The Heavenly Kid
Encyclopedia
The Heavenly Kid is a 1985
comedy film
directed by Cary Medoway and starring Lewis Smith
, Jason Gedrick
, Jane Kaczmarek
, and Richard Mulligan
.
), a young greaser-type rebel, challenges Joe Barnes (Mark Metcalf
) to a game of chicken for making a pass at his girlfriend Emily (Jane Kaczmarek
). Bobby wins the race easily when Joe dives out of his car, but Bobby is unable to get out of the car in time due to his bracelet getting caught on the gearshift. He dies as his car plummets over the cliff into a fiery wreck.
Bobby awakens to find himself on a surreal trip aboard a speeding train vessel. The train stops at a station housing a huge escalator going up into a bright white light, which one of the attendants refers to as "Uptown". Bobby is denied entry, and his new spirit guide
Rafferty (Richard Mulligan
) appears and explains that he isn't considered ready yet and needs to carry out an assignment in order to earn his ticket Uptown. After many years in limbo Bobby is finally given his assignment - he is to return to Earth and act as a guardian angel
and friend for nerdy Lenny Barnes (Jason Gedrick
), a promising high school student who is constantly picked on in school, particularly by school bullies Fred Gallo (Stephen Gregory
) and Bill McIntyre (Beau Dremann). However, Bobby is instructed that he is only allowed to reveal himself to Lenny and nobody else.
Bobby helps Lenny by giving him a makeover, assisting him in dealing with Fred and Bill, and helping him win the affection of the hottest girl in school, Sharon (Anne Sawyer). However, Bobby eventually realizes that the new lifestyle Lenny is leading is not noble, as it causes him to rebel against everyone, including his parents. Bobby soon realizes that Lenny's mother is Emily, his former girlfriend, and is married to Joe, the man he died racing against. Bobby breaks the Uptown rules and reveals himself to Emily to confess his love for her, and Emily informs him that he is actually Lenny's father.
In a scene reminiscent of the opening sequence, Lenny is challenged to a chicken race at the local quarry by Fred, Sharon's former boyfriend. Having been told by Rafferty that Lenny will die just as Bobby did earlier, Bobby offers to trade his own chance to move Uptown (essentially, his own immortal soul) to save Lenny's life. Much like Bobby's car race, the race ends with Lenny and Bobby flying over the edge of a cliff, and the car exploding in a fiery wreck. However, Bobby prevents Lenny from dying, and they climb up the cliff together. Bobby helps Lenny see the error of his ways as Lenny reunites with his long-time friend Melissa (Nancy Valen
), who was in love with him and by his side even during his "nerdy years".
When Bobby offers himself to Rafferty to fulfill his end of the bargain by accepting a ride "Downtown" (essentially, to hell
), Rafferty explains that this will not be happening. Bobby incredulously asks why, as he had made a deal to trade his own soul for Lenny's second chance at life. Rafferty explains to Bobby that he had learned to love and value someone more than himself, and that is how one earned a ticket Uptown. Lenny and his girlfriend then watch Bobby and Rafferty fly into the sky on a motorbike. The movie ends with Bobby going on the escalator to Uptown.
1985 in film
-Events:* 3 December - Roger Moore steps down from the role of James Bond after twelve years and seven films. He is replaced by Timothy Dalton.* The Academy Award for Best Picture was won by Out Of Africa, while the highest grossing film was Back to the Future.* Bliss wins AFI Award for best Movie...
comedy film
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
directed by Cary Medoway and starring Lewis Smith
Lewis Smith
-Early life:Smith was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He graduated from Lookout Valley High School in 1974.-Career:Smith is best known for the role of Charles Main on the first and second part of North and South miniseries, He also played "Curly Bill" Brocious in the Kevin Costner film Wyatt Earp...
, Jason Gedrick
Jason Gedrick
Jason Gedrick is an American actor best known for his work on the television series Murder One and Boomtown and the motion picture Iron Eagle....
, Jane Kaczmarek
Jane Kaczmarek
Jane Frances Kaczmarek is an American actress. She is best known for playing the character of Lois on the television series Malcolm in the Middle. Kaczmarek is a three-time Golden Globe and seven-time Emmy Award nominee...
