Breaking Away
| Breaking Away | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Peter Yates |
| Written by | Steve Tesich |
| Starring | Dennis Christopher Dennis Quaid Daniel Stern Jackie Earle Haley |
| Distributed by | 20th Century Fox |
Release dates | July 13, 1979 |
Running time | 100 min |
| Language | English |
Breaking Away is a 1979 coming of age film that tells the story of four teenagers in Bloomington, Indiana who have graduated from high school and are not sure what they want to do with their lives, other than hang out and go swimming in an abandoned limestone quarry. It stars Dennis Christopher, Dennis Quaid, Daniel Stern (his first film role), Jackie Earle Haley, Barbara Barrie and Paul Dooley. The movie was written by Steve Tesich and directed by Peter Yates.
It won the 1979 Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, and was nominated for Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Barbara Barrie), Best Director, Best Music, Original Song Score and Its Adaptation or Best Adaptation Score and Best Picture.
The film is 8th on the List of America's 100 Most Inspiring Movies compiled by The American Film Institute in 2006. In June 2008, AFI revealed its "Ten top Ten"—the best ten films in ten "classic" American film genres—after polling over 1,500 people from the creative community. Breaking Away was acknowledged as the eighth best film in the sports genre.[1][2]
In 1980, a television series prequel, also titled Breaking Away was released.
Plot summary
Dave (Dennis Christopher), Mike (Dennis Quaid), Cyril (Daniel Stern) and Moocher (Jackie Earle Haley) are adolescent working-class Americans living in a midwestern college town, who often butt heads with the more affluent collegiate student body. The four have just graduated from high school, and Dave, the central character, is obsessed with European-style bicycle road racing and Italian culture in general. His down-to-earth, blue-collar father Raymond (Paul Dooley) is puzzled and exasperated by his son's love of Italian music and culture, which the son associates with bicycle racers and his precious Italian Masi road racing bicycle. However, his mother Evelyn (Barbara Barrie) is more understanding. Longing to live beyond his immediate world, Dave explores the idea of romance with a co-ed (Robyn Douglass) at the local university, even serenading her one evening outside her sorority house window.
When a professional Italian bicycling team (Team Cinzano) comes to town for a race, Dave is thrilled to be competing with them. But troubles ensue during the race, and Dave becomes disillusioned and depressed as a result. Meanwhile, Dave's father suffers troubles of his own.
Dave's friends soon persuade him to form a cycling team for the annual Indiana University Little 500 bicycle race. Using identical AMF Roadmaster track bicycles, the competition promises to be a battle between the wealthy male fraternity members of the university and Dave's group, a classic town and gown confrontation. The latter race under the name Cutters (a euphemism for stoners, the industrial stonecutters who worked the Indiana Limestone quarries of southern Indiana) against university intramural teams. After a series of calamities during the race, Dave reaches a new understanding of himself and his relationships with his father and friends.
Cast
- Dennis Christopher as Dave Stohler
- Dennis Quaid as Mike
- Daniel Stern as Cyril
- Jackie Earle Haley as Moocher
- Paul Dooley as Raymond Stohler
- Barbara Barrie as Evelyn Stohler
- Robyn Douglass as Katherine
- Hart Bochner as Rod
- P.J. Soles as Suzy
- Amy Wright as Nancy
- John Ashton as Mike's brother Roy
Dooley and Christopher also played father and son in the 1978 film A Wedding and in the 2003 Law & Order: Criminal Intent television episode "Cherry Red".
Barrie, Haley, and Ashton continued their roles in the prequel TV series.
Real-life inspiration
The Little 500 bicycle race that forms the centerpiece of the plot is an actual race held annually at Indiana University. A reenactment of the race was staged for the film in the "old" Memorial Stadium on the IU campus, which was demolished shortly after the filming of the movie.
The team is based on the 1962 Phi Kappa Psi Little 500 champions, which featured legendary rider and Italian enthusiast Dave Blase, who provided screenwriter and fellow Phi Kappa Psi team member Steve Tesich the inspiration for the main character in the movie. Blase, together with team manager Bob Stohler, provided the name of this character: Dave Stohler. In the 1962 race, Blase rode 139 out of 200 laps and was the victory rider crossing the finish line, much like the main character in the film. Blase himself appears in the movie as the race announcer.
