Breaking Away
“The movie that tells you exactly what you can do with your high school diploma!”
Synopsis
Dave, nineteen, has just graduated high school, with his three friends: the comical Cyril, the warm hearted but short-tempered Moocher, and the athletic, spiteful but good-hearted Mike. Now, Dave enjoys racing bikes and hopes to race the Italians one day, and even takes up the Italian culture, much to his friends' and parents' annoyance.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
BREAKING AWAY 🚴 SHORT MOVIE TRAILER
Type: Teaser • Published 2022-04-02
Top Cast
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Dennis Christopher
Dave Stoller
Dennis Quaid
Mike
Daniel Stern
Cyril
Jackie Earle Haley
Moocher
Barbara Barrie
Evelyn Stoller
Paul Dooley
Ray Stoller
Robyn Douglass
Katherine
Hart Bochner
Rod
Amy Wright
Nancy
Peter Maloney
Doctor
John Ashton
Mike's Brother
Lisa Shure
French Girl
Jennifer K. Mickel
Girl
P. J. Soles
Suzy
David K. Blase
500 Race Announcer
William S. Armstrong
500 Race Official
Howard S. Wilcox
500 Race Official
J.F. Brière
Mr. York
Release History & Theatrical Window
July 20, 1979
Wide Cinema Exhibition
February 1, 1984
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$2.3M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$20M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
8.7x
+$17.7M net gain
Theatrical Status
Mega Hit
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Peter Yates
- Screenplay & Story
- Steve Tesich
- Original Score
- Patrick Williams
- Original Title
- Breaking Away
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English, Italian, French
- Runtime
- 1h 41m
- Production Budget
- $2.3M
- Worldwide Gross
- $20M
- Production Studios
- 20th Century Fox
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Peter Yates
Steve Tesich
Patrick Williams
Matthew F. Leonetti
Cynthia Scheider
Peter Yates
Department Leadership Roster
Peter Yates
Director
Peter Yates
Producer
Matthew F. Leonetti
Director of Photography
Cynthia Scheider
Editor
Betsy Cox
Costume Design
Conrad E. Palmisano
Stunt Coordinator
Patrick Williams
Original Music Composer
Steve Tesich
Writer
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
PG: Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.
International Certification Matrix
Parental Guidance — Recommended for mature viewers.
Parental Guidance — Unlikely to upset children 8 and older.
Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Breaking Away.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Breaking Away.
Watched
I watch way too much but not everything till the end.
North American Cinema
Auto-generated by festival-lists — do not edit by hand.
金球奖最佳音乐/喜剧片
Golden Globe Best Musical/Comedy 金球奖历届最佳音乐及喜剧电影。 *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-18 07:43:19 UTC+8)*
1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die
1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die (All editions 2003-2024). A cumulative list including films subsequently removed in later editions. Totaling 1,260 films as of Nov 2024. 《1001部死前必看的电影》（2003-2024 全版本累积版）： 包含自2003年首版至2024年11月德语版修订的所有影片。即使在后期版本中被剔除的电影也予以保留。 *注：榜单源数据中包含部分剧集/迷你剧，由于本片单只收录纯电影，故不再收录以下非电影条目：* • [#019] Lovers Rock (2020) • [#418] Dekalog (1989) *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-18 07:40:36 UTC+8)*
***Retro***
Coming of Age
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Frequently Asked Questions About Breaking Away
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Breaking Away about?
Dave, nineteen, has just graduated high school, with his three friends: the comical Cyril, the warm hearted but short-tempered Moocher, and the athletic, spiteful but good-hearted Mike. Now, Dave enjoys racing bikes and hopes to race the Italians one day, and even takes up the Italian culture, much to his friends' and parents' annoyance.
Who directed Breaking Away?
Breaking Away was directed by Peter Yates.
Who stars in Breaking Away?
The principal cast of Breaking Away includes Dennis Christopher, Dennis Quaid, Daniel Stern, Jackie Earle Haley, Barbara Barrie.
When was Breaking Away released and how long is it?
Breaking Away was released in 1979 with a total runtime of 1h 41m.
What was the box office and production budget of Breaking Away?
Breaking Away had a reported production budget of $2.3M and grossed $20M at the worldwide box office (8.7 return on budget, classified as a blockbuster success).
Who composed the musical score for Breaking Away?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Breaking Away was composed by Patrick Williams.
What is the age rating and content advisory for Breaking Away?
Breaking Away holds official age classifications: AU: PG (Parental Guidance — Recommended for mature viewers.); GB: PG (Parental Guidance — Unlikely to upset children 8 and older.); US: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.).