The Thing called Love, River Phoenix's sunglasses

original movie costume

This pair of sunglasses with lightly tinted lenses was worn by the character “James Wright” portrayed by actor River Phoenix in the 1993 motion picture “The Thing Called Love” starring Samantha Mathis, Dermot Mulroney, and Sandra Bullock. The actor appeared wearing these glasses in his first onscreen appearance near the beginning of the film when “Miranda Presley” (Samantha Mathis) and James both arrive late to an audition to play at “Writer’s Night” at Nashville’s “Bluebird Cafe”. After charging through the door of the cafe, James removes his sunglasses briefly and attempts to lie to the person in charge of the auditions by claiming he was helping fix a flat tire for Miranda. After the two are still turned away, he then wears the glasses in the following scene in the parking lot when he flirts with Miranda before being rejected and drives off in his truck. He again briefly appears wearing the glasses when the two return to the Bluebird for the next round of auditions the following week. He wears the glasses once more in a final extended sequence when he and Mathis have a conversation while driving in his truck, and he reveals that he’s taking her to Memphis to visit Graceland, the home of her idol Elvis.