Not many Hollywood actors can “boast” of ups and downs, such as Mickey Rourke, for whom they happened more than once. In early childhood, he chose boxing, dreamed of sports, and after an “accidental” participation in an amateur production of “The Deadly Hours,” he decided to move to New York to be an actor. In the mid-80s, he became a famous person in Hollywood and struggled with stardom, caused scandals on film sets and spent his considerable fees on entertainment. His career could have been put to rest several times, but each time the land of dreams gave him a new chance. Maybe Rourke ended up in show business by mistake? However, even today he does not know the exact answer.
The main thing is to prioritize
Mickey fell ill with boxing at the age of seven, when he was forced to defend himself. The eldest in the family, he had to look after his younger sister and brother, but he wanted freedom and meetings with friends. Since childhood, Mickey had a bad character. Perhaps the reason for this was a difficult childhood - he often witnessed parental quarrels. One day his mother got tired of it, she took the children and left for Florida. There was not enough money, the family settled in a disadvantaged area, known for constant criminal clashes. Rourke’s new friends also turned out to be “not pure” comrades, and at that moment he realized that with the help of fists you can not only defend yourself, but also achieve what you want.
Harley-Davidson Street in Captain America: The Winter Soldier
As you might guess, Captain America rides an American bike. The superhero's mode of transportation is his trusty Harley-Davidson in both the World War II and present-day scenes.
Cap's constant vehicle is the Street 750. It is worth noting that the motorcycle is considered the youngest in the manufacturer's line. Of course, this fact was not very warmly received by the bikers. However, this HD is great for beginners who are looking to try something larger than 400cc.
Change to save yourself
After his mother began dating a police officer, Mickey and his sister and brother moved in with their stepfather. It was not just a new house, but a new family with five new brothers. You could forget about silence and your own room. My performance at school was terrible; doing homework in such a “booth” was simply unrealistic. No one could understand his worries, because even his own mother was no longer happy about their move. Mickey found a small outlet in the theater club, where he came “out of nothing to do.” He played in the production only once, but the pleasant impressions of it remained in his memory for a long time. More and more often he began to be drawn to the street. He didn’t give up boxing either - he continued to go to the local sports club. Until one day I decided to radically change my life.
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Harley-Davidson FXR in "Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man"
Perhaps this is the only film in the selection where the motorcycle brand appears in the title of the film. The main character, played by Mickey Rourke, rides a custom 1989 Low Rider FXR.
The motorcycle can rightfully be considered a landmark in the HD line. The American manufacturer first used many technical innovations in the FXR model. Moreover, since 1985, the Evolution engine has been installed on the bike, which is still considered one of the most reliable.
Give your dream a chance
Surprisingly, he had no pocket money, and he couldn’t get a “normal” job. Mickey scraped together enough for a ticket, and his little sister lent him two hundred dollars, which he took with him to New York. They were enough for the first time - to rent a room in a run-down hotel. He was able to pay for the course at Lee Strasberg's acting studio only after a year, which he spent in constant part-time jobs - a seller of chips, a bouncer in a nightclub, a pool cleaner.
Rourke was tired of the uncertainty in life and wanted to do something serious. Remaining virtually without a proper education, he dreamed of Los Angeles. And even when he moved there, Mickey was not immediately noticed in Dreamland. However, the first “shot” turned out to be very successful - Steven Spielberg cast him in the military comedy “1941,” but as an extra.
The Godfather of Greenwich Village, 1984
The New York neighborhood that gave the film its name played an important role in Rourke’s career—when, at the very beginning of his film career, the actor rented a tiny apartment here and worked wherever he could: as a salesman, as a pool cleaner, as a bouncer in a bar. All the money earned went to pay for the room and studies at the Actors Studio. In the film by Stuart Rosenberg, he again does not play the “first fiddle” - he shares the screen with Eric Roberts , young, with a curly head. Paulie (Roberts) and Charlie (Rourke) are friends who are closer to each other than any family. They have connections in the mafia and there is always some new scam on their minds. Rourke's more sensible hero is trying to get involved with petty crime; he needs a permanent job - life with a blonde aerobics instructor (Daryl Hannah) requires effort and sacrifice. But how can he refuse Paulie, who once again drags him into a dangerous adventure? To implement it, it is necessary to steal money from the godfather of the Greenwich Village mafia - not only that now none of their connections will help the friends, since out of spite it turns out that Charlie’s girlfriend is pregnant. The film looks like both a drama about human relationships and a crime, gangster thriller in the spirit of “The Godfather” - but in fact, what is valuable is, above all, the acting.
