When Richard Lester directed A Hard Day’s Night
(1964) he pulled off some sort of miracle. Here is a movie that is
simultaneously a great musical, a funny comedy, and all the cast members have
effortless chemistry. It helps that the main cast members are John Lennon, Paul
McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr playing themselves at the height of
Beatlemania. At that point in their career these four had such good rapport
that they practically finish each other’s sentences, oftentimes to make fun of
Ringo. When they are not busy causing trouble for their managers or ribbing
each other, they are playing their songs, giving the movie one of the best soundtracks
in cinema history.
As I watched this movie vaccines were becoming more
and more available, meaning the light is finally getting brighter at the end of
the horrible tunnel that is the global pandemic. Eventually all cinemas will
reopen and watching movies will once again be a community event. Until then,
anyone still stuck indoors and looking for a good time should seek out a A
Hard Day’s Night on whatever channel or streaming service they can find. Even
if they have no clue who The Beatles are (is such a thing possible?), they will
either laugh or hum along to the music.
Plot-wise, the movie is pretty thin as it simply
depicts an ordinary day in the life of the main characters. However, from the
opening scene we see any day for The Beatles was anything but ordinary. As they
run to catch a train to London, John, Paul and Ringo are being chased by a
frenzied mob of girls who look so genuinely excited they were probably acting
for free. Paul meanwhile is quietly sitting on a bench reading a newspaper in
disguise next to his grandfather John, who is accompanying the lads on their current
tour.
John McCartney is a fictional character played by
Wilfrid Brambell, which raises a few questions. First, is he based on one of
Paul McCartney’s real grandfathers, and if so, was this person as much of a
troublemaker as he is portrayed in the film? Despite being repeatedly described
as a very clean person, this grandfather spends most of the movie chasing
younger women, going to gambling clubs, and forging the boys’ signatures on
photographs so he can sell them to fans. Perhaps both of McCartney’s grandfathers
were very calm individuals and this was a bit of a in-joke to his family. In any
case grandpa almost steals the show, which is saying something given his
co-stars.
Two other co-stars who also provide good laughs are
Norm (Norman Rossington) and Shake (John Junkin) whose job is to manage The Beatles
as they make their way to a London hotel, attend a press conference, and
prepare for a live television studio performance. This is no easy task since
The Beatles often act like restless schoolboys with John Lennon as their
ringleader, whom Norm repeatedly refers to as a swine. When he’s not busy trying
to keep the boys in line, Norm is angry at Shake for daring to be taller than
him. It’s like they’re all part of a dysfunctional family and it’s so cute.
As for The Beatles themselves it is a joy to see the
four of them in their prime, not just as musicians but as four friends. Given
the movie’s beautiful black and white cinematography, it almost feels as though
this could be a documentary and that instead of pages of dialogue the Fab Four
were simply told to act as themselves once the cameras started rolling. We not
only get to see them perform for entranced fans, but do ordinary things like
shave in the morning, read a book at a cafeteria, and make fun of each other while
relaxing in their hotel room. Ringo in particular is often mocked by the other
three, for the size of his nose or for the possibility that he may have sent his
own fan mail.
Whether it was written or improvised, the dialogue is hilarious
and demands repeat viewing to make sure you understand all the gags. A press
conference is especially full of sarcastic gems. After being interviewed
hundreds of times by probably the same reporters about the same subjects The
Beatles probably gave up and started saying any damn thing that popped in their
heads. When one reporter asks John Lennon “how did you find America,” on the
spot his answer is: “Turned left at Greenland.” Well, you can’t deny he’s
right.
Finally, you have the songs. Played in front of
screaming fans or as part of scenes where The Beatles are running in the streets,
you have classics such A Hard Day’s Night, Can’t Buy Me Love, She Loves You,
and All My Loving. In terms of talent, The Beatles were lightning in
a bottle and this movie is a snapshot of that talent, both on stage performing
and off-stage having fun.
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