Heart Like a Wheel

Bonnie Bedelia got her career role in this biographical study of Shirley Ann Muldowney aka Cha Cha who became the first female drag racing champion. She cracked a lot of glass ceilings and this film is particularly good viewing as another woman is poised to crack the biggest glass ceiling of them all this year.

There were a lot of heartaches on the way for Muldowney, the break up of her marriage where her husband Leo Rossi felt relegated to the sidelines in his role reversal as her mechanic. There was also an affair with another drag racing champion played by Beau Bridges.

Bedelia is just wonderful in a role where she gradually ages almost 20 years and she's convincing at all stages of her life. She gets good support from her supporting cast. Special mention should go out to Leo Rossi who has a complex role as the husband who is never made a stereotypical alpha male. No trace of a Donald Trump like character is found in his performance. Also country singer Hoyt Axton does well as Bedelia's father.

I think more than drag racing fans will like Heart Like A Wheel which got an Oscar nomination for costume design.

The last thing that interests me is auto racing, so when this popped up on the TV channel I was watching, I figured I'd turn it off as soon as I was sure the opening credits promised nothing intriguing. I was drawn into the movie immediately, though, and it held me all the way through. I still don't care about auto racing, but... shh... the movie is really about people.

I had the pleasure of meeting Ms. Muldowney. A close friend's older brother was racing in the econo altered class at the local 1/4 mile strip. Muldowney and Garlits were the featured attractions. My friend's older brother was racing in the econo altered class and graciously gave me a pit pass. I immediately went to Muldowney's camp. We hit it off and she showed me what her mechanics were doing, which was tearing the whole damn rig apart and putting it back together. She literally took the time to explain every step to me in detail while simultaneously signing autographs. Class act.

Bonnie Bedelia turns in an outstanding performance as female drag racer Shirley Muldowney. The cars, music and clothes are right on for the time period. The film is filled with the struggles Shirley went through to juggle a racing career and still be a good wife and mother. Don't miss this movie!

I have been a Shirley Muldowney fan forever and this is a wonderful movie. It is very accurate and the actor's portrayals are great. If you have ever been around the races and pits, you will realize that it is right on. I have forced many of my non-racing fan and non-Shirley fan friends to watch this movie and the majority of them all thought that it was a great movie and most say they would watch again.

For those of you that don't like racing, or have never heard of Shirley Muldowney, it is a great movie to show the struggle that women had/have fitting in to the so called "man's world." The fact that it is set in an overwhelmingly male field makes it even more interesting. As stated above, I have been a fan of Shirley's for years, and I have always stated that she is my idol. Everyone laughs when I say this, but I have always come away with - if Shirley managed to make it in drag racing, I can make it in (fill in the blank). Great movie.