The Fireball
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| Fireball | |
|---|---|
 VHS cover | |
| Directed by | Tay Garnett Charles Kerr (assistant) |
| Screenplay by | Horace McCoy |
| Produced by | |
| Starring | Mickey Rooney Pat O'Brien |
| Cinematography | Lester White |
| Edited by | Frank Sullivan |
| Music by | Victor Young |
| Distributed by | 20th Century Fox |
Release date |
|
Running time | 84 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
The Fireball is a 1950 American drama film starring Mickey Rooney and Pat O'Brien, and directed by Tay Garnett. The cast also includes Beverly Tyler and the eighth screen appearance of Marilyn Monroe.
The film, released by 20th Century Fox, had its screenplay written by Horace McCoy based on a story by McCoy and Garnett.
Plot[]
Johnny Casar (Mickey Rooney) runs away from a home for wayward boys, tired of being teased about being short and a poor athlete. He soon finds a pair of roller skates and is befriended by Bruno Crystal (Ralph Dumke), who allows him to wash dishes at his café, while a priest who runs the home, Father O'Hara (Pat O'Brien), secretly keeps an eye on him.
A traveling roller-skating team takes an interest in Johnny after he shows some aptitude. He clashes with Mack Miller (Glen Corbett), a cocky champion, and falls for Mary Reeves (Beverly Tyler), another top skater. Johnny ends up featured in grudge matches against Miller, where they take turns one-upping one another.
As his fame grows, Johnny becomes every bit as arrogant as Miller and more. Life takes a bad turn when he is diagnosed with polio. A long period of physical therapy follows, until a wheelchair-bound Johnny tries to get his life back on track.
Cast (in credits order)[]
- Mickey Rooney as Johnny Casar
- Pat O'Brien as Father O'Hara
- Beverly Tyler as Mary Reeves
- James Brown as Allen
- Ralph Dumke as Bruno Crystal
- Milburn Stone as Jeff Davis
- as Shilling
- Marilyn Monroe as Polly
- Sam Flint as Dr. Barton
- Glen Corbett as Mack Miller
- as Ullman
External links[]
- The Fireball at IMDb
- The Fireball at AllMovie
- The Fireball at the TCM Movie Database
- The Fireball at Rotten Tomatoes
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- 1950 films
- English-language films
- 1950 drama films
- 20th Century Fox films
- American films
- American black-and-white films
- American drama films
- Films directed by Tay Garnett
- Films scored by Victor Young
- Roller skating films
- 1950s drama film stubs