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Great Balls of Fire! (1989)

PG-13 | | Biography, Drama, Music | 30 June 1989 (USA)
Great Balls of Fire! Poster
Trailer
1:08 | Trailer
The life and career of wildly controversial rock 'n' roll star Jerry Lee Lewis.

Director:

Jim McBride

Writers:

Myra Lewis (book), Murray Silver Jr. (book) (as Murray Silver) | 2 more credits »

Stars:

Dennis Quaid, Winona Ryder, John Doe | See full cast & crew »
49
Reviews
1 win & 1 nomination. See more awards »

Videos

See all 1 video  »

Photos

See all 42 photos »
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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Dennis Quaid ... Jerry Lee Lewis
Winona Ryder ... Myra Gale Brown
John Doe ... J.W. Brown
Stephen Tobolowsky ... Jud Phillips
Trey Wilson ... Sam Phillips
Alec Baldwin ... Jimmy Swaggart
Steve Allen ... Self
Lisa Blount ... Lois Brown
Joshua Sheffield Joshua Sheffield ... Rusty Brown
Mojo Nixon Mojo Nixon ... James Van Eaton
Jimmie Vaughan ... Roland Janes
David Ferguson David Ferguson ... Jack Clement
Robert Lesser ... Alan Freed
Lisa Jane Persky ... Babe
Paula Person Paula Person ... Sam's Secratary
See full cast »
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Jerry Lee Lewis: Great Balls of Fire
1989
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Jerry Lee Lewis: Great Balls of Fire
1989
Next »
Jerry Lee Lewis: Great Balls of Fire (Video 1989)
Short | Music
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The music video for the re-recorded version of the song "Great Balls of Fire" by an American singer Jerry Lee Lewis for the soundtrack to the 1989 biographical film of the same name.

Director: Oley Sassone
Stars: Jerry Lee Lewis, Dennis Quaid
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Storyline

The story of Jerry Lee Lewis, arguably the greatest and certainly one of the wildest musicians of the 1950s. His arrogance, remarkable talent, and unconventional lifestyle often brought him into conflict with others in the industry, and even earned him the scorn and condemnation of the public. In 1956, Louisiana bad boy Jerry Lee Lewis moves to Memphis, determined to dethrone Elvis Presley with his ferocious, God-given talent. When Jerry Lee bangs out the chorus with his feet, huge fans howl out for more. When he finishes his performance by setting his piano ablaze, they mob the stage. But when he marries his 13-year-old cousin Myra Gale Brown...the scandal nearly destroys the Killer's career. Written by Murray Chapman <muzzle@cs.uq.oz.au>

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

1950s | child bride | title based on song | marriage between cousins | rise and fall | See All (43) »

Taglines:

The music was hot. The man was wild. The name was Jerry Lee Lewis... and he was born to raise hell! See more »

Genres:

Biography | Drama | Music

Certificate:

PG-13 | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

View content advisory »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

Dennis Quaid was 34 when he played Jerry Lee Lewis in his early twenties. See more »

Goofs

When Jerry is playing at the Cotton Jamboree he pulls his coat off, but in the next two shots he is wearing the jacket again See more »

Quotes

Myra Gale Brown: I don't even know what hydrogen is.
See more »

Connections

References Gone with the Wind (1939) See more »

Soundtracks

Great Balls of Fire
Written by Otis Blackwell and Jack Hammer
Performed by Jerry Lee Lewis
See more »

User Reviews

Goodness!! Gracious!! This movie is excellent
13 March 1999 | by grinna – See all my reviews

You don't have to be an old rocker to enjoy this movie which tells the story of the legendary rock pianist Jerry Lee Lewis. Dennis Quaid captures the excitement, oddities and mannerisms of this rock legend (almost an impersonation)

Quaid's performance is truly fantastic...........

The music is exciting - shaking your nerves and rattling your soul! I rate this movie 8.5 out of 10.
21 of 30 people found this review helpful.  Was this review helpful to you? | Report this
Review this title | See all 72 user reviews »

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

30 June 1989 (USA) See more »

Also Known As:

Great Balls of Fire! See more »

Filming Locations:

Somerville, Tennessee, USA See more »
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Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$3,807,986, 2 July 1989

Gross USA:

$13,741,060

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$13,741,060
See more on IMDbPro »

Company Credits

Production Co:

Orion Pictures See more »
Show more on IMDbPro »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR | Dolby Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1
See full technical specs »
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