Main Cast: Bob Dylan, Rupert Everett, Fiona, Julian Glover, Suzanne Bertish
Release Year: 1987
Country: UK/US
Run Time: 90 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
This uninspiring drama was unfortunately the last feature film directed by Richard Marquard and was released posthumously. Bob Dylan plays the retired and reclusive rock star (there's a stretch) Billy Parker who falls for aspiring rocker Molly McGuire (Fiona) and takes her under his wing on his tour of England to benefit from his experience. When Molly is "discovered" by lecherous music promoter James Colt (Rupert Everett), Billy flies the coop back to his stateside chicken farm while Molly makes music magic. Billy and Molly are eventually reunited when she returns for a triumphant tour of the United States. Songs from Dylan, Neil Young, Shel Silverstein, Andy Goldmark, Tony Swan, Wang Chung, John Dexter, Cyril Neville, John Hiatt, and Steve Jolley help the thin script and uninspired thesping. The film opens up with the 1982 hit Tainted Love from Soft Cell. Musicians Ian Dury and Richie Havens are included in the acting cast. One can only wonder if the feature was just wrapped up too quickly after the untimely death of Marquand from a stroke at age 49 on September 4th, 1987. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
Barbara Dunphy - Art Director, Iain Smith - Co-producer, Pip Newbery - Costume Designer, Richard Marquand - Director, Sean Barton - Editor, John Barry - Composer (Music Score), Wang Chung - Songwriter, John William Dexter - Songwriter, Bob Dylan - Songwriter, Andy Goldmark - Songwriter, Patrick Henderson - Songwriter, John Hiatt - Songwriter, Steve Jolley - Songwriter, Shel Silverstein - Songwriter, Tony Swain - Songwriter, Neil Young - Songwriter, Cyril Neville - Songwriter, Pat Hay - Makeup, Roger Murray-Leach - Production Designer, Barbara Dunphy - Production Designer, Alan Hume - Cinematographer, Richard Marquand - Producer, Doug Harris - Producer, Jennifer Miller - Producer, Louis Kramer - Sound/Sound Designer, T.J. Scott - Stunts, Gareth Milne - Stunts, Joe Eszterhas - Screenwriter
Hearts of Fire was a 1987 film starring Bob Dylan, Fiona Flanagan (billed only as "Fiona") and Rupert Everett. The film was essentially a vehicle for Dylan based on his success as a rock musician. It received poor reviews, a limited theatrical release and was later written off by Dylan himself as something he was involved in only "for the money."
Originally written by Scott Richardson, the screenplay was rewritten by Basic Instinct writer Joe Eszterhas because Lorimar Productions felt that Richardson was a "baby writer" and not experienced enough to take on the responsibility of a starring vehicle for a rock icon of Dylan's stature. Dylan is rumored to have threatened a lawsuit to keep the resulting rewrite by Eszterhas from being made and it is also regarded as the film that "killed Richard Marquand", who directed Return of the Jedi of Star Wars fame and died of a stroke the same year.
Although at the time of the film's original release Bob Dylan claimed to be supportive of the project, in a recent interview reportedly only did this movie "for the money."[citation needed]
Release
Hearts of Fire did extremely poorly in theaters. It was first released in the UK, being pulled from the theaters after approximately two weeks. As a result, the film was not even released to theaters in the United States, and was sent directly to video in 1988. Hearts of Fire was re-released once more on VHS by Warner Brothers on December 6, 1993.[3] It may have at one point been available on the now-expired Laserdisc format, but the film has had no DVD release and there appears to be no current plans for one.
Reviews
Variety lamented that it was "unfortunate that the last film of helmer Richard Marquand, who died shortly after completing it, should be Hearts of Fire" and that the film failed "to fire on all cylinders despite a nimble performance by the enigmatic Bob Dylan typecast as a reclusive rock star."[4]Channel 4 deemed the film a "blunt instrument of 80s vacuity."[5] DVDLaser stated that it is "a really bad movie," but also that the viewer's opinion of Bob Dylan is "the key to liking or disliking the film."[6]
Time Out London said that Dylan "hovers enigmatically on the sidelines, offering jaundiced comments."[7] Another review said he gave "what is arguably one of the worst performances you are likely to see. His line readings are embarrassing, he clearly has no respect for any of the actors around him, or anyone behind the camera, or anyone who is likely to see the film."[8]
Soundtrack
In 1987, Columbia released the Hearts of Firesoundtrack. Dylan was apparently originally contracted to write and contribute four new original recordings to the album,[9] but would only turn in two original songs and one cover tune. The tracks included a cover of John Hiatt's "The Usual," along with the Dylan originals "Night After Night" and "Had a Dream About You Baby." Dylan would later release an alternate version of "Had a Dream About You Baby" on the 1988 album Down in the Groove.