, and Richard Mulligan
Richard Mulligan
Richard Mulligan was an American television and film actor best known for his role as Burt Campbell in the 1970s sitcom Soap and later as Dr. Harry Weston on The Golden Girls and its spin-off Empty Nest.-Early life:He was born in New York City, the younger brother of director Robert Mulligan...
.
Plot
In the early 1960's, Bobby Fantana (Lewis SmithLewis Smith
-Early life:Smith was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He graduated from Lookout Valley High School in 1974.-Career:Smith is best known for the role of Charles Main on the first and second part of North and South miniseries, He also played "Curly Bill" Brocious in the Kevin Costner film Wyatt Earp...
), a young greaser-type rebel, challenges Joe Barnes (Mark Metcalf
Mark Metcalf
Mark Howes Metcalf is an American actor in both television and film.-Early life:Metcalf attended Westfield High School in Westfield, New Jersey.-Film and television work:...
) to a game of chicken for making a pass at his girlfriend Emily (Jane Kaczmarek
Jane Kaczmarek
Jane Frances Kaczmarek is an American actress. She is best known for playing the character of Lois on the television series Malcolm in the Middle. Kaczmarek is a three-time Golden Globe and seven-time Emmy Award nominee...
). Bobby wins the race easily when Joe dives out of his car, but Bobby is unable to get out of the car in time due to his bracelet getting caught on the gearshift. He dies as his car plummets over the cliff into a fiery wreck.
Bobby awakens to find himself on a surreal trip aboard a speeding train vessel. The train stops at a station housing a huge escalator going up into a bright white light, which one of the attendants refers to as "Uptown". Bobby is denied entry, and his new spirit guide
Spirit guide
"Spirit guide" is a term used by the Western tradition of Spiritualist Churches, mediums, and psychics to describe an entity that remains a disincarnate spirit in order to act as a guide or protector to a living incarnated human being....
Rafferty (Richard Mulligan
Richard Mulligan
Richard Mulligan was an American television and film actor best known for his role as Burt Campbell in the 1970s sitcom Soap and later as Dr. Harry Weston on The Golden Girls and its spin-off Empty Nest.-Early life:He was born in New York City, the younger brother of director Robert Mulligan...
) appears and explains that he isn't considered ready yet and needs to carry out an assignment in order to earn his ticket Uptown. After many years in limbo Bobby is finally given his assignment - he is to return to Earth and act as a guardian angel
Guardian angel (spirit)
A guardian angel is an angel assigned to protect and guide a particular person or group. Belief in guardian angels can be traced throughout all antiquity...
and friend for nerdy Lenny Barnes (Jason Gedrick
Jason Gedrick
Jason Gedrick is an American actor best known for his work on the television series Murder One and Boomtown and the motion picture Iron Eagle....
), a promising high school student who is constantly picked on in school, particularly by school bullies Fred Gallo (Stephen Gregory
Stephen Gregory (actor)
Stephen Gregory is an American actor who grew up in Manhasset, a Long Island suburb, 15 miles to the east of Manhattan....
) and Bill McIntyre (Beau Dremann). However, Bobby is instructed that he is only allowed to reveal himself to Lenny and nobody else.
Bobby helps Lenny by giving him a makeover, assisting him in dealing with Fred and Bill, and helping him win the affection of the hottest girl in school, Sharon (Anne Sawyer). However, Bobby eventually realizes that the new lifestyle Lenny is leading is not noble, as it causes him to rebel against everyone, including his parents. Bobby soon realizes that Lenny's mother is Emily, his former girlfriend, and is married to Joe, the man he died racing against. Bobby breaks the Uptown rules and reveals himself to Emily to confess his love for her, and Emily informs him that he is actually Lenny's father.
In a scene reminiscent of the opening sequence, Lenny is challenged to a chicken race at the local quarry by Fred, Sharon's former boyfriend. Having been told by Rafferty that Lenny will die just as Bobby did earlier, Bobby offers to trade his own chance to move Uptown (essentially, his own immortal soul) to save Lenny's life. Much like Bobby's car race, the race ends with Lenny and Bobby flying over the edge of a cliff, and the car exploding in a fiery wreck. However, Bobby prevents Lenny from dying, and they climb up the cliff together. Bobby helps Lenny see the error of his ways as Lenny reunites with his long-time friend Melissa (Nancy Valen
Nancy Valen
Nancy Valen is an American actress and television producer. She is best known for portraying Captain Samantha Thomas on Baywatch.-Early life:...
