Heart Beat *** (1980, Nick Nolte, Sissy Spacek, John Heard, Ray Sharkey) – Classic Movie Review 5802

John Heard stars as the Beat Generation pioneer Jack Kerouac (March 12, 1922 – October 21, 1969) in this intriguing, quite fascinating 1980 movie of the love and literary life of the American novelist and poet (On the Road).

Intriguing though this biopic is, it makes for a surprisingly jerky, shaky and rickety film, especially considering the subject and talent involved.

Writer-director Byrum’s fanciful, uneasy screenplay distorts the facts as it sets out to concentrate on Kerouac’s ménage-à-trois threesome with Carolyn (Sissy Spacek) and Neal Cassady (Nick Nolte). The screenplay’s shortcomings are magnified by Byrum’s wavering and irresolute direction.

However, the film is well worth watching for the acting, with all three main stars excelling. It is sweet to see the young Nolte, Spacek and Heard. However, arguably, Ray Sharkey does even better than the stars and is outstanding as the Allen Ginsberg character, here called Ira Streiker because Ginsberg refused to cooperate with the film and forbade use of his name or poetry. Steve Allen appears as himself and John Larroquette has a cameo as a chat-show host. Also in the cast are Ann Dusenberry, Tony Bill, Margaret Fairchild, Kent Williams, Mary Margaret Amato and Susan Niven.

Carolyn Cassady’s book of memoirs was the source work. She said of the script: ‘If this had been my real life, I’d have been satisfied with it.’ She loved Spacek’s performance: ‘I am the true heroine of the story, what more could one want?’

It was not a box office hit but it has cult status, and remains an interesting semi-failure or semi-success, depending on viewpoint. However, Jack Nitzsche’s score, featuring saxophonist Art Pepper and other West Coast jazz musicians, was an acclaimed critical and popular success. The soundtrack includes the song I Love Her Too, co-written by Buffy Sainte-Marie and sung by Aaron Neville.

It runs 107 minutes, is an Orion film released by Warner Bros, is shot in Technicolor by Laszlo Kovacs, is produced by Alan Greisman and Michael Shamberg, is scored by Jack Nitzsche, and designed by Jack Fisk.

Kerouac’s only child, Jan Kerouac, is an extra.

Kerouac lived fast and died relatively young at 47 from internal bleeding due to long-term alcohol abuse.

In 2013, Daniel Radcliffe portrayed American poet Allen Ginsberg in the thriller drama Kill Your Darlings, with Jack Huston as Jack Kerouac.

RIP John Heard.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 5802

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com