Grandview, USA *** (1984, Jamie Lee Curtis, C Thomas Howell, Patrick Swayze, Troy Donahue, Jennifer Jason Leigh) – Classic Movie Review 10,209

Director Randal Klesier’s 1984 coming-of-age teen drama Grandview, USA stars C Thomas Howell as Tim Pearson, a fleeing 18-year-old school-leaver who arrives in the fictional Grandview in the Mid-West and meets older woman ‘Mike’ Cody (Jamie Lee Curtis). She is running her run-down demolition derby Cody’s Speedrome with the help of driver ‘Slam’ Webster (Patrick Swayze), who, though wed to Candy Webster (Jennifer Jason Leigh), has a slow-burning yearning for ‘Mike’ (Curtis).

Grandview, USA is a sweet, appealing, up-close-and-personal film, with an engaging screenplay by Ken Hixon, a pleasing downhome Americana tone, and splendid work from Howell and Curtis, who keep it both real and touching, as well as an attractive support cast in their prime.

Also in the cast are Troy Donahue, William Windom, Carole Cook, M Emmet Walsh, Ramon Bieri, Elizabeth Gorcey, John Philbin, John Cusack, Joan Cusack, Michael Winslow, Camilla Hawk, Jason Court and Steve Dahl.

It was shot at Pontiac, Illinois, and Fairbury, Illinois. The night demolition derby scene was shot in Pontiac in very cold weather, with the freezing extras in the grandstand dressed in shorts and short shirts as it was supposed to be summer.

The original music score is composed by Thomas Newman, with a great soundtrack and a theme song performed by Air Supply titled after the movie, ‘Take Me Home To Grandview, USA’ (written and produced by Graham Russell).

Grandview, USA is directed by Randal Klesier, runs 97 minutes, is made by CBS Theatrical Films, is released by Warner Bros (1984) (US) and Rank Film Distributors (1987) (UK), is written by Ken Hixon, is shot by Reynaldo Villalobos, is produced by William Warren Blaylock and Peter W Rea, is scored by Thomas Newman and is designed by Jan Scott.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 10,209

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