That Thing You Do was released by Twentieth Century Fox on October 4, 1996Director: Tom Hanks
That Thing You Do cast: Tom Hanks, Tom Everett Scott, Liv Tyler, Johnathon Schaech, Steve Zahn, Ethan Embry, and Charlize Theron
Musical Guests: The Wonders
I had not heard of That Thing You Do back in 97 when I grabbed it off the Blockbuster shelf one afternoon for our Friday family movie night. And to this day, I have yet to be as pleasantly surprised as I was by the time the end credits rolled on this totally delightful film written by, directed by, and starring Tom Hanks and his very appealing roster of young players.
A homage to the world of mid-1960s pop rock, That Thing You Do tells the story of a post Beatles era garage band form Erie, Pennsylvania, whose drummer is incapacitated just hours before they are to perform at the local college talent show. In desperation, they recruit the proverbial different drummer whose upbeat re-interpretation of their one song propels them on a rock ‘n’ roll odyssey from local talent show winners to the pinnacle of pop-rock stardom (with an appearance on The Hollywood Television Showcase) only to have the whole scene unravel as it did with so many 60s era acts who rose to the top of the charts with just enough juice to get there, but not quite enough to stay there—you know, the one hit wonders.
This must have been a true labor of love for Mr. Hanks. The detail he has worked into the story and setting is astonishing. His trajectory of a regional act from hometown to Hollywood will, no doubt, illicit nods of bittersweet recognition from all who have run a similar route. And his well-defined characters would be familiar as well. We know these people—the brooding, self-absorbed artist and his adoring, naïve girlfriend; the class clown; the follower; the cool, sophisticated, father figure of an A&R man; and the different drummer with a head on his shoulders and a heart of gold.
And you could just keep on going all the way down the cast list of memorable characters: the local rock impresario, the oily concert promoter, the pop diva, the black girl group, the out of style crooner, the record mogul, the hip radio DJs, the jovial concierge, and the old-time jazz man. All are played to absolute perfection. In fact, they’re so well played, and the kids are so likeable, that I found myself rooting for The Wonders, as they climbed the ladder of success, as if they were a real band. And Hanks didn’t skimp on the production design either. Every interior and exterior were so well outfitted in 1960s, mid-century splendor that, if you didn’t know better, you might assume the film was made 30 years earlier. You really must see it to appreciate the artistry that went into the look of this film.
Oh yeah, and there’s and then there’s the tunes. Unlike many other filmed versions of various rock ‘n’ roll fables, all the songs in this one are excellent and could have easily fit into radio station playlists in 1964. In fact, the “snappy” title song, That Thing You Do, was released as a single and did make it to number 41 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1996. The opening song played over the 60s era color-block lettering that masterfully mimics the breezy soft-pop, gang-singer hits by Mitch Miller and Ray Conniff that were so popular with the adults, was actually written by Hanks.
I suppose it must be obvious by now that I can find no fault with this film; it’s so well paced and seamlessly assembled that its 108-minute running time seems to fly by. This pop-rock fairytale is a must see for all ages. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.
Featured Califormulants
Where oh where to begin. The film was shot on location in and around Los Angeles, Pasadena, and the City of Orange CA., just south of L.A. The appliance store, the drug store lunch counter, and all the sidewalk scenes were done in the City of Orange’s historic old town district, which was further enhanced by the film crew to give a very good impression of what a street scene looked like in the mid-60s. These suburban business districts, usually built in the teens and 20s, are very common in Southern California’s smaller towns, and most of them are still operational and usually have been restored to something like their original, early 20th century charm.
The Playtone Records lobby was shot at the stunning, mid-century modern Stuart at Sierra Madre Villa apartments in Pasadena, and the theater in Three Rivers, where they stumble a bit in front of their first big audience, was filmed at the old Orpheum Theater in downtown Los Angeles. The hotel they stay at in Los Angeles is the old Ambassador Hotel. The location for the faux beach party movie, “Weekend at Party Pier,” was shot at Leo Carrillo State Beach in Malibu, which was also used in the real beach party movies and Gidget.
What also stands out visually are the little things, the sorts of minutia that filmmakers often get wrong. But this film gets the details so close it’s almost jarring. The appliance store alone is practically a museum of mid 20th century commercial artifacts. Where did they get those RCA Victor chairs? Every scene, whether inside or out, is filled with a treasure trove of mid-century artifacts.
Of course, the musical instruments are the most eye catching of the hand props. The Silvertone, Dan-electro, and Gibson junior model guitars they used were mainstays of the garage band revolution of the 1960s. And when they upgraded, the production team kept them within period bounds with their shiny new Fender and Rickenbacker gear.
As of this moment, you can find That Thing You Do on YouTube (free with ads), on numerous streaming services, and, most likely, at your local library.