The Thing Called Love (1993)

A group of newcomers to the country music business seek love and stardom.

Director:

Peter Bogdanovich

Writer:

Carol Heikkinen

Stars:

River Phoenix, Samantha Mathis, Dermot Mulroney

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
River Phoenix	...	James Wright
Samantha Mathis	...	Miranda Presley
Dermot Mulroney	...	Kyle Davidson
Sandra Bullock	...	Linda Lue Linden
K.T. Oslin	...	Lucy
Anthony Clark	...	Billy
Webb Wilder	...	Ned
Earl Poole Ball	...	Floyd
Deborah Allen	...	Herself
Jimmie Dale Gilmore	...	Himself
Katy Moffatt	...	Herself
Jo-El Sonnier	...	Himself
Pam Tillis	...	Herself
Kevin Welch	...	Himself
Trisha Yearwood	...	Herself

Storyline

Miranda Presley moves from New York to Nashville to become a song writer. At an unsuccessful audition she meets James Wright a promising newcomer. After only a few days they marry, head over heels, but start to regret it very soon.

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Plot Keywords:

love | nashville tennessee | tennessee | country music | singer | 

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Taglines:

Stand By Your Dream

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Genres:

Drama | Music | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 July 1993 (USA)

Also Known As:

A szerelem nevű dolog

Filming Locations:

Tennessee, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$14,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$1,029,721 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures, Davis Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

116 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

All cast members performed their own songs.

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Goofs

When James and Kyle fight in the parking lot of the Bluebird after Linda Lou wins 4th prize in the Miss Nashville pageant, Kyle falls. Linda Lou is on top of Kyle in one shot, but in the next, she is behind him, squatting down.

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Quotes

James Wright: This didn't have to get ugly

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Connections

References Gone with the Wind (1939)

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Soundtracks

"LOVE IS"
Written by Tony Arata
Performed by River Phoenix

User Reviews

To Be Young And In Love In Nashville

One of River Phoenix's last film roles was as part of a quartet of performer/songwriters looking to get a break in country music in Nashville. The rest of the quartet in The Thing Called Love is Samantha Mathis, Sandra Bullock, and Dermpt Mulroney. The whole thing kind of reminds me a little bit of Stage Door in the hopes and dreams and the camaraderie shared among the hopefuls.

In the two hour running time of the film there are almost 20 musical numbers, so many the plot almost gets in the way. When the quartet isn't singing, they're acting out the usual angst romantic and professional that are common to the young. And several country stars do some musical bits here, chiefly Tricia Yearwood who sings her hit, She's In Love With The Boy.

Tricia also figures into the plot when Mulroney and Mathis break into Yearwood's car in order to leave a cassette tape of Mulroney's latest song. It sounds like something out of I Love Lucy and it all works out in the Lucy manner with Yearwood being a good sport about it. In real life, those two would have been in court with Yearwood taking a restraining order out.

The plot is pedestrian, but the music is nice, especially if you are a country and western fan.