'Breaking Away' Stars Reunite After 35 Years
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It’s been a quarter of a century since Breaking Away inspired a generation of Americans to follow their passions, deepen their friendships, and—for many—to start riding. The seminal movie has had as much influence cycling as any product or professional racer, and it still resonates with cyclists. Three of its stars reunited in Las Vegas last night to celebrate the film’s 35th anniversary during an awards dinner at the annual Interbike convention. Their presence created an excited buzz among those gathered at the bike-industry trade show.
The 1979 film, written by Steve Tesich and directed by Peter Yates, won a Golden Globe for best picture, an Academy Award for best original screenplay (it was nominated in four more categories), and became a classic among cyclists.
The movie follows four locals from Bloomington, Indiana, as they struggle with the approaching pressures and demands of adulthood. One of the main characters, Dave Stohler (played by Dennis Christopher), dreams of being an elite Italian professional cyclist; the film concludes with Stohler and his three friends (Mike, Moocher, and Cyril) beating teams of students from the University of Indiana in the town’s annual Little 500 bike race.
Prior to the awards gala in Las Vegas, Dennis Christopher, Dennis Quaid, and Jackie Haley reunited to recount their time playing the rough-and-tumble “Cutters” and the curious and lasting appeal of the film.
“Breaking Away is dated, but at the same time it’s not,” said Haley, who played Moocher. Dennis Quaid, whose character’s best days were back in high school, said the film accurately captured the American experience and attributes that to its continued popularity. “People are still showing it to their kids,” Christopher said. “You don’t get that kind of satisfaction often.”
The actors are conscious of the emotional effect that the film still has on cyclists, and that for many, the film was their first introduction to the sport. Christopher, who has also been in Django Unchained and Chariots of Fire, said people approach him differently when they want to talk about Breaking Away. “People relate to you personally,” he said. “It’s like they know you, or had a feeling of love when they watched you do your job. People approach you in a beautiful way.”
Do the actors think the movie will still resonate with cyclists in another 35 years? Quaid thinks so. “It's been 35 years, it’s going to last,” he said. But, if you were dreaming of a sequel, the cast said it won’t happen. “This is the sequel,” Quaid said, referring to the reunion.
Before the gala, Bicycling Editor-in-Chief Bill Strickland interviewed Quaid and Christopher about the film’s influence on cycling (and their own riding). You can see the full video on Bicycling.com soon.
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