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Heart Like a Wheel

Heart Like a Wheel

  • Status: Released
  • 01-04-1983
  • Runtime: 113 min
  • Score: 5.6
  • Vote count: 25

Shirley Muldowney is determined to be a top-fuel drag racer, although no woman has ever raced them before. Despite the high risks of this kind of racing and the burden it places on her family life, she perseveres in her dream.

Bonnie Bedelia

Shirley Muldowney

Beau Bridges

Connie Kalitta

Leo Rossi

Jack Muldowney

Hoyt Axton

Jack Roque

Bill McKinney

"Big Daddy" Don Garlits

Anthony Edwards

John Muldowney

Elliott Mason

Young Autograph Seeker

Creed Bratton

Photographer

Dick Miller

Mickey White

Paul Bartel

Chef Paul

Bruce Barlow

Bass Player, Tex's Band

Missy Basile

Angela

Jesse Aragon

Carlos

Tiffany Brissette

Little Shirley

Paul Bryar

Matt, Card Player

James Burton

Guitar Player, Tex's Band

Martin Casella

Repoter #1

Michael Cavanaugh

NHRA Boss

Sandy Chanley

Fan

Mark Dawson

Guitar / Harmonica, Tex's Band

Diane Delano

Shirley's Sister

Tom Duffield

Rahn Tobler

Jill Carroll

John's girlfriend

Steve Evans

Himself

Dennis Fetchet

Fiddle Player, Tex's Band

Chris Fontana

Frank the Crank

Ellen Geer

Mrs. Marianne Kalitta

Ashley Graham

Girl at Track

Christi Graham

Girl at Track

Marvin Graham

Kalitta's Crew Chief

Nora Heflin

Nurse North

Mitzi Hoag

Shirley's Mother

Marvin 'Swede' Johnson

'Lariat' Sponsor

Tim Kimber

Buddy

Terence Knox

Jack's Friend

Sam Laws

Piano Player

Paul Linke

Reporter #2

Dean Paul Martin

Sonny Rigotti

Michael Milgrom

Tourist at Bar

Bob Minor

Ralph, NHRA Official

Harry Northup

Trooper

Byron Thames

John (age 10-13)

CinemaSerf

Long before there was Ru Paul, there was Bonnie Bedelia delivering quite a gutsy performance here in her own drag racing biopic of pioneering driver Shirley Muldowney. Her racing involved cars but otherwise wasn’t a lot less catty as her attempt to establish herself in what was very much a man’s world proved difficult for her and those around her. Initially, her new husband (Leo Rossi) is supportive and encouraging but only insofar as it is a hobby that doesn’t get in the way of their family and their gas station business. She’s more determined than that though, and egged on by fellow driver “Connie” (Beau Bridges), soon finds herself separated and striving for success with her son John helping out. If you follow the history of this particularly American sport, you will know what happens over the next few years of high-octane action peppered with a little romance. That’s about it, really. There’s nowhere near enough race action - staged or archive - to really enliven this and so for the most part there is just loads of chat and plenty of tantrums as Bedelia does just about enough but Bridges struggles to make much impact. It quickly makes it’s point about chauvinism - in not just this sport, but also in it’s media coverage, but not really very powerfully and in the end comes across more of a fluffy celebration of her achievements rather than an assessment of just how tough it was to get to the top. We know she made sacrifices, but these are not really so prominently explored in this disappointingly light-weight drama that really just joins the dots and skims over most of her graft.