Wild at Heart
A wild and crazy love story.
1990 | 125m | English
Popularity: 4 (history)
| Director: | David Lynch |
|---|---|
| Writer: | David Lynch, Barry Gifford |
| Staring: |
| Young lovers Sailor and Lula hit the road to start a new life together away from the wrath of Lula’s deranged, disapproving mother, who has hired a team of hitmen to cut the lovers’ surreal honeymoon short. | |
| Release Date: | Aug 17, 1990 |
|---|---|
| Director: | David Lynch |
| Writer: | David Lynch, Barry Gifford |
| Genres: | Crime, Romance, Thriller |
| Keywords | witch, based on novel or book, hotel room, texas, car journey, new orleans, louisiana, hitman, forbidden love, melancholy, love, murder, romance, surrealism, dark comedy, killer, bank robbery, mother daughter relationship, loving, love on the run, critical |
| Production Companies | Propaganda Films, PolyGram Filmed Entertainment |
| Box Office |
Revenue: $14,569,027
Budget: $9,500,000 |
| Updates |
Updated: Feb 03, 2026 Entered: Apr 13, 2024 |
| Name | Character |
|---|---|
| Nicolas Cage | Sailor |
| Laura Dern | Lula |
| Willem Dafoe | Bobby Peru |
| Diane Ladd | Marietta Fortune |
| Harry Dean Stanton | Johnnie Farragut |
| J.E. Freeman | Marcelles Santos |
| Isabella Rossellini | Perdita Durango |
| Grace Zabriskie | Juana Durango |
| Calvin Lockhart | Reggie |
| William Morgan Sheppard | Mr. Reindeer |
| Crispin Glover | Dell |
| Sheryl Lee | The Good Witch |
| Sherilyn Fenn | Girl in Accident |
| Jack Nance | 00 Spool |
| Pruitt Taylor Vince | Buddy |
| Glenn Walker Harris Jr. | Pace Fortune |
| Marvin Kaplan | Uncle Pooch |
| David Patrick Kelly | Dropshadow |
| Freddie Jones | George Kovich |
| John Lurie | Sparky |
| Gregg Dandridge | Bob Ray Lemon |
| Frances Bay | Madam |
| Charlie Spradling | Irma |
| Blair Bruce Bever | Hotel Custodian |
| Sally Boyle | Aunt Rootie |
| Peter Bromilow | Hotel Manager |
| Lisa Ann Cabasa | Reindeer Dancer |
| Frank A. Caruso | Old Bum |
| Frank Collison | Timmy Thompson |
| Eddy Dixon | Rex |
| Brent David Fraser | Idiot Punk |
| Cage S. Johnson | Man at Shell Station |
| Valli Leigh | Mr. Reindeer's Resident Valet #2 |
| Nicholas Love | Man in Wheelchair |
| Daniel Quinn | Young Cowboy |
| Mia M. Ruiz | Mr. Reindeer's Resident Valet #1 |
| Billy Swan | Billy Swan |
| Koko Taylor | Singer at Zanzibar |
| Ed Wright | Desk Clerk |
| Darrell Zwerling | Singer's Manager |
| Debra Lamb | Fire Eater at Party (uncredited) |
| Name | Job |
|---|---|
| Kimberly Edwards | Production Accountant |
| Johanna Ray | Casting |
| Patricia Norris | Production Design |
| Kool Marder | Production Manager |
| Bob Terhune | Stunts |
| Wally Rose | Stunts |
| Hannah Kozak | Stunts |
| Cheryl Kurk | Assistant Production Coordinator |
| Kenneth Berg | Construction Foreman |
| Michelle Bühler | Makeup Artist |
| George A. Hock | Grip |
| Paul Hauser | Electrician |
| Nancy Martinelli | Art Department Coordinator |
| Corwin A. Bibb | Grip |
| Patrick Reddish | Gaffer |
| Curtis Bradford | Grip |
| Denise Dellavalle | Makeup & Hair Assistant |
| Leslie Weimer | Scenic Artist |
| Jon Huck | Music Consultant, Sound Mixer |
| Steve Alessi | Grip |
| Chris Kiperman | Grip |
| Mary Sweeney | First Assistant Editor, Script Supervisor |
| Dean Anthony | Extras Casting |
| Deborah Gavlak | Assistant Editor |
| Mira Tweti | Unit Publicist |
| Jeff Smolek | Stunt Coordinator |
