Big Wednesday (1978)

The lives of some California surfers from the early 1960s to the 1970s.

Director:

John Milius

Writers:

John Milius, Dennis Aaberg

Stars:

Jan-Michael Vincent, William Katt, Gary Busey

2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jan-Michael Vincent	...	Matt Johnson
William Katt	...	Jack Barlow
Gary Busey	...	Leroy Smith
Patti D'Arbanville	...	Sally Jacobson
Lee Purcell	...	Peggy Gordon
Sam Melville	...	Bear
Darrell Fetty	...	Waxer
Gerry Lopez	...	Gerry Lopez
Hank Worden	...	Shopping Cart (as Hank Warden)
Joe Spinell	...	Psychologist
Steve Kanaly	...	Sally's Husband
Barbara Hale	...	Mrs. Barlow
Fran Ryan	...	Lucy
Dennis Aaberg	...	Slick
Reb Brown	...	Enforcer

Storyline

Matt Johnson, Jack Barlow, and Leroy Smith are three young California surfers in the 1960s. At first reveling in the carefree life of beaches, girls, and waves, they eventually must face the fact that the world is changing, becoming more complex, less answerable by simple solutions. Ultimately the Vietnam war interrupts their idyll, leaving them to wonder if they will survive until "Big Wednesday," the mythical day when the greatest, cleanest, most transcendent wave of all will come.

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Plot Keywords:

coming of age | homoerotic | gay interest | gay subtext | wave | 

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Taglines:

A day will come that is like no other... and nothing that happens after will ever be the same

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Genres:

Drama | Sport

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Certificate:

PG

Did You Know?

Trivia

Tommy Lee Jones and Robert Duvall auditioned for the part of Bear, that went to Sam Melville according to screenwriter Dennis Aaberg.

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Goofs

It is 1965, but 1970s cars are visible as they drive to the military entrance processing station.

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Quotes

Spectator: Hey, do you surf, man? Are you a surfer?
Bear: Oh, no... Not me, I'm just a garbage man.

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Alternate Versions

ABC edited 31 minutes from this film for its 1985 network television premiere.

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Connections

Featured in Milius (2013)

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Soundtracks

Green Onions
(uncredited)
Written by Booker T. Jones, Steve Cropper, Lewie Steinberg, and Al Jackson Jr.
Performed by Basil Poledouris

User Reviews

Awesome

I first saw this film in 1978, my father took me to see it with my brothers at the drive-in as a double feature with "Every Which Way But Loose." It's a movie that I have never forgotten. It combines brilliantly heart gripping surfing action, heart wrenching emotions, and heart uplifting humour, all set against the back-drop of the Vietnam War, teenagers growing up, the wisdom of elders (Bear) and of course, the surfing.

I've never surfed a minute of my entire life (although whenever I watch this, I feel like I should), so don't think of this as a "surf movie". It simply is an excellent piece of cinematic history that you will feel you missed on if you never see it.

Recommended with 2 thumbs way way way up.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

26 May 1978 (USA)

Also Known As:

Big Wednesday

Filming Locations:

La Libertad, El Salvador

Box Office

Budget:

$11,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

A-Team

Technical Specs

Runtime:

120 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39:1