Mans or Grand Prix or even MGM's racing story To Please A Lady that Clark Gable did with Barbara Stanwyck two years later. Still it has a nice cast with good location shooting at various racetracks climaxing of course with Indianapolis 500.

The Mick's got a lot to prove, he's the son of a racing legend who lived a fast life, died at the Indianapolis 500 and left widow Spring Byington to raise Mickey by herself. She's had of late though Thomas Mitchell who was her husband's old mechanic and he's now courting Byington.

Because of his attitude Rooney doesn't win many friends at the racing circuit. When Steve Brodie is killed, a lot of the drivers especially Michael O'Shea blame Rooney. And it comes out a lot of them disliked his father for some of the same personality traits and more.

Mickey's got two girls in this one, Mary Hatcher daughter of race car owner Richard Lane and sultry singer Lina Romay. He has to the end of the picture to figure out which one is really in his corner.

The Big Wheel is not a great picture, but it was better than some of what Rooney was doing after World War II at MGM. For the most part they still saw him as a kid over there. The Big Wheel let Mickey Rooney grow up and for that it should be considered a milestone film in his career.

My dad was the track announcer

[jjsquare · 4/10 · 8 August 2006]

In the credits, my father, Jack Colin, not 'Jack Colon', which was the real spelling, appears as the track announcer. This was his only 'film appearance' but he was a newscaster at KFWB and KHJ in Los Angeles at the time when those stations were the number one and two rated stations in L.A. He burned he candle at both ends and in the middle. His style, high powered as it was, was the style of the day. Today it seems a parody. However, he was always on and seldom, if ever made a mistake. His style is over the top and it seems to mimic the acting style of the day. An interesting side note; Mickey Rooney was married, what, eight, nine times? My father went through 7 wives in the short span of 45 years. Actually, in the short span of 25 years. Should have just had girlfriends.

The Big Wheel- Blows Flat and Even ***

[edwagreen · 7/10 · 1 January 2011]

This story of the race car industry is interesting and invariably there is that always exciting end of film racing scene.

Mickey Rooney is perfect to play the lead role of a jockey, who seems to be going in the way of his late father. When Rooney is unable to save his friend during a race, it comes out that his dad was quite a boozer and a womanizer as well.

The film gave Spring Byington, who plays Rooney's mother, the opportunity to engage in some dramatic acting. Most of Byington's career had her in almost comic roles or as a society matron. That changes all here.

Interesting that 10 years after "Gone With the Wind," Thomas Mitchell and Hattie McDaniel again team for this film. Though McDaniel is in one scene, they are not in that one together.

The film is a definite ode to race car drivers with their trials and tribulations.

Full of visual shortcuts and melodramatic segues, but still not bad...

[moonspinner55 · 4/10 · 15 October 2016]

Mickey Rooney is a "fresh kid" and ace racecar driver who's involved in the tragic death of a fellow driver on the track; he recovers his courage to race in the Indianapolis 500, the same race that claimed the life of his father years before. Low-budget release from United Artists integrates footage of real drivers and fans in the stands with studio shots of Rooney in the pit and on the track. The visual result isn't as haphazard as it might have been, likely due to cinematographer Ernest Laszlo's finesse, although the close-ups of Mickey driving--wearing tight goggles and making exaggerated faces--are silly, as are the segues to mama Spring Byington over-emoting on the sidelines. Screenwriter Robert Smith is working on the thin side, never explaining why nobody attempted to save an injured driver on fire or why most of Rooney's colleagues are dying to take a poke at him, but he does well building this narrative as a character portrait. Rooney is an eager kid, not necessarily a hot-dogger, who just wants to race. There isn't much of the expected boy-girl stuff (the ignored affections of a female mechanic are thankfully kept to a minimum), but the fisticuffs action is brought on a bit heavily, lapsing into cartoony territory. ** from ****

Great old movie!

[Tony_J61 · 8/10 · 8 January 2007]

This movie screened today on BRIZ31 (Brisbane Community Television)

1949, Indianapolis 500 was in it's 33rd year. Mickey Rooney played the hard ass carby engine driver to a T! Sure, the backdrop of the great race track was exactly that, with Rooney walking around as if he was actually there, but let's face it, SFX was still 5-6 years away. :-) The story was fast paced and believable. Tough nut owners and their equally tough nut drivers. Punch ups were the way to settle an argument. Never mind a quiet talk.