| Dan Brizendine | Transportation Captain |
| Orwin C. Harvey | Stunts |
| Margaux Mackay | First Assistant Director |
| Ralph Garrett | Stunts |
| Mike Ceballos | Stunts |
| Deepak Nayar | Second Assistant Director |
| Kim Kono | Electrician |
| Irv Katz | Best Boy Grip |
| David Dubois | Rigging Gaffer |
| J.K. Nageldinger | Carpenter |
| Katherine M. Butler | Second Assistant Camera |
| Cobie Fair | Grip |
| Louis Lazzara | Special Effects Makeup Artist |
| Charles Armstrong | Construction Coordinator |
| James Intveld | Vocal Coach |
| Rob Sweeney | First Assistant Camera |
| Ken Wheeland | Grip |
| Marjorie Webster | Production Coordinator |
| Cheri Reed | Set Costumer |
| Michael Shore | Key Grip |
| John Vecchio | Electrician |
| Kimberly Wright | Still Photographer |
| Kimberley Vashiell | Choreographer |
| Mike Clark | Driver |
| Carol Autenrieth | Driver |
| Steve Mann | Driver |
| Allan Tietjen | Driver |
| Bob Shapiro | Assistant Accountant |
| John Verbeck | Dialogue Editor |
| Jenny Oznowicz | Assistant Sound Editor |
| Luis Colina | Sound Effects Editor |
| Donna Jaffe | Assistant Sound Editor |
| Kim Cascone | Assistant Sound Editor |
| Luis Lara | Catering |
| Richard Murken | Key Production Assistant |
| Maurice Lospinoso | Production Office Assistant |
| Brian Steward | Production Assistant |
| Amy Stofsky | Costume Design |
| John Yarbrough | Transportation Coordinator |
| Charles Myers | First Assistant Director |
| Eddie Wong | Stunts |
| Steven Hirsch | Second Assistant Director |
| W. Thomas Snyder | Second Assistant Director |
| John Carney | Best Boy Electric |
| Don Power | Special Effects |
| Marion C. Weimer-Mirley | Scenic Artist |
| Malcolm Doran II | Grip |
| Deborah Winship | Assistant Set Decoration |
| John Wentworth | Sound Effects Designer |
| David A. Carpender | Assistant Property Master |
| Randy Ratliff | Grip |
| Renton-Paul Medcalf | Grip |
| Rob Scott | Boom Operator |
| Stuart Abramson | Dolly Grip |
| Gretchen Armstrong | Scenic Artist |
| Kurek Ashley | Grip |
| Daniel Kuttner | On Set Dresser |
| Paul Burge | Carpenter |
| Bruce McCleery | Rigging Gaffer |
| David B. Miller | Special Effects Makeup Artist |
| Jenny Hicks | Assistant Editor |
| Russ Tolliver | Driver |
| Thomas P. Donovan | Driver |
| Allan W. Herendeen | Driver |
| John Nutt | Dialogue Editor |
| Ken Fischer | Sound Effects Editor |
| Scott Guitteau | Assistant Sound Editor |
| J.R. Grubbs | Assistant Sound Editor |
| Susan Sanford | Assistant Sound Editor |
| Vivian Hengsteler | Negative Cutter |
| G. Marq Roswell | Music Supervisor |
| Robin Ginsberg | Post Production Accountant |
| Bruce Loeb | Security |
| Roger L.C. Williams | Art Department Assistant |
| Peter Afterman | Music Consultant |
| Eric L. Roberts | Craft Service |
| Shawn Solomon | Driver |
| Sara Bolder | Dialogue Editor |
| Rob Fruchtman | Dialogue Editor |
| Kristen Gerstner | Assistant Sound Editor |
| David Slusser | Music Editor |
| Adam Morris | Art Department Assistant |
| Scott Chandler | Foley Recordist |
| Christy Fiero | Production Assistant |
| Leonardo | Art Department Assistant |
| Susan Carney | Producer's Assistant |
| Christopher Stone | Art Department Assistant |
| Danielle Liekefet | Post Production Coordinator |
| Robert A. Neft | Production Assistant |
| Jon Juhlin | Production Office Assistant |
| Mara J. Lee | Set Production Assistant |
