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Revision as of 23:17, 4 April 2007
1989 film| Great Balls of Fire! | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical Poster | |
| Directed by | Jim McBride |
| Written by | Screenplay: Jack Baran Jim McBride Story: Myra Lewis Murray Silver Jr. |
| Produced by | Executive Producers: Michael Grais Mark Victor Art Levinson Producer: Adam Fields |
| Starring | Dennis Quaid Winona Ryder John Doe Alec Baldwin |
| Cinematography | Affonso Beato |
| Edited by | Lisa Day Pembroke J. Herring Bert Lovitt |
| Music by | Jerry Lee Lewis |
| Distributed by | Orion Pictures |
| Release dates | June 30, 1989 |
| Running time | 108 minutes |
| Country |  United States |
| Language | English |
Great Balls of Fire! is an American 1989 film, directed by Jim McBride and stars Dennis Quaid as Jerry Lee Lewis. It was written by McBride and Jack Baran, based on a story by Myra Lewis and Murray Silver Jr.
The picture was executive produced by Michael Grais, Mark Victor, and Art Levinson, and produced by Adam Fields.
The early life of Jerry Lee Lewis when he became a teen idol and married his 13-year-old cousin Myra is depicted in this film. Many thought he would supplant Elvis Presley as the "King of Rock and Roll."
Plot
Template:Spoilers The film tells the story of Jerry Lee Lewis (Dennis Quaid), nicknamed "The Killer", during the early years of rock and roll, 1956-1958. Lewis is shown as a mixed-up person: a skilled performer with little discipline, an alcoholic, and a caring husband who sometimes beats his wife.
As Lewis rises to the top of the charts with such hits as "Crazy Arms," "A Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On," and "Great Balls of Fire!" he falls in love with his second cousin Myra (Winona Ryder), and eventually marries her.
There is a sub-plot of Lewis' relationship with his cousin, the preacher Jimmy Swaggart (Alec Baldwin). Jimmie's career keeps him in constant conflict with his cousin's wild life of rock and roll, and brings out some funny exchanges. Lewis once responds to Swaggart:
- Don't thank God, just thank old Jerry Lee Lewis!
When a British reporter (Peter Cook) discovers he is married to his teenage cousin, Lewis is condemned as a molester and a pervert by the public.
The movie ends after Lewis learns he is about to become a father, as his wife and cousin tells him she has become pregnant.
The closing title card reads: "Jerry Lee Lewis is playing his heart out somewhere in America tonight." Template:Endspoiler
Background
The story was co-written by Myra Lewis (her autobiography Great Balls of Fire!), the former wife of Jerry Lee Lewis, with Murray Silver. Jerry Lee Lewis has openly stated his hatred towards her book.
Filming locations
The film was filmed on location: Marion, Arkansas, Memphis, Tennessee, and West Memphis, Arkansas.
Critical reception
The film received mixed reviews from the film critics. Yet, many hailed the performance of Dennis Quaid.
Roger Ebert, writing for the Chicago Sun-Times, believes the film has a weak screenplay. He said, "This is a simpleminded rock 'n' roll history in which the pleasures are many and the troubles are few. Lewis, played by Dennis Quaid as a grinning simpleton with a crazy streak and a manic piano style, climbs the same career ladder as many of the stars of musical biographies, but he does it with lightning speed." Ebert also believes Quaid did a nice job of reproducing the Jerry Lee Lewis stage persona.
Critic Caryn James thinks the film tells the fun side of rock and roll. She said, "Jim McBride's film is a compressed, cleaned-up version of the Jerry Lee Lewis story, but it re-creates the soul-shaking, brain-rattling fun of rock-and-roll. It also captures, perhaps for the first time on film, something of the sexual aura of rock-and-roll at its birth." Yet, she add that anyone looking for a true sense of music history will be let down by the film.
Cast and ratings
Template:Infobox movie certificates
- Dennis Quaid as Jerry Lee Lewis
- Winona Ryder as Myra Gale Brown
- John Doe as J.W. Brown
- Stephen Tobolowsky as Jud Phillips
- Trey Wilson as Sam Phillips
- Alec Baldwin as Jimmy Swaggart
- Steve Allen as Himself
- Lisa Blount as Lois Brown
- Joshua Sheffield as Rusty Brown
- Mojo Nixon as James Van Eaton
- Jimmie Vaughan as Roland Janes
- David Ferguson as Jack Clement
- Robert Lesser as Alan Freed
- Lisa Jane Persky as Babe
- Peter Cook as British reporter
Soundtrack
An original motion picture soundtrack was released by the producers on the Polydor Records label on June 8, 1989. Jerry Lee Lewis re-recorded his music from the 1950s for the soundtrack. The soundtrack contains 12 tracks.
CD Track Listing
- Great Balls Of Fire
- High School Confidential
- Big Legged Woman - Booker T. Laury
- I'm On Fire
- Rocket 88 - Jackie Brenston And The Delta Cats
- Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On
- Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On - Valerie Wellington
- Breathless
- Crazy Arms - Jerry Lee Lewis/Dennis Quaid
- Wild One
- That Lucky Old Sun
- Great Balls Of Fire (Original Version)
Awards
- Young Artist Awards: Young Artist Award; Best Young Actress Starring in a Motion Picture, Winona Ryder; 1980.
Footnotes
- Great Balls of Fire! at the Internet Movie Database.
- Kent, Nick (September 1995). "The Dark Stuff: Selected Writings on Rock Music 1972-1995". ISBN 0306806460, p.79. Da Capo Press.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - Ebert, Roger. The Chicago Sun-Times, film review, June 30, 1989.
- James, Caryn. The New York Times, film review, "'Goodness Gracious!' Jerry Lee Lewis." June 30, 1989.
- Amazon.com