Radio Flyer (1992)

A father recounts a dark period of his childhood when he and his little brother lived in the suburbs.

Directors:

Richard Donner, David Mickey Evans (uncredited)

Writer:

David Mickey Evans (as David M. Evans)

Stars:

Lorraine Bracco, John Heard, Adam Baldwin

1 win & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Lorraine Bracco	...	Mary
John Heard	...	Daugherty
Adam Baldwin	...	The King
Elijah Wood	...	Mike
Joseph Mazzello	...	Bobby
Ben Johnson	...	Geronimo Bill
Sean Baca	...	Fisher
Robert Munic	...	Older Fisher
Garette Ratliff Henson	...	Chad (as Garette Ratliff)
Thomas Ian Nicholas	...	Ferdie
Noah Verduzco	...	Victor Hernandez
Isaac Ocampo	...	Jorge Hernandez
Kaylan Romero	...	Jesus Hernandez
Abraham Verduzco	...	Carlos Hernandez
T.J. Evans	...	Big Raymond

Storyline

A father reminisces about his childhood when he and his younger brother moved to a new town with their mother, her new husband and their dog, Shane. When the younger brother is subjected to physical abuse at the hands of their brutal stepfather, Mike decides to convert their toy trolley, the "Radio Flyer", into a plane to fly him to safety.

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Plot Keywords:

radio flyer | physical abuse | stepfather stepson relationship | told in flashback | mother son relationship | 

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Taglines:

Powered by imagination.

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for theme (child abuse) and violence

Did You Know?

Trivia

Joe Mazzello admitted in a 2018 Entertainment Weekly interview that making "Radio Flyer" had a positive impact on his career path. Mazzello said, "This was my first huge movie. This is the reason I love making movies. This is the reason I love being an actor. This is the reason I wanted to become a director."

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Goofs

When Mikey and Bobby are running through the sewer, both of them fall several times into the dirty sewage. However, there is no sign of grime or sewage on their clothes when they face the bullies.

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Quotes

[the King, completely drunk and furious, catches Mike and Bobby watching TV late at night]
The King: [furious] Hey! What are ya doin' up? Go to bed! Go to bed!
The King: [to Bobby] Not you!
Mike: Yeah, but...
The King: [cuts Mike off] Bobby, come here! Mikey, you go to bed. Bobby, you come here!
Mike: But I wanna stay...
The King: [cuts him off again] GO TO BED! Come here, Bobby. Come HERE! Come here.
[the King grabs and pulls Bobby towards him potentially to abuse him; Shane, the family dog, growls whilst Mikey cries]
The King: [yells] What did I tell ya? What did I ...
[...]

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Connections

Referenced in Lethal Weapon 3 (1992)

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Soundtracks

The Name Game
Written by Lincoln Chase & Shirley Ellis

User Reviews

A woeful tale, wonderfully told

Everything about this film is simply incredible. You truly take this journey through the eyes and soul of a child.

I do feel it is important to note this tale is about child abuse. Don't rent it for your kids thinking it is a fun, disney-esque film.

Details

Official Sites:

The Joseph Mazzello Fan Page, Radio Flyer

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 February 1992 (USA)

Also Known As:

The King of Pacoima

Filming Locations:

Hamilton Air Base, Ignacio, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$35,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$1,932,595, 23 February 1992

Gross USA:

$4,651,977

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$4,651,977

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures, Stonebridge Entertainment, Donner/Shuler-Donner Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

114 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1