Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man * (1991, Mickey Rourke, Don Johnson, Chelsea Field) Classic Movie Review 10,256

Simon Wincer’s 1991 action crime drama biker film Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man stars Mickey Rourke and Don Johnson. It is a nominee for Worst Picture at The Stinkers Bad Movie Awards in 1991.

Director Simon Wincer’s 1991 American neo-Western biker action crime drama film Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man stars Mickey Rourke and Don Johnson. A critical and financial failure, it is a nominee for Worst Picture at The Stinkers Bad Movie Awards in 1991.

There is considerable interest in the supporting cast, who include Chelsea Field, Tom Sizemore, Daniel Baldwin, Giancarlo Esposito and Vanessa Williams, who also contributes to the film’s soundtrack. It is written by Don Michael Paul.

The unshaven, worryingly attired stars Rourke (as Harley) and Johnson (as Marly) pair up for a product placement dream of a story of motorcycles and drug swindles set in 1996. Maybe they should have called it Harley and Marly.

They are two lifelong buddy anti-heroes who decide to rob a bank’s armoured car but find they steal drugs by mistake and are chased by the bad guys, who, not unnaturally, want their goods back.

The stars preen smugly (Rourke in red and black leather, Johnson in Stetson and boots) in this bargain-basement action adventure.

It is meant to be macho with a heart and a smile, but there is little evidence of the latter two virtues.

Also in the cast with Mickey Rourke and Don Johnson are Chelsea Field, Daniel Baldwin, Tom Sizemore, Vanessa Williams, Giancarlo Esposito, Robert Ginty, Tia Carrere, Julius Harris, Eloy Casados, Big John Studd, Kelly Hu, James Nardini, and Mitzi Martin.

Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man is directed  by Simon Wincer, runs 99 minutes, is made by Krisjair and Laredo Productions, is released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1991) (US) and United International Pictures (1991) (UK), is written by Don Michael Paul, is shot by David Eggby, is produced by Jere Henshaw, is scored by Basil Poledouris, and is designed by Paul Peters.

It was released on August 23, 1991.

It did not fare well. Costing $23,000,000, it grossed $7,434,726.

The cast are Mickey Rourke as Harley Davidson, Don Johnson as Robert Lee Edison / The Marlboro Man/ Marly, Chelsea Field as Officer Virginia Slim, Daniel Baldwin as Alexander, Giancarlo Esposito as Jimmy Jiles, Vanessa Williams as Lulu Daniels, Tom Sizemore as Chance Wilder, Robert Ginty as Thom, Tia Carrere as Kimiko, Big John Studd as Jack Daniels, Julius Harris as ‘The Old Man’ Jiles, Eloy Casados as Jose Cuervo, Kelly Hu as Suzie, Branscombe Richmond as Big Indian, Sven-Ole Thorsen as David, and Stan Ivar as Jake McAllister.

Tom Sizemore (November 29, 1961 – March 3, 2023).

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 10,256

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