| Heidrun Reshöft | Producer's Assistant |
| Catherine Rowe | Foley Artist |
| David Lynch | Director, Screenplay |
| Frederick Elmes | Director of Photography |
| Duwayne Dunham | Editor |
| Richard Hymns | Supervising Sound Editor |
| Randy Thom | Sound Designer, Sound Re-Recording Mixer |
| Michael Adams | Stunts |
| Steve Kelso | Stunts |
| Roydon Clark | Stunts |
| Gregg Dandridge | Stunts |
| Bernie Pock | Stunts |
| Ousaun Elam | Stunts |
| Donna Evans | Stunts |
| Joseph Michael Roth | Stunts |
| Neil Summers | Stunts |
| Loren Janes | Stunts |
| Frank Silva | Property Master |
| Jules Labarthe | Electrician |
| Fríða Aradóttir | Hairstylist |
| Dan Kneece | Steadicam Operator |
| Eric DaRe | Casting Assistant |
| Darwin Joston | Driver |
| Brian Berdan | First Assistant Editor |
| Michael Silvers | Dialogue Editor |
| Frank E. Eulner | Assistant Sound Editor |
| Gary A. Hecker | Foley Artist |
| David Parker | Sound Re-Recording Mixer |
| Tom Myers | Sound Recordist |
| Ute Leonhardt | Post Production Coordinator |
| Alessandro Rossellini | Set Production Assistant |
| Angelo Badalamenti | Original Music Composer |
| Barry Gifford | Novel |
| Gwendolyn Yates Whittle | Assistant Sound Editor |
| Name | Title |
|---|---|
| Monty Montgomery | Producer |
| Michael Kuhn | Executive Producer |
| Steve Golin | Producer |
| Sigurjón Sighvatsson | Producer |
| Organization | Category | Person | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Venice Film Festival | Best Director | David Lynch | Nominated |
Popularity History
| Year | Month | Avg | Max | Min |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 4 | 22 | 28 | 14 |
| 2024 | 5 | 28 | 35 | 22 |
| 2024 | 6 | 23 | 44 | 13 |
| 2024 | 7 | 23 | 37 | 13 |
| 2024 | 8 | 22 | 42 | 14 |
| 2024 | 9 | 15 | 23 | 10 |
| 2024 | 10 | 17 | 34 | 11 |
| 2024 | 11 | 15 | 23 | 11 |
| 2024 | 12 | 17 | 27 | 11 |
| 2025 | 1 | 29 | 54 | 12 |
| 2025 | 2 | 19 | 34 | 4 |
| 2025 | 3 | 8 | 27 | 2 |
| 2025 | 4 | 5 | 10 | 2 |
| 2025 | 5 | 4 | 11 | 2 |
| 2025 | 6 | 3 | 7 | 2 |
| 2025 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| 2025 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 1 |
| 2025 | 9 | 4 | 6 | 2 |
| 2025 | 10 | 2 | 5 | 1 |
| 2025 | 11 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| 2025 | 12 | 2 | 4 | 1 |
| 2026 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 |
| 2026 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 3 |
Trending Position
| Year | Month | High | Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1 | 366 | 679 |
kevin2019
6.0
"Wild at Heart" quickly becomes completely incomprehensible and mired down in David Lynch's typical quagmire of self indulgence which successfully aggravates, alienates and frustrates mainstream audiences just for the hell of it which is perfectly okay, but what isn't perfectly okay is when the stor ... y is abandoned even though it is still as inconclusive at the end as it was in the beginning. The problems confronting Sailor and Lula are never satisfactorily resolved and the character Johnnie Farregut actually goes completely AWOL and he is never heard from again. This is a watchable enough film in its own uniquely eccentric way, but it is far from being satisfying and the story seems to provide nothing more than an extremely loose and disposable framework upon which to hang a film that is all too easy to forget.
Jan 22, 2026