Sport forever
The main roles were still far away, and in between castings Rourke practiced boxing. In general, he never left him - boxing accompanied him throughout his life and even helped him in his acting career: it seemed that Darren Aronofsky could not find anyone better for his film “The Wrestler,” for which Rourke received a nomination for the highest film award. In sports, Mickey was accompanied by failures - he received injuries, after which he left boxing. But he returned to it again. As for returning to the screens, the success of “The Wrestler” could give a new round of fame. If only the actor had not allowed his career to decline.
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Honda CBR1000RR in "Doctor House"
The actor playing Gregory House didn't have to fake his love for two-wheeled vehicles. Hugh Laurie prefers motorcycles in real life, but the Triumph brand.
In the role of a drug-addicted doctor, the actor rode a sports Honda, painted in the colors of the Repsol racing team. Despite its serious dynamic potential, the motorcycle behaves quite predictably and confidently.
Bad partner
In the 80s, Rourke married actress Debra Feuer. “At that time we were quite old, but we remained children,” she admitted later. Despite his wild popularity, the actor remained faithful to his wife, and they were able to maintain their relationship for eight years. Rourke finally won the main roles - “Body Heat”, “Rumble Fish”, “Angel Heart”, and of course, “9 ½ Weeks” - a picture that in the mid-80s was called the standard of foreign erotica. The audience enthusiastically received the film and proclaimed Mickey a sex symbol, not knowing what was really going on on the set: “Kim Basinger compared kissing me to licking an ashtray, so in many scenes she was played by an understudy,” Mickey recalled ironically. “But I’m really good in this film, thanks to my French-Irish heritage.”
Angel Heart, 1987
Article on the topic
The Other De Niro: The Most Unexpected Tough Guy Roles
The mid and second half of the 80s were a short-lived but golden time for Mickey Rourke. Alan Parker was released - a confusing, detective-mystical drama about the eternal struggle between good and evil in man. Rourke plays private detective Harry Angel, who, on behalf of a client named Louis Cypher ( Robert De Niro ), goes in search of a missing war veteran - as a result, he learns a disappointing truth about himself. The film, stylized as a classic noir of the 40s and 50s, is filled with mysteries, characters like fortune tellers and voodoo priestesses, and unexpected plot twists that blur the line between reality and illusion. You should look for a clue in the names of the main characters, and as for the actors, according to the memoirs of Alan Parker, the meetings between De Niro and Rourke on the set were like a duel: both forgot about the written text of the script and began to improvise, staging a real verbal duel.
star fever
For two decades, Hollywood was favorable to Mickey Rourke and tolerated all his antics. The actor's fees grew. So, for the action movie “Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man,” he received almost three million, which he hastened to spend on “all sorts of nonsense”: motorcycles, booze, casual relationships. He bought a luxurious villa in Beverly Hills, attended social events in a white Rolls-Royce and tried to dictate his terms: he chose directors, named the amount of the fee... This did not work out for him - due to his stupidity, he refused the role in “Rain Man” , which ultimately made Tom Cruise famous.
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But not all bad things happened in the actor’s life. On the set of the melodrama “Wild Orchid” - again eroticism, again the status of a sex symbol - he began a relationship with his partner Carré Otis, which culminated in a legal marriage. The couple became a passionate Italian family. But not always friendly: often Mickey greatly offended his wife, who had to cover up the traces of his beatings in the morning, until she finally packed her things and left. In an attempt to stop her, the temperamental actor cut off his finger. But Carre did not appreciate the feat.
