| The Big Wheel | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Edward Ludwig |
| Produced by | Mort Briskin Samuel H. Stiefel |
| Written by | Robert Smith |
| Starring | Mickey Rooney Thomas Mitchell Mary Hatcher Spring Byington Hattie McDaniel Kippee Valez |
| Music by | Gerard Carbonara Nat W. Finston Kermit Goell John Leipold Fred Spielman |
| Cinematography | Ernest Laszlo |
| Distributed by | United Artists |
| Release date(s) | 1949 |
| Running time | 92 min. |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
The Big Wheel is a 1949 film starring Mickey Rooney and Thomas Mitchell.
Rooney plays Billy Coy, a young man determined to follow in his father's footsteps as a race car driver. Despite the fact that his father, "Cannonball" Coy, was killed in a fiery crash during the Indianapolis 500, Billy is undaunted and manages to work his way up from race mechanic to top driver. The story follows him through the ups and downs of the racing life, from nightclub shenanigans to dragout brawls, with hairpin turns on the track in between. At one point, he's involved in a race crash, and is under suspicion for causing another driver's death. All the while the adoration of a racecar owner's daughter (Mary Hatcher) and the love of his mother (Spring Byington) sees Billy through his many trials. Billy eventually earns his way back onto the racing circuit, and lands a spot in the field at the "500". In the final laps, Billy drives through a wall of fire, caused by another driver's crash, and with his own car in flames, manages to finish third, but seriously burns his arms. Inspired by his determination and sportsmanship, the winning driver turns the famous Borg-Warner Trophy over to Billy.