FORGOTTEN FILM: HEARTS OF FIRE (1987)

Back in the mid 80’s, on AT THE MOVIES (when Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel had moved on to their own show), film critics Rex Reed and Bill Harris (remember him? With the Ned Flanders like moustache?) had their summer preview episode. They talked about the films that were coming out that summer.

Harris said the film he was most excited about was HEARTS OF FIRE. He said he was a big Bob Dylan fan and this was his big return to the screen.

Well, that summer, HEARTS OF FIRE didn’t come out. It didn’t come out the next summer either. In fact, it didn’t come out for several years, when it was finally released to VHS. If anyone saw it, I’m not sure.

In the years after the release, with all the delays, I had forgotten it. In watching VH1 CLASSICS a few years back they had a music video from a singer called Fiona, singing the theme song. The video was made up of clips from the film.



It was pretty catchy in an 80’s movie music sort of way. I then remembered the film and was able to find a used copy of the VHS.

The star of the film is Fiona (actually Fiona Flanagan). I can’t say I have heard of her before this film, or since, but she has a few videos that turn up on VH1 Classics so she must have had some sort of career. This would be her only starring role.

To be honest, only certain scenes of the film remain with me, but from reading around, I think I remember the basic idea.

Fiona plays a waitress in a small town. Bob Dylan, playing an aging rock star, arrives and takes her to London. There, she meets another rock star Rupert Everett. The two fall in love, and Fiona becomes a music star of her own. They all head back to her home for a big concert.

Something like that. I’m not being paid enough to write these to watch it again.

The film is truly terrible. I mean that in a good way. There are parts that are so bad they are hilarious.

Mainly because of Bob Dylan.

Now, I like Bob Dylan. I saw him in concert with Paul Simon and he blew Paul Simon away. Just an amazing musician.

However, in this film, I absolutely hated him. He gives 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.

There is a fight scene between Dylan and Everett. Dylan walks up to him, giggles, and swings and knocks him out (you can see part of this in the video at the 53 second mark). Just an unbelievably terrible performance.

The rest of the film isn’t much better.

It was the last film for director Richard Marquand who had directed RETURN OF THE JEDI. And, it was an early film for Joe Estzherhas.

Released by MGM, it is worthy of a DVD release for camp value alone.