MusicDrama

That'll Be The Day

Britain, 1958. Restless at school and bored with his life, Jim leaves home to take a series of low-level jobs at a seaside amusement park, where he discovers a world of cheap sex and petty crime. But when that world comes to a shockingly brutal end, Jim returns home. As the local music scene explodes, Jim must decide between a life of adult responsibility or a new phenomenon called rock & roll.

Release Date : 1973-05-13

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Goodtimes Enterprises

Production Country : United Kingdom

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : Jim MacLaine

Original Name : David Essex

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mike

Original Name : Ringo Starr

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mr MacLaine

Original Name : James Booth

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mrs. MacLaine

Original Name : Rosemary Leach

Gender : Female

Character Name : Stormy Tempest

Original Name : Billy Fury

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jeanette Sutcliffe

Original Name : Rosalind Ayres

Gender : Female

Character Name : Terry Sutcliffe

Original Name : Robert Lindsay

Gender : Male

Character Name : J.D. Glover

Original Name : Keith Moon

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sandra

Original Name : Deborah Watling

Gender : Female

Character Name : Doreen

Original Name : Brenda Bruce

Gender : Female

Character Name : Mrs Sutcliffe

Original Name : Daphne Oxenford

Gender : Female

Character Name : Charlotte

Original Name : Kim Braden

Gender : Female

Character Name : Jack

Original Name : Johnny Shannon

Gender : Male

Character Name : Johnny

Original Name : Karl Howman

Gender : Male

Character Name : Shirley

Original Name : Sue Holderness

Gender : Female

Character Name : Young Jim MacLaine

Original Name : Sacha Puttnam

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jean

Original Name : Beth Morris

Gender : Female

Character Name : Granddad

Original Name : James Ottaway

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sandra's Friend

Original Name : Patti Love

Gender : Female

Character Name : Girl in Coffee Shop

Original Name : Sally Watts

Gender : Female

Character Name : Teacher

Original Name : Alan Foss

Gender : Male

Character Name : Young Girl at Fair

Original Name : Patsy Blower

Gender : Female

Character Name : Stuart

Original Name : Eugene Wallace

Gender : Male

Character Name : 1st Man in Coffee Bar

Original Name : Tony McHale

Gender : Male

Character Name : Teddy Boy

Original Name : Peter Turner

Gender : Male

Character Name : Wendy

Original Name : Verna Harvey

Gender : Female

Character Name : Policeman

Original Name : Ron Hackett

Gender : Male

Character Name : 1st Lady on Beach

Original Name : Valerie Lush

Gender : Female

Character Name : Mrs Rimmer

Original Name : Natalie Kent

Gender : Female

Character Name : Girl with Baby

Original Name : Sara Clee

Gender : Female

Character Name : Sutcliffe

Original Name : Bernard Severn

Gender : Male

Character Name : Joan

Original Name : Erin Geraghty

Gender : Female

Character Name : Young Jim

Original Name : Sacha Puttnam

Gender : Male

Character Name : Minder

Original Name : Rick Lester

Gender : Male

Reviews

John Chard

@John Chard

2024-05-16

The road to stardom(dust) begins here. That'll Be the Day is directed by Claude Whatham and written by Ray Connolly. It stars David Essex, Ringo Starr, Rosemary Leach, Rosalind Ayres and Robert Lindsay. Cinematography is by Peter Suschitzky. It's 1958 Britain and Jim MacLaine (Essex), fed up with school and his home life, leaves home and takes a series of dead-end jobs and is introduced to crime and sex. Even this isn't enough to off set his feeling of a hum-drum existence, could the upcoming Rock "N" Roll boom be his saviour?. With perfect cast decisions, including rock star cameo's, a top grade music soundtrack - and director Whatham having a brilliant sense of teenage life in late 50s Britain, there's plenty to enjoy here. Said to be based on the early life of John Lennon, it's important to note that this is actually not a rock movie. This is more of a kitchen sinker than anything else, which is ok of course, just be prepared if you haven't seen it before. 6.5/10

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2022-11-10

'Jim MacLaine" (David Essex) is a restless teenager in 1950s Britain. He leaves home and best friend "Terry" (Robert Lindsay) and gets a cheap room at a seaside resort when he makes a living renting out deck chairs - not the most fulfilling job as the rain pours down! He's quite a bright lad, though, and despite his increasing penchant for one-night-stands, he realises that he must sort out his future - and with a bit of help from new-found friend "Mike" (Ringo Starr) a career in music becomes his goal. It's not very realistic, no - serendipity plays an unlikely hand all too often as this young man manages to swim against the tide of mediocrity just a little too successfully, but as a piece of social commentary set against a backdrop of limited post-war opportunities for young folk it has some resonance, Essex is an handsome man and plays the cheeky, troubled, character well and, of course, we get to see Mr. Starr's posterior tattoo! This film is not great, indeed it's not really very good - but it moves along well enough and features a soundtrack that gets your toes tapping too.