An enjoyable yarn, with typical Rooney happy ending. 8 stars of of 10 from me.

Cannonball Run

[kapelusznik18 · 7/10 · 2 June 2014]

****SPOILERS*** A 28 year old Mickey Rooney shines in this car racing flick as brash and so full of himself Billy Coy who until a fatal accident of his best friend and fellow racer Happy Lee, Steve Brodie, that Billy was unjustifiably blamed for turned his life around for the better. Up until then Billy was following in the footsteps of his late dad the legendary race car driver Cannonball Coy. It was Cannonball who after a night of boozing and womanizing drove, dead drunk behind the wheel, in the Indianapolis 500 and ended up smashing his car into a wall killing himself. It was the tragic death of Lucky and being blamed for it that had Billy at first quit car racing then return to it with a whole new attitude.

Starting from the bottom on the east coast circuit Billy worked himself up to become one of the few drivers to compete in the Indianapolis 500 within a year of his so-called retirement from racing. It was no easy task for Billy in him facing like what a crumb he was earlier in the movie in his relationship with those he worked with and competed against on the race track. Now brought down to earth and at the same time humanized from his experience Billy was ready to make it to the top of the car racing world in the big race that his father Cannonball Coy lost his life in 17 years ago. That with his mom Mary, Spring Byington, and top mechanic and boss now step-father Arthur "Red" Stanley in attendance.

***SPOILERS*** Heart stopping and tremendous racing sequences especially those of the Indianapolis 500 race with a re-born as well as born-again Billy going all out to win the big race despite his car catching fires in the final lap with him in the lead. Risking a fiery death Billy floors the peddle to the medal to get to the finish line where the checked flag is waiting to be wagged as the leading car crossed it. Totally surprised and heart-felt ending with Billy and the audience, at the race track and watching the movie, finding out that the saying "Winning isn't everything it's the only thing" wasn't all that it was cranked up to be from the driver who won the race.

Supporting cast is fun

[HotToastyRag · 5/10 · 29 October 2019]

In The Big Wheel, Mickey Rooney plays a racecar driver who juggles his personal and professional troubles. Unless you're a die-hard Mickey fan, you might not like this one, since it's a pretty simple story and not particularly compelling. There are a couple of funny one-liners included in Robert Smith's script, and a supporting cast that helps make the movie more interesting. "He looks like Gary Cooper, James Mason, and Charles Boyer all rolled into one!" Mary Hatcher gushes before her first date with Mickey. "Uh-huh, and what does he look like when you unroll him?" Hattie McDaniel quips, seeing the young love through realistic eyes.

In another funny scene, while trying to get a good table to see his nightclub singer girlfriend, Mickey tries to bribe the headwaiter by telling him his name is Alexander Hamilton. "I don't have a Hamilton here," the waiter says as he looks as the reservation list, but Mickey whips out his wallet and says, "I have a Hamilton here." Ironically, the most memorable parts of the movie don't have anything to do with the racetrack. With Thomas Mitchell in a romantic role, and Spring Byington as someone not ridiculously vapid, it makes for a nice change.

My dad's crash is in this movie!

[Neeho · 6 May 1999]

Perhaps the fondest memories of my father's life were those involving his one and only entry in the Indy 500 from 1949, the event chronicled in this movie.

My dad, George Lynch, crashed after the first lap, hitting the wall in the first turn near the camera bay. The event is captured in the film, with the racetrack announcer calling his name. Figures that my dad's one and only Indy mishap is captured forever on film.

An enjoyably car racing film

[Tweekums · 7/10 · 27 May 2018]

Billy Coy, son of a famous race-car driver, has headed to California hoping to get a job working for his late father's mechanic. He doesn't plan to remain a mechanic though; he wants to be a race car driver and, in his words, he'll driver over anybody to do it. He manages to find a car to drive and is successful but after he is blamed for the death of a fellow driver it looks as though his career might be over. He is determined to race in the Indianapolis 500 so heads back east to enter races there. Away from the racing there is some romance; mostly between Billy's mother and his new employer, who she knew many years before, but also it is clear that tomboy mechanic Lou Riley has feelings for Billy.

