Just finished watching "Heart Like A Wheel" (again!), one of the best drag racing films to come out of Hollywood. As I recall, it received a nomination for an Oscar after its debut in 1983. Does anyone remember, was the nod for Best Film or Best Actress (going to Bonnie Bedelia for her excellent portrayal of Shirley.?)
Man it's been BOOCOO years since I've seen or even thought of that movie, I'll have to check it out now that you brought it up.
It stars Bonnie Bedelia and Beau Bridges.The film garnered two award nominations: Bedelia for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress - Motion Picture Drama, and William Theiss for an Academy Award for Costume Design.
She (Bedelia) received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama.
A guy I worked for once asked Connie Kalitta what he thought of the movie - how accurate ........................................His reply was it was fairly close, but they left out all the .(if you PM me Ill fill in the blank)
My best friends step dad ran a Top Fueler when we were in high school. We used to go to all his local races and she would come by our pits and hang out for a while. Once she came up to me and asked me what record I held. I turned around and asked her what she was talking about. Back then,if you held a record they gave you a lettermans jacket with the record on the back. I was wearing my football lettermans jacket. My buddies still razz me about that day! 30 years ago...
That's Funny..................I just watched it last week! I'm converting all my old VHS tapes to DVD Who wants to start a thread on old "HOT ROD" movies? and Car Movies 1. 2 lane Blacktop 2. American Grafitti 3. Hot Rod Girls 4. Heart like a wheel 5. Christine 6. Ghost of Dragstrip Hallow? Come On! Give me more!
Back when I was young, me and a friend were walking the pit's at the Spring National's, wen't up and asked for her autogragh and ended up having her talk to us for five minutes. True class act, imagine a driver asking a fan if they were having fun. The movie was better after that meeting.
Sorry, Mr Bad............ I'm fairly new to the site (17 posts) You sure know how to make a guy feel welcome to this site I didn't mean to waste everybodys time here Do I suppose to read every thread that's ever been posted before I can join in the discussion? Your attitude sucks You must be a "Newbe" to Hot Rods
Thanks for the info., Nitro and Crower.. She was quite the lady; hats off to her for her perseverance; she finally knocked down the doors (and blew them off) of the good -old-boys-fraternity.....
Welcome, Trichop, reading your bio I can see that you have been around the hobby a few years and it is usual to have a few jump on new guys about doing a search. There is a lot of good info here and some great people, so hang in there. I have been around a long time and I learn here every day.
Great Movie. Saw her at Gainsville FLa. in 1979 at the Gator Nationals. I was waiting to talk with her and some dope was giving her a hard time about a woman racing,ect. He had one of her photo cards, she took if from him and gave it to me. Cool Lady.
I just got my dvd copy from Amazon and it came with a Hotwheels dragster painted to look like Shirley Mudownys. I liked the street racing scenes when she just got started the best, but the entire movie was a good one.
the DVD has interviews with shirley, kalitta and garlits....DEFINATELY worth the watch. on another note, we used to run the dragster that 'she drove' (the little red chute pack job) for a couple of years. took a 350 out of an old station wagon, a spare 'glide and made a salad out of leftovers laying around the garage. it was a neat little bracket car...until the #1 & 3 crank journal exited the pan with the rods and pistons in the water down area at antelope valley.
Man! Don't 'cha hate it when that happens!?! It usually comes when you got a bye in the last round and you're looking at the final round for the first time in quite awhile!
And as an intersting Trivia note - Shirley did not like or apporve of Bonnie playing her at the time! A quote from Shirley; Muldowney's first choice was Jamie Lee Curtis, and she's never been shy about expressing her dislike for Bedelia. "[Bedelia] was a snot," Muldowney says. "When she was promoting the movie on TV shows, she would tell interviewers she didn't even like racing. She got out of race car like she was getting up from the dinner table."
I didn't get that from the interviews, oh well, I still rank it as one of my favorite movies. It IS just a movie, after all.
The main thing I remember about that movie is the gold Moroso valve covers that were about ten years too late for that era car. Can't believe no one involved with the movie noticed or thought that was important. Maybe I'm the dummy.
i met Shirley and Jungle Pam in the same weekend at englishtown a couple years ago. both very cool!!!
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