THE THING CALLED LOVE

US, 1993, 116 minutes, Colour.
River Phoenix, Samantha Mathis, Dermot Mulroney, Sandra Bullock, Anthony Clark, K. T. Oslin.
Directed by Peter Bogdanovich.

Peter Bogdanovich has had a mixed career as screenwriter, film journalist, actor and director. In his early days he published articles and books, especially on John Ford. His1968 thriller, Targets, with Boris Karloff, introduced him to the cinema world. For a while he was on top with The Last Picture Show, What’s Up, Doc, Paper Moon. For the next 40 years he continued to make films but with mixed, very mixed, success.

This was his film of the 1990s, the story about Nashville and would-be singers, the heroine coming from New York City to succeed, going to the Bluebird cafe where there were weekly auditions and performances, finding local singers. She is played by Samantha Mathis who does not immediately have success with her singing, works on the staff of the Bluebird cafe, falls in love with a moody composer-singer, one of the last roles for River Phoenix, is admired by his friend played by Dermot Mulroney and becomes a friend with another would-be singer, played with great verve by Sandra Bullock just before she became popular.

The film will be more popular with younger audiences who might be able to identify with the characters and their dreams and hopes. Older audiences may find the characters and their behaviour somewhat trying.

However, it is a picture of Nashville, a picture of the young hopefuls who continue to audition, to compose, to sing, sometimes failing, often times having success.

1. The title? Songs, music, Nashville, romance?

2. The young cast and their working together? The director and his career?

3. The city of Nashville, the look, the streets, the cafes and clubs? The music of the city? The auditions, ordinary life, young people? Hopes, ambitions, success and failure?

4. Country music, compositions, melodies, lyrics, from the heart – and entertainment pieces?

5. The Bluebird Cafe, the goal for the young people, lining up for the auditions, Lucy in charge, not being late, the performances, and notes, writing No, the list of people who could sing on Saturday? Her background, her role, the running of the restaurant, the staff? The performances? Her liking the young people, different relationships with them? Her liking Miranda but not giving her a chance? Her liking Jimmy and his success? Kyle, eventual success? Linda Lou and not succeeding? Miranda and the decision to go back to New York, her return, Lucy supporting her, the song, allowing her to sing on Saturday, and putting the song on the wall as a classic?

6. Miranda’s story, farewelling New York, hopes, the trip, arrival, the taxi, arriving late, Jimmy lying and including her in the lie? Her reaction to him? Her performance on return to audition? Not succeeding? Asking Lucy for feedback? Being offered the job as a waitress? Her work, listening to the singing, the customers? The friendship with Linda Lou, sharing the motel apartment with her, going to the cafe to write the music? The interactions with Jimmy, clashes, beginning to like him, the separation? The return? Falling in love? Confiding in Linda Lou but leaving? Kyle and his liking of Miranda? Wanting to work with Jimmy, the ride to Memphis, in the store, the proposal with the ring, getting the pastor, worrying whether it was the right thing, the wedding? The return, Linda Lou being happy, Kyle and the difficulties, talking with Jimmy? The possibility of the marriage succeeding, their moving into a house, Jimmy secluding himself to write, Miranda sleeping during the day? Jimmy and the offer to go to Dallas, leaving Miranda behind, her tearing up the paper and divorcing him? Her managing, deciding to go home, the farewell, on the bus, the inspiration, in the cafe and writing, the return, her personal song, Jimmy present, singing it? Success? Joining with Kyle and Jimmy in the truck? The future?

7. Jimmy, his story, quiet and sullen, composer, being late, lying and incorporating Miranda? Being successful? Writing, clashes with Miranda, the gradual change? Her wanting to write with him? The separation, then the trip to Memphis, proposal with the ring, returning, staying three days in his room composing, the offer from Dallas, his going, success with the entrepreneur, his decision to return, Miranda’s return, hearing her sing, the resolution of the difficulties?

8. Kyle, friend with Jimmy, his compositions, eventually succeeding, love for Miranda, but in the background? With the group, with Linda Lou? The clashes with Jimmy? Concern about Miranda, her leaving? Return? The fight with Jimmy and Lucy sending them outside? A final reconciliation?

9. Linda Lou, genial, friendly with the group, friendship with Billy, music, his being slow, accompanying her? Friendship with Miranda, sharing? Her mother and lying to her about success? Friend, reconciliation, going off happily at the end?

10. A film for young people, about young people – and in the context of Nashville and succeeding in writing and singing country music?