Great Balls of Fire!
1989 · 108 min · Director: Jim McBride
Show plot summary (may contain spoilers)
A semi-fictionalized account of the early career of Jerry Lee Lewis is presented. The year is 1956, and he, as the front man, is trying to break into the business in a combo with among others his cousin, J.W. Brown, playing his rollicking version of the music he has always been interested in: what he heard emanating from the black honky-tonks of the south. Success and what goes along with it - fame and money - are arguably foremost on his mind. Against the many odds, he is able to gain that success, the odds including the Christian moral majority largely denouncing his type of music - hard driving rock 'n' roll - as that of the devil and thus anti-Christian, with one of his most vocal opponents with regard to his music being another cousin, sidewalk evangelist Jimmy Swaggart. He may derail his own success in his reckless behavior, especially falling prey to his urges with adoring young female fans, the most scandalous relationship being with J.W. and his wife Lois' thirteen year old daughter, Myra Gale Brown, who would go on imminently to become Myra Lewis, aka Mrs. Jerry Lee Lewis, and who in part was looking for a protector in her fear during this nuclear age.
Emotional fingerprint
Great Balls of Fire! (1989) — Movie. Top emotional signals: Excitement 35%, Humor 25%, Joy 20%. Source: AI estimate. Shares describe emotional signal, not percentages of people. Your experience may differ. How we measure
- Excitement35%
- Humor25%
- Joy20%
- Love10%
- Anxiety10%
AI estimate · no viewer votes yet
How we measure
AI estimate
Share of emotional signal, not the percentage of people or a probability of enjoyment.
Each viewer contributes one response, split equally across their selected emotions. When available, an automated estimate supplies a prior that is blended with those responses. Counts include distinct viewers, not automated estimates or archived anonymous votes. Fewer than 3 viewers is an early estimate; more responses do not guarantee certainty.
Why it feels this way
The strongest emotional signals are Excitement, Humor, Joy. Genres: Drama, Music, Biography. AI estimate.
Is it worth watching?
Consider this title if you are looking for Excitement, Humor and Joy. Its IMDb rating of 6.3/10 suggests a generally positive audience reception. For these leading emotions, its Feel Score is 67/100.
How did it make you feel?
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Pick up to three · 0/3
Emotional journey
- Tension
- Disturbing
- Sympathy
Not enough subtitle evidence
No dominant emotion
Dominant emotion: Excitement
Dominant emotion: Tension
Dominant emotion: Sympathy
Dominant emotion: Joy
Dominant emotion: Disturbing
Dominant emotion
| % | Approximate minute | Dominant emotion | Overall intensity | Tension | Disturbing | Sympathy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5 % | ≈ 3′ | Excitement | 40 % | 20 % | 5 % | 3 % |
| 7.5 % | ≈ 8′ | Excitement | 45 % | 15 % | 5 % | 3 % |
| 12.5 % | ≈ 14′ | Excitement | 45 % | 18 % | 6 % | 5 % |
| 17.5 % | ≈ 19′ | Excitement | 44 % | 30 % | 11 % | 9 % |
| 22.5 % | ≈ 24′ | Tension | 46 % | 35 % | 14 % | 9 % |
| 27.5 % | ≈ 30′ | Excitement | 45 % | 28 % | 13 % | 13 % |
| 32.5 % | ≈ 35′ | Sympathy | 39 % | 23 % | 15 % | 19 % |
| 37.5 % | ≈ 41′ | Tension | 35 % | 25 % | 15 % | 14 % |
| 42.5 % | ≈ 46′ | Excitement | 36 % | 27 % | 14 % | 8 % |
| 47.5 % | ≈ 51′ | Excitement | 39 % | 28 % | 18 % | 11 % |
| 52.5 % | ≈ 57′ | Joy | 48 % | 39 % | 25 % | 20 % |
| 57.5 % | ≈ 62′ | Tension | 64 % | 51 % | 44 % | 38 % |
| 62.5 % | ≈ 68′ | Disturbing | 76 % | 51 % | 66 % | 59 % |
| 67.5 % | ≈ 73′ | Disturbing | 80 % | 57 % | 74 % | 64 % |
| 72.5 % | ≈ 78′ | Disturbing | 80 % | 69 % | 68 % | 60 % |
| 77.5 % | ≈ 84′ | Tension | 78 % | 71 % | 59 % | 56 % |
| 82.5 % | ≈ 89′ | Tension | 78 % | 71 % | 64 % | 58 % |
| 87.5 % | ≈ 95′ | Disturbing | 78 % | 70 % | 68 % | 60 % |
| 92.5 % | ≈ 100′ | Tension | 70 % | 63 % | 53 % | 48 % |
| 97.5 % | ≈ 105′ | Not enough subtitle evidence | Not enough subtitle evidence | Not enough subtitle evidence | Not enough subtitle evidence | Not enough subtitle evidence |
Riches to rags
Rags to riches: The emotional tone rises from negative to positive.
Riches to rags: The emotional tone falls from positive to negative.
Man in a hole: The tone falls, then recovers.
Icarus: The tone rises, then falls.
Cinderella: The tone rises, falls, then rises again.
Oedipus: The tone falls, rises, then falls again.
AI reading of the film’s English subtitles (dialogue and sound cues) — not viewer votes. How we measure ↗
Afterward Reveal viewer responses · may contain spoilers
Viewer responses about feelings after the title ended, separate from feelings while watching. No AI estimates.
0 responses so far
Feeling details appear after at least 3 viewers respond, to protect privacy.
Cast
Steve Allen
Elvis
James Van Eaton
Dancer (uncredited)
Rusty Brown
Sam's Secretary
Big Maybelle
Mamie Lewis
Frankie Jean
New Bass Player
Young Jimmy
Details
- Directed by
- Jim McBride
- Written by
- Jack Baran, Jim McBride, Myra Lewis, Murray Silver Jr.
- Type
- Movies
- Released
- 1989
- Runtime
- 108 min
- Country
- United States
- Ratings
- Feels mostly
- Excitement
- Data updated
Where to watch
Also on
Availability varies by country
Feels similar
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