That'll Be the Day (1973)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

Claude Whatham

Writer:

Ray Connolly (writer)

Release Date:

12 April 1973 (UK)

Genre:

Drama | Music

Plot:

Abandoned by his father at an early age, Jim MacLaine seems to have inherited the old man's restlessness...

Plot Keywords:

Sex | Coming Of Age | Teenage Boy | Adolescence | Friendship

Awards:

Nominated for 2 BAFTA Film Awards.

Cast

David Essex	...	Jim MacLaine
Ringo Starr	...	Mike
Rosemary Leach	...	Mrs. MacLaine
James Booth	...	Mr. MacLaine
Billy Fury	...	Stormy Tempest
Keith Moon	...	J.D. Clover
Rosalind Ayres	...	Jeanette
Brenda Bruce	...	Doreen
Robert Lindsay	...	Terry
Verna Harvey	...	Wendy
James Ottaway	...	Granddad
Deborah Watling	...	Sandra
Beth Morris	...	Jean
Daphne Oxenford	...	Mrs. Sutcliffe
Kim Braden	...	Charlotte
Ron Hackett	...	Policeman
Johnny Shannon	...	Jack
Karl Howman	...	Johnny
Patti Love	...	Sandra's Friend
Sue Holderness	...	Shirley (as Susan Holderness)
Sally Watts	...	Girl in Coffee Shop
Valerie Lush	...	1st Old Lady on Beach
Alan Foss	...	Teacher
Natalie Kent	...	Mrs. Rimmer
Patsy Blower	...	Young Girl at Fair
Sara Clee	...	Girl With Baby
Peggy Aitchison	...	2nd Old Lady on Beach
Bernard Severn	...	Sutcliffe
Eugene Wallace	...	Stuart
Erin Geraghty	...	Joan
Tony McHale	...	1st Man in Coffee Bar
Paul Vaughan-Teague	...	2nd Man in Coffee Bar
Peter Turner	...	Teddy Boy
Sacha Puttnam	...	Young Jim
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Graham Bond	...	Sax player

Directed by
Claude Whatham

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Ray Connolly		writer

Produced by
Roy Baird	....	executive producer
Sanford Lieberson	....	producer
Gavrik Losey	....	associate producer
David Puttnam	....	producer

Cinematography by
Peter Suschitzky

Film Editing by
Michael Bradsell

Art Direction by
Brian Morris

Production Management
Gavrik Losey	....	production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ricky Green	....	second assistant director
Garth Thomas	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Terry Apsey	....	construction manager
Milly Burns	....	assistant art director (as Millie Burns)
John Leuenberger	....	property master
Terry Wells	....	stand-by property master (uncredited)

Sound Department
Ian Fuller	....	sound editor
Tony Jackson	....	sound recordist
Bill Rowe	....	dubbing mixer

Camera and Electrical Department
Roy Larner	....	electrical supervisor
Ron Robson	....	camera operator
Cedric James	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Ron Taberer	....	best boy (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Ray Beck	....	wardrobe supervisor
Ruth Myers	....	costume consultant

Editorial Department
Stuart Baird	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Neil Aspinall	....	music supervisor
Wil Malone	....	additional composer: score
Keith Moon	....	music supervisor

Other crew
Clinton Cavers	....	assistant to producers
Nat Cohen	....	presenter
Philip Collins	....	production executive
Kay Mander	....	continuity
Celestia Sporborg	....	assistant to producers
Ron Swinburne	....	production accountant

Production Companies

• Goodtimes Enterprises

Distributors

• Anglo-EMI Film Distributors (1973) (UK) (theatrical)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (USA) (DVD)
• Castle Communications (1995) (Finland) (VHS)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV) (1986) (Finland) (TV)
• Mayfair (1974) (USA)
• Sandrew Metronome Distribution (2008) (Finland) (DVD)
• Thorn EMI Video Australia
• Video Beat (????) (USA) (DVD)
• Video Beat (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1988) (UK) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2003) (UK) (DVD)

Other Companies

• F.T.V. Scenery  construction
• Lee Electrics  lighting
• Lee Lighting  lighting
• Warner Holidays  thanks

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Hungary:14 | Iceland:L | Finland:K-12 (video rating: 1995) | Finland:K-3 (DVD rating: 2008) | Australia:PG | Sweden:11 | UK:15 | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Isle of Wight, England, UK

Company:

Goodtimes Enterprises

Trivia:

The beach scenes were filmed around Shanklin Pier on the Isle of Wight. The pier was destroyed by hurricane force winds in 1987.

Goofs:

Continuity: We see Jim take out a Buddy Holly album to play on his record player, but what we then hear is "Donna" by Richie Valens.

Movie Connections:

Followed by Stardust (1974)

Soundtrack:

What Did I Say

start of a rocky road for Jim MacLaine

David Essex got the lead role, through two films, in this story of a wanabee pop star who leaves his family and home life for a shot at the big time. Abandoned by his father as a child, Jim lets history repeat itself simply for his ambition - through 'That'll Be The Day', which establishes him as a musical talent with room to grow, through to the bleak 'Stardust' which focuses on the ups and downs of fame.

Ray Connolly's script for TBTD is ironic and clever, and gives scope to a large number of characters you remember - Rosemary Leach and Rosalind Ayres good as Jim's mother and girlfriend, Ringo Starr much better than expected as Mike who works on the fairground and takes the impressionable and cocky Jim under his wing. Mike would develop into Jim's manager in 'Stardust', where he was played by Adam Faith.

Billy Fury plays TBTD's biggest concession to a 'real pop star' as the unlikeable Stormy Tempest, while Keith Moon and Karl Howman, both in the 'Stardust' band appear briefly. Also involved in the film was the great Bonzo vocalist Viv Stanshall.

'That'll Be The Day' is often cited as the better film of the two Jim MacLaine feature, but I personally prefer the overblown, stoned, egotistical character we see in the sequel. David Essex is excellent throughout the two movies, though. The soundtrack album - a huge four-sider groaning with 50s period hits and pastiches - is still well worth a listen, although precious little of it appears in this film.