Heart Like a Wheel *** (1983, Bonnie Bedelia, Beau Bridges, Leo Rossi, Hoyt Axton, Bill McKinney, Anthony Edwards) – Classic Movie Review 10,197

Director Jonathan Kaplan’s 1983 Heart Like a Wheel stars Bonnie Bedelia, who gets into top gear for this carefully crafted biopic of racing driver Shirley Muldowney, who battled male dominance in the sport and her own divided personal loyalties – her husband Jack (Leo Rossi) splits with her – to get to the top of the racing tree.

There is nifty acting from Beau Bridges, as the banned driver who backs her, Hoyt Axton, Bill McKinney and Anthony Edwards, enough car spectacle to please race fans, and fast-moving direction by Kaplan. But it is Bedelia’s inspiring performance that gets Heart Like a Wheel to the the winning post. It is a fascinating and unusual mix of woman’s picture and action movie.

Also in the cast are Paul Bartel, Dean Paul Martin, Dick Miller, Nora Heflin, Bruce Barlow and Ellen Geer.

Heart Like a Wheel runs 113 minutes, is written by Ken Friedman, from an original script by Joan McCall, shot by Tak Fujimoto, produced by Charles Roven and scored by Laurence Rosenthal, with Production Design by James William Newport.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 10,197

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