Ducati Scrambler Icon in Venom
The film was not as hotly anticipated as the last "Avengers", but it was able to please with several memorable scenes. One of these can be considered the chase of the main character on the black Scrambler Icon. Stills from Venom would make a great promo for the bike.
The motorcycle has a 73 hp two-cylinder engine. Design and ergonomics deserve special attention - Ducati has managed to skillfully combine a comfortable fit and sporty attitude of the Icon.
Obnoxious guy, talented actor
As it turned out, Mickey was more rowdy in everyday life, and when required for work, he personified the image of a “good boy.” An amazing story happened during the filming of the drama “Francis”. Knowing about the star’s “antics,” the studio management advised director Liliana Cavani to find another actor, but she only saw Rourke in her film. Liliana was not lazy and went to another city to meet him. And then I didn’t understand why there were bad reviews about him: “He is one of the nicest people.” “Francis” is another picture in Rourke's resume where he is stunningly magnificent.
By the way, the Stanislavsky system helped him get used to the role. The film turned out to be unusual - sensual, but chaste. According to rumors, the Pope approved of the film and could not hold back his tears during viewing.
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Kawasaki GPZ900R in Top Gun
Let's remember that in the film Tom Cruise played military pilot Pete. In his free time, the character rode a Kawasaki motorcycle. The director of the film made the decision to choose this particular bike as a vehicle for a reason.
The fact is that the fast GPZ900R reveals the main character in the best possible way. Most American soldiers after combat operations since the Second World War found a kind of “outlet” in two-wheeled transport.
Internal struggle
And yet, over the years, Mickey became increasingly characterized by bad behavior. His fame was losing ground, which affected his mental state. He began to seek support in alcohol. According to him, the last straw was the departure of Carre Otis, which drove him into a long depression: “It was a very dark time in my life. I wanted to find a button and turn myself off.” Mickey also neglected himself - he didn’t take care of himself, slept in the closet, didn’t leave the house for weeks and didn’t take care of his hungry dogs, didn’t let friends in.
Harley-Davidson Fat Boy in Terminator 2
A truly cult film and an equally legendary motorcycle. It was this bike that the T-800 needed at the very beginning of the picture, of course, after the boots and clothes. The stunning symbiosis of a leather jacket, a gun and a motorcycle created an iconic image that is remembered to this day.
It is noteworthy that Fat Boy was sold for almost 30 years. Over its long history, the model received various modifications, engines and gearboxes. This HD has managed to maintain its philosophy and unique charm.
Hostility does not suit him
Many actors know how to ironize their unsuccessful roles and move on in their professional development. Mickey Rourke is not one of those stars. Isn’t it a blessing to get, albeit a small, role in “Iron Man”? But Rourke immediately nixed the possibility of a potential spin-off for his character, making unflattering remarks about the fact that Marvel cut out many scenes, presenting his character not fully developed. The drama “Games of Passion” “received a similar fate,” with which the actor was “less than satisfied.” Needless to say, quite expectedly, he turned into an “unwanted person” at the film factory?
Ducati 996 in The Matrix. Reboot"
The protagonist's friend Trinity saved the Key Master on a Ducati sports bike.
The motorcycle was produced for only three years. Then it was replaced by an almost identical model 998, which in 2004 received a limited edition in honor of the “Reboot”. The decision is quite strange in terms of authenticity, but quite logical from a technical point of view - the engine of the new bike has become a little more powerful and easier to maintain.
New projects, pleasant chores
But Mickey Rourke is not discouraged. He has several dogs of different breeds at home, and he devotes all his free time to them with great love. And he is not at all embarrassed when he openly admits how much money he is willing to star in a particular film for. His latest works, “Tiger” and “Night Transfer,” practically failed at the box office. In the summer, filming of the thriller “Girl” ended, where Mickey played a local sheriff investigating a crime.
