The lives of some California surfers from the early 1960s to the 1970s.
Director:
John Milius
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Title: Big Wednesday (1978)
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2 nominations.
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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 | ... | Jim 'Waxer' King | |
| 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 | |
Edit
Plot Summary
|
Plot Synopsis
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. Written by Jim Beaver <jumblejim@prodigy.net>
Taglines:
Three friends. Twelve Turbulent Years. And One Day We All Must Face. See more »Parents Guide:
View content advisory »
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See full technical specs »
Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
3 October 1978 (Italy) See more »Also Known As:
Summer of Innocence See more »Edit
Box Office
Budget:
$11,000,000 (estimated)Company Credits
Show more on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
Dolby StereoColor:
ColorAspect Ratio:
2.39:1
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(uncredited)
Based on "O Sole Mio"
Lyrics by Giovanni Capurro
Music by Eduardo Di Capua
Heard as a piano piece in the background
See more »
Did You Know?
Goofs
During the 1962 party at Jack's house, his mother is reading the book 'Catch-22', a book first published in 1961. However, the copy she is reading is an edition that had not yet been printed. The photo of author Joseph Heller on the back of the jacket is clearly from years later than 1962. See more »Alternate Versions
ABC edited 31 minutes from this film for its 1985 network television premiere. See more »Soundtracks
It's Now or Never(uncredited)
Based on "O Sole Mio"
Lyrics by Giovanni Capurro
Music by Eduardo Di Capua
Heard as a piano piece in the background
See more »
Frequently Asked Questions
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What is it about Big Wednesday that inspires so much affection? I won't repeat the many tributes that have been made here, and yes, I was a surfer, and yes, this is in my top five of all time movies, and yes, I watch it about once every eighteen months.
But something others don't seem to mention much is the perfect score that Basil Poledouris wrote for the movie, sound which echoes and complements the action throughout, and reminds me strongly of artists and music of the time like Jack Nitzches "Lonely Surfer", and "Beyond the Break". Not, for heaven's sake, the Beach Boys or Jan and Dean.
But isn't that a big part of good movies? When music, image and story all combine? (Discuss)
The other four of my five are "Andrei Rublev", "If..." "The Piano" "Journey to the Center of the Earth"