Great Balls of Fire (1989)

Synopsis: Film biography of rock 'n' roll hellraiser Jerry Lee Lewis, concentrating on the years 1956 to 1959, when Lewis rose to stardom. It was also during this period that Lewis married his third wife Myra, who not only was his second cousin, but only 13 years of age at the time. This action nearly killed... Film biography of rock 'n' roll hellraiser Jerry Lee Lewis, concentrating on the years 1956 to 1959, when Lewis rose to stardom. It was also during this period that Lewis married his third wife Myra, who not only was his second cousin, but only 13 years of age at the time. This action nearly killed Lewis's career, and the uproar and controversy created by the wedding while they were in England forced Lewis to cancel his tour. Other aspects of Lewis's life are examined, including: his relationship with his brother, evangelist Jimmy Swaggart; his competition with Elvis Presley; and how his "devil music" was inspired by what he saw and heard at black dance halls. The score contains many of Lewis's songs, among them "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On", "Real Wild Child", and a rather fiery rendition of the title tune. [More]