While this isn't a classic it still has plenty of exciting moments; the best being during the numerous car racing scenes. Apart from the close-ups of the drivers it is clear that most of the footage was of actual races. The story is decent enough with Mickey Rooney doing a solid job as the arrogant Billy and Mary Hatcher being a lot of fun as Lou... it is refreshing to see a film of this era where the leading lady isn't always glamourous; we only see her in a dress once, the rest of the time she is in mechanics clothes with her hair hidden under a cap. It was also refreshing that the story's main romance was actually between two older characters not the youngsters. It is interesting to see how racing has changed over the last seventy years; here, apart from helmets and goggles the racers look as if they dressed for a relaxing ride in the country not speeding round a racetrack in one of the sport's most famous races! Overall this is a decent film that fans of car racing are likely to enjoy thanks to the numerous exciting racing scenes.

Mickey Rooney in racing film

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 15 December 2022]

Billy Coy (Mickey Rooney), son of famous racer "Cannonball" Coy, comes home to Carrell, California and gets a mechanics job with Arthur "Red" Stanley (Thomas Mitchell). Tomboy Louise Riley (Mary Hatcher) is a fellow mechanic. The cocky Billy works his way into driving race cars and eventually racing the Indianapolis 500.

I'm guessing that Mary Hatcher is trying to be Judy Garland. It's always a bit funny when the girls are taller than Mickey. She's no Judy. I do like her as a tomboy, but she gets dolled up way too soon. That should be a big reveal much later in the movie. She needs the iconic makeover scene for her to really pop. As for the racing, there are some good footage of the real thing and some good stunts. Of course, Mickey and the other actors are doing only rear-projection filming. There isn't much drama in any of this. He keeps pushing and pushing and sometimes he moves forward. His character is not that appealing and Mickey is acting too hard. He's doing the earnest Mickey thing. I can take it or leave it with the story and the acting. The action is a little fun.

Crash Landing

[wes-connors · 5/10 · 2 May 2010]

Wanting to be a race car driver like his deceased dad, Mickey Rooney (as Billy Coy) gets a job as mechanic in a garage run by fatherly Thomas Mitchell (as Arthur "Red" Stanley). There, Mr. Rooney meets "tomboy" Mary Hatcher (as Louise "Buddy" Riley), who likes him so much she puts on a dress. Rooney rises in the racing world, crashes his car, and notices Ms. Hatcher is pretty. He also discovers a dark secret about the father he idolizes. Meanwhile, mother Spring Byington (as Mary) finds romance with Mr. Mitchell.

In formulaic territory, this film shows Rooney back in good form, after his disastrous starring performance in "Words and Music" (1948). "The Big Wheel" was also the production that showed his days as MGM box office superstar were indeed over. Fame made him brashly difficult to work with at times, but his "cut down a peg" role is quite professionally done. Having Mr. Mitchell and this cast helps. Note, this was Hattie McDaniel's last feature, in a role that reads like it might have originally been written for Richard Lane's wife.

***** The Big Wheel (11/4/49) Edward Ludwig ~ Mickey Rooney, Thomas Mitchell, Spring Byington, Mary Hatcher

Where have you been, Billy Coy, Billy Coy?

[mark.waltz · 4/10 · 8 July 2022]

Billy Coy or Mickey Moran or Whitey Marsh or Jimmy Connors. It didn't matter. From 1936 to 1952, his characters were always a variation of Andy Hardy, and it wasn't until he had some bad luck post World War II that he began to try to change his image and become a real actor who wasn't some variation of himself, the veteran show-off. Still youthful looking, he's taken a bit of a fall going into the independent productions of films like this and "Quicksand" (where he actually toned it down a bit and seems more like a real person than a wind-up person), and it's not really an irony that his on-screen mother here is played by the original Ma Hardy, Spring Byington. As a hot shot race car driver who has yet to grow up, he returns to his hometown, befriending his late father's old pal (a very good Thomas Mitchell) and dating his tomboy mechanic daughter, Mary Hatcher.