Bollywood adaptation
The Bollywood movie Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar is highly inspired from Breaking Away.
Television series
The television series is a prequel to the film, set during the previous year. Barrie, Haley and Ashton reprised their roles.
- Cast
- Shaun Cassidy as Dave Stohler
- Tom Wiggin as Mike
- Thom Bray as Cyril
- Jackie Earle Haley as Moocher
- Barbara Barrie as Evelyn Stohler
- Vincent Gardenia as Raymond Stohler
- Recurring
- Dominique Dunne as Paulina Bornstein (Episodes 2, 5, 6, & 8)
- Shelby Brammer as Nancy (Episodes 1, 4, 5)
- Steve Doubet as Steve (Episodes 2, 4)
- John Ashton as Roy (Mike's brother)
| # | Title | Director | Writer(s) | Airdate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1x01 | "The Cutter" | Joe Rubin | Steve Tesich | 29 November 1980 | |
|
The series opens one year before the film as Dave and his friends graduate high school. | |||||
| 1x02 | "The American Dream" | Stan Lathan | Charles Rosin | 6 December 1980 | |
|
Dave audits a college class and meets Paulina, while a co-ed gets Mike to play in a football game for a fraternity. Guest stars: Jeff Corey as Professor Manchester | |||||
| 1x03 | "Knowing Her" | Kim Friedman | Jerry McNeely | 13 December 1980 | |
|
Cyril dates a co-ed, Moocher gets a job in a movie theater, Evelyn takes a real-estate course. Guest stars: Larry Larson as Grant/Greg Prince, Woody Eney as Dougherty, Lenora May as Jeanne Lindsay | |||||
| 1x04 | "King of the Quarry" | Victor Lobel | Steve Pritzker | 20 December 1980 | |
|
Ray guest lectures at the university, Moocher get a job offer in Chicago. Guest stars: Brian Lane Green as Jerry, Lauri Huffer as Jennifer | |||||
| 1x05 | "Heart Like a Wheel" | Jack Bender | Caroline Elias | 27 December 1980 | |
|
Paulina meets Dave's parents over dinner, Moocher asks Nancy to move in together, and Mike drag races a college student. Guest stars: Chris Lemmon as Danny | |||||
| 1x06 | "Rainy Night in Georgia" | Stan Lathan | Jerry McNeely & Charles Rosin | 3 January 1981 | |
|
The guys get a painting job, Dave's bicycle is stolen, and Evelyn wants Ray to buy land near the university as an investment | |||||
| 1x07 | "La Strada" | Jeff Bleckner | Steve Tesich & Glenn Gordon Caron | 10 January 1981 | |
|
Guest stars: Mark Metcalf as Racer, Dennis Robertson as Simms | |||||
| 1x08 | "Grand Illusion" | —— | —— | unaired | |
In popular culture
In the 2005 Homestar Runner Halloween special, Homestar went as Moocher, complete with Cutters shirt.
On the 2008 release Stay Positive by the band The Hold Steady, a song called "One for the Cutters" appears to be a reference to this movie.
References
- ^ American Film Institute (2008-06-17). "AFI Crowns Top 10 Films in 10 Classic Genres". ComingSoon.net. Retrieved 2008-06-18.
- ^ "Top 10 Sports". American Film Institute. Retrieved 2008-06-18.
- ^ "Breaking Away: Episodes". TV.com.
External links
- 1979 films
- Cycling films
- Comedy-drama films
- Coming-of-age films
- 1980s American television series
- American Broadcasting Company network shows
- Television series by Fox Television Studios
- Sports comedy films
- Films set in Indiana
- Films whose writer won the Best Original Screenplay Academy Award
- 1980 television series debuts
- 1980 television series endings
- Television programs based on films
- Films directed by Peter Yates
- Best Musical or Comedy Picture Golden Globe winners