), who was in love with him and by his side even during his "nerdy years".
When Bobby offers himself to Rafferty to fulfill his end of the bargain by accepting a ride "Downtown" (essentially, to hell
Hell
In many religious traditions, a hell is a place of suffering and punishment in the afterlife. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hells as endless. Religions with a cyclic history often depict a hell as an intermediary period between incarnations...
), Rafferty explains that this will not be happening. Bobby incredulously asks why, as he had made a deal to trade his own soul for Lenny's second chance at life. Rafferty explains to Bobby that he had learned to love and value someone more than himself, and that is how one earned a ticket Uptown. Lenny and his girlfriend then watch Bobby and Rafferty fly into the sky on a motorbike. The movie ends with Bobby going on the escalator to Uptown.
Soundtrack
The soundtrack consists of 10 songs featured in the movie. It was taken out-of-print almost as quickly as it became available due to manufacturing defects on the LP: during the tracks Animal Attraction and Crusin' Tonight there are several mis-aligned grooves that transferred to all copies of the LP which caused major skips and poor quality sound. The Promotional copy of this record has these defects as well.Track listing
- Joe Lynn TurnerJoe Lynn TurnerJoe Lynn Turner , is an American rock singer, known for his works with Rainbow, Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force, Deep Purple. From the late 1990s, he continued to perform in a large number of solo albums and other studio projects...
- "Heartless" - John FioreJohn FioreJohn Fiore may refer to:*John Fiore , American actor*John Fiore , American politician who succeeded Jim Stork...
- "The Heavenly Kid (Out On the Edge)" - Jamie Bond - "Heart of Love"
- Howard HewettHoward HewettHoward Hewett is an American R&B and gospel singer and former lead vocalist of the R&B group Shalamar.Raised in Akron, Ohio, Hewett moved to Los Angeles. He would eventually meet Soul Train dancer and future first wife Rainey Riley-Cunningham, then a secretary of the show's creator and original...
- "Obsession" - Debra LawsDebra LawsDebra Laws is an American R&B singer and actress from Houston, Texas. In her music career, she works closely with her siblings, Eloise Laws, Hubert Laws and Ronnie Laws, who are producers.-Biography:...
- "Crusin' Tonight" - Jamie Bond - "Animal Attraction"
- Mickey ThomasMickey ThomasJohn Michael Thomas aka Mickey Thomas is an American singer.-Early career:Thomas was inspired to pursue a career in music after travelling to Atlanta with long time childhood friends Charles Connell and Tommy Verran to see a Beatles performance in 1965. Thomas, Connell, and Verran wound up in...
- "Two Minute Love" - The George Duke Band - "So Mean to Me"
- George DukeGeorge DukeGeorge Duke is a multi-faceted American musician, known as a keyboard pioneer, composer, singer and producer in both jazz and popular mainstream musical genres. He has worked with numerous acclaimed artists as arranger, music director, writer and co-writer, record producer and professor of music...
- "Hamburgers" - Neko-Meka - "When the Children Make the Mighty Fall"
- Shandi SinnamonShandi Sinnamon-Career:Shandi was born to a Huguenot family as Shandra Sinnamon in Miami, Florida. After dropping out of high school, she left home for Big Sur, California. Her ambition was to become a singer and songwriter....
- "So Far Away"* - Chris Farren - "Dream Machine"*
- Stuffy Shmitt - "I Need The Touch"*
- Jerry Lee Lewis - "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On"*
- Song is featured in the movie but not on the soundtrack album.
Trivia
- The high school scenes were filmed at North Miami Senior High School, in North Miami, FloridaNorth Miami, FloridaNorth Miami is a suburban city located in northeast Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States, about north of Miami. The city lies on Biscayne Bay and hosts the Biscayne Bay Campus of Florida International University, and the North Miami campus of Johnson & Wales University...
. - The subway used in the film is the MARTAPeachtree Center (MARTA station)Peachtree Center station is an underground Train station on the Red and Gold lines of the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority rail system. It is the deepest station in the MARTA rail system, at below Peachtree Street. It serves the Peachtree Center area of downtown Atlanta, and is the...
system in Atlanta, GeorgiaAtlanta, GeorgiaAtlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
. - The working title of the film was "Teen Angel."
- This is the second and last film from director Cary Medoway.