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That'll Be the Day (1973) More at IMDbPro »

Overview

User Rating:
6.8/10   375 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 15% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Claude Whatham
Writer:
Ray Connolly (writer)
Contact:
View company contact information for That'll Be the Day on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
12 April 1973 (UK) more
Genre:
Drama | Music more
Plot:
Abandoned by his father at an early age, Jim MacLaine seems to have inherited the old man's restlessness... more | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
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Awards:
Nominated for 2 BAFTA Film Awards. more
User Comments:
That'll Be the Day (1973) *** more (17 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
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
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Additional Details

Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parents
Runtime:
91 min
Country:
UK
Language:
English
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
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 more
Company:
Goodtimes Enterprises more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Producer David Puttnam was impressed by Harry Nilsson's song "1941" and asked writer Ray Connolly to create a screenplay based on it. The resulting film does not closely resemble the story in the song. more
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. more
Movie Connections:
Followed by Stardust (1974) more
Soundtrack:
Rock On more

FAQ

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User Comments

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2 out of 2 people found the following comment useful.
That'll Be the Day (1973) ***, 11 November 2005
7/10
Author: JoeKarlosi from U.S.A.

David Essex takes on the lead role of Jimmy McLaine, a young man living in working class Britain during the late 1950s, when American rock 'n' roll was King of England. Growing up with a good deal of angst after his dad walked out on the family when Jimmy was still only a boy, McLaine finds himself fed up with school and the more conventional way of life and decides to abandon his struggling mother, striking out on his own. Settling for odd jobs here and there, Jim finds a sidekick in the humorous and more experienced Mike (played by ex-Beatle Ringo Starr) and the pair of delinquents engage in petty crime in between bedding down as many local ladies as they can get their hands on. When Jimmy begins to have a change of heart he returns home to mom and settles down, only to find that he must make the ultimate decision on whether to confront his responsibilities or indulge his passion for being a rock and roll star.

David Essex is good as Jim, and Ringo Starr gives maybe the finest performance of his occasional acting career as Mike, who becomes Jimmy's mentor and room mate. It's amazing how well the 33-year-old former Beatle pulls off the role of a young kid, and the same may be said for an over-aged Essex. The film perfectly captures the climate of England in the late 1950s and benefits from a huge array of classic American oldies on the music soundtrack, from artists like Ritchie Valens, Del Shannon, The Big Bopper, Bobby Darin and others.

After I saw this I read that it's been said that this story was patterned after a young John Lennon, and while I can agree (with the benefit of hindsight) that there are some similarities between John's life and the Essex character here, even as a die-hard Beatles fan I didn't pick up on this during my actual viewing of the film. It is loosely based on Lennon at best (John's dad also left him, he loved rock music, and he had a wreckless nature as a youth).

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