The actor’s latest hobby, which often becomes the subject of discussion, is plastic surgery. Rourke has radically changed his appearance and today bears little resemblance to the fatal handsome men from his films of the 80s. On a recent talk show, Good Morning England, he appeared wearing a wide-brimmed cowboy hat, surrounded by small dogs. But the audience was shocked for another reason - they simply did not recognize Rourke.
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Drunk, 1987
The director of the film, Frenchman Barbette Schroeder , spent several years making documentaries about Charles Bukowski and finally matured into a feature-length film based on the script of the writer himself. Rourke, who “wrested” the role from another contender, Sean Penn , had to embody Bukowski’s alter ego, the alcoholic poet Henry Chinaski. His poems and stories are not published, he almost lives in bars, and earns money in street fights and other dubious activities. And this choice is a completely conscious life position, which Henry is not ready to exchange for a roof over his head and well-fed bourgeois everyday life in the status of a famous writer. The painting cannot be called a masterpiece - despite the fact that Schroeder devoted so many years to studying Bukowski’s work, his interpretation of the image turns out to be one-sided. The demonstration of drunken everyday life, antics, and conversations obscures the story about Henry as a talented writer - and this is a key point that explains both the young publisher’s falling in love with him and his own refusal of a wealthy and carefree life. In the scenery, taken, of course, from Bukowski’s novels and stories, the author’s idea of creative freedom, marginality, and non-belonging to any circle is lost. However, we must pay tribute to Mickey Rourke, whose performance allows us to close our eyes to the director’s flaws: the star and sex symbol of the 80s, who has just seduced the whole world in “9 ½ Weeks,” incredibly convincingly plays a despondent, always drunk, dragging his leg and not capable of calming the trembling in a person’s hands. To match him is film star Faye Dunaway in the role of Wanda’s drinking buddy and life partner. Bukowski, as you know, was pleased with the work and even starred in a small cameo - what could be more valuable than such recognition.
Triumph Speed Triple 955i in Mission: Impossible 2
John Woo's blockbuster is very different from his earlier works. The main character, played by Tom Cruise, cannot boast of a well-thought-out story, but the action scenes are captivating in their scale and complexity.
A fragment of one of the final fights stood out with the spectacular explosion of a rare and interesting Speed Triple 955i bike. The latter is built on the basis of the Daytona 955i and is distinguished by enviable comfort, but at the same time the dynamic characteristics are kept at the level of flagship sportsbikes.
"Savage", "Triumph Thunderbird" and the story of a real fight
Before the era of Captain America, one of the most popular films in which the motorcycle also played an important role was The Wild One, directed by Laszlo Benedek. The Wild One was released in theaters in 1953, starring Marlon Brando as his character Johnny "The Wild" Strabler roams California towns looking for fun - although, let's be honest, the movie is mostly about fighting. and squabbles.
Johnny is the leader of the motorcycle gang The Black Rebels Motorcycle Club. The Black Rebels finally arrive in the town of Wrightsville, where an opposing team also arrives, led by an unstable leader called Chino (played by Lee Marvin). This, of course, could not end well. What's most interesting is that although the script is based on a book by Frank Rooney, the story tells about real events that occurred in 1947, when four thousand drunken bikers on motorcycles rioted in the Californian city of Hollister.
Still from the film “Savage”
It's no surprise that English motorcycle manufacturer Triumph, whose Triumph Thunderbird was featured in the movie The Wild One, has deviated from this image over the years. For the same reason, The Savage was not officially shown in British cinemas for thirteen years. And one more important thing: the choice of the main character’s motorcycle was completely random - it was Marlon Brando’s personal bike.
There have been many historical films with motorcycles in the background, including 1967's Hells Angels on Wheels, which starred Jack Nicholson himself. An interesting connection between this film and “Easy Rider” is the man Laszlo Kovacs, who was the cameraman for “Angels...”, and only two years later he became the cameraman for the filming of “Easy Rider”.
Hell's Angels on Wheels was a fairly typical motorcycle movie of the period, in contrast to the much later, but for two wheel fans more important Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man.