I must admit that I had a big smile come across my face by the presence of Hattie McDaniel looking gorgeous in a satin dress, her final big movie role, briefly playing Beulah before her untimely death. She's very funny laughing at Hatcher trying to walk in high heels. Byington does what she can with the thankless mother role, but Mitchell gets the best material, with a truly fleshed out character that is interesting to watch. Rooney is fine as long as he's not slipping into his standard schtick. The racing sequences are intensely filmed and the atmosphere for the most part outside of a few serious incidents at the track is light-hearted. But this is second string programmer stuff for sure, not really interesting for mainstream audiences but definitely a must for a sporting event I find deadly dull.

The Mick excels in this entertaining race car outing

[Woodyanders · 8/10 · 9 December 2015]

Brash young race car driver Billy Coy (an engaging and energetic performance by Mickey Rooney) lives in the shadow of his famous father, who was a drunken womanizer who wound up being killed in an automobile accident. Moreover, Coy starts losing friends and associates alike while climbing up the race car ladder.

Director Edward Ludwig, working from a compact script by Robert Smith, keeps the enjoyable story moving along at a snappy pace, nicely captures the insular and fiercely competitive atmosphere of the racetrack environment, makes neat use of genuine racetrack footage for authenticity, and maintains a pleasant tone throughout. The enthusiastic acting from the game and eager cast keeps this film humming: Thomas Mitchell as the amiable Arthur 'Red' Stanley, Mary Hatcher as spunky tomboy Louise Riley, Michael O'Shea as arrogant rival Vic Sullivan, Spring Byington as Billy's sweet and concerned mother Mary, Hattie McDaniel as friendly maid Minnie, Steve Brodie as the jolly Happy Lee, and Lina Romay as sultry nightclub singer Dolores Raymond. Ernest Laszlo's competent black and white cinematography boasts plenty of nifty fades and dissolves. Rooney's galvanizing presence gives this picture an extra invigorating kick. A fun little flick.

Look out its the start of a long skid for Rooney!

[jjnxn-1 · 30 July 2013]

The first picture of Mickey's decline from stardom after the previous year's Words and Music where his terrible performance pretty much ended his tenure at MGM. It's fitting that it's a racing movie because it's a skid picture for the Mick without question.

After years of the plush surroundings at Metro this low budget loser must have come as a rude shock. He's overly earnest as was typical of his starring career which was endurable in parts where he was the brash teenage Andy Hardy and similar roles but as he aged became arch and annoying. The story is standard cocky hothead knocked down a few pegs until his learns the necessary life lessons junk but if you're a race fan and don't mind the obvious rear projection shots it a certain entertainment value.

What's great about these old Hollywood films is that even in an economy production like this the film is full of quality character actors who had more latitude in moving between studios, genres and types of productions. This one has a supporting cast better than it deserves with three greats in the cast, Spring Byington, Thomas Mitchell and in a small part Hattie McDaniel, this was her last theatrical feature.

For Fans Of Rooney And Hot Cars

[dougdoepke · 27 October 2016]

It's Mickey Rooney piloting a race car. So which has more rpm's: the ultra-energetic actor or the racer hitting on all cylinders. This was a difficult period in the diminutive performer's career, trying to find a niche following MGM's primo Andy Hardy series. He's really quite good here, the son of a deceased race driver trying to prove his worth. As Billy, he starts off as a brash driver intent on running over those competitors getting in his way. This leads to the misperception that he caused the death of his best friend Happy (Brodie). Thus, relationships with his mechanic buddies and the money man (Lane) sours. Good thing his neglected girlfriend (Hatcher) stands by him. Now he's entered in the big Indie 500 and a chance to redeem himself, but can he.

The movie's mainly for racing fans, with lots of live footage, especially of crack-ups. Fortunately, the process shots of driver Billy's close-ups are smoothly integrated into the live footage, creating the appropriate effect. The supporting cast is well-chosen, especially the obscure Mary Hatcher who's a perfect match-up with Rooney. I guess her diminutive height limited a leading lady career, but she's a good little actress as she shows here. And where would a better middle-age couple be found than the sprightly twosome of Byington and Mitchell. Some casting director had a shrewd eye.

Anyway, the film's mainly for fans of Rooney and hot cars, though the overall effort is seamless enough for old movie fans.