December 13 - Great Balls of Fire!

This movie has a scene that happens today - December 13. I hope you will enjoy this film and watch it tonight.  

GREAT BALLS OF FIRE!     

In 1944 Louisiana Jerry Lee Lewis is unsuccessful in persuading his cousin Jimmy Swaggert to join him in listening to the music at African-American blues clubs. 12 years later he moves to Memphis to play in a band with his cousin J.W. Brown and he meets J.W.‘s 13-year-old daughter Myra. J.W. and Jerry Lee meet with Sam Phillips at Sun records. Phillips likes his music and signs him to a contract.   A trip back home leads to arguments with his cousin and now preacher Jimmy and more exposure to the blues. Jerry Lee records “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On”. which is a huge hit and he’s on TV in New York.   He moves in with J.W. and starts dating Myra.  He has another encounter with his cousin Jimmy. Jerry Lee continues his success by recording “Great Balls of Fire!” He sets his piano on fire at a concert in protest at being second-billed behind Chuck Berry.  In a dance number Jerry Lee performs “High School Confidential” when he picks up Myra at school. They elope. The next day, on December 13, 1957, [56:50 to 1:01:59] her parents find out that Myra and Jerry are married. J.W. is barely persuaded not to shoot Jerry. They try to make their marriage work.  Against advice Jerry takes Myra to England on a tour. However when their marriage becomes public there is a huge outcry and the tour is cancelled. He resists an attempt by Sam Phillips to have him ‘apologize’ for his marriage. As his career goes into a decline, Jerry Lee goes into an alcoholic funk and he even hits Myra. His cousin Jimmy denounces him in church, but Jerry and Myra stay together.   

A hot biopic. Dennis Quaid gives an almost, but not quite over-the-top portrayal of the Killer. I like it because they used the real songs in the movie, not covers.

Jerry Lee Lewis: Lost and Found by Joe Bonomo (The Continuum International Publishing Group, New York, 2009) at page 19 gives their wedding date

Screenplay - Jack Baran and Jim McBride

Producer - Adam Fields

Director - Jim McBride

Runtime -  1 hour 48 minutes

Released -  June 30, 1989

Starring –

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