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#147: A Hard Day's Night (Richard Lester, 1964)
If anything, this film gains in significance and pleasure-inducement as each year passes by. Fans of the Beatles already have seen this film a gazillion times and know that all four of them were charming and humorous beyond belief. Not only were the Beatles meant to rule the radio airwaves, but for a brief time, thankfully recorded for posterity, they ruled the movies. This film, which is certainly as anarchic as a Marx Bros. classic and basically invented the music video, just lets the Beatles play themselves on frenetic tour during the crazy early Beatlemania days just after they had become a worldwide phenomenon. There is a semblance of a plot which helps because Paul's incredibly "clean" grandfather (Wifrid Brambell) is hilarious, as well as their Mutt and Jeff team of "pseudo-managers" (Norman Rossington and John Junkin). Then, who can ever forget Victor Spinetti as the sweater-wearing TV producer/director who is positive that the Beatles will ruin his career even if "I won an award... "
Fave Love Song from the Film:
American expatriate Lester had already directed a cute British musical omnibus flick called It's Trad, Dad!, which featured Chubby Checker, Gene Vincent, Del Shannon, Gary U.S. Bonds, etc., and then he made The Mouse on the Moon, the sequel to The Mouse That Roared, where he worked with Margaret Rutherford, Ron Moody and Terry-Thomas, but neither of those could prepare a viewer for how innovative he made A Hard Day's Night. Sometimes, the thing was downright lyrical (when Ringo takes a holiday), but more often it was utterly insane with visual and verbal jokes flying by at a staccato pace. The musical numbers were filmed from completely straightforward to manic. All the Beatles' personalities were allowed to shine through. For example, it's here where we first see Ringo shooting photographs, and Ringo was the photographer for the group, going so far as being the director of photography in their "home movie", Magical Mystery Tour. Lennon's infectious smile and black humor are on fine display, while Paul and George both get to be charming with a touch of menace and romanticism. In fact, the scene where George tears into a pompous forecaster (Kenneth Haigh) of teen trends is a special highlight. Plus, George's future wife Pattie Boyd (nicknamed "Layla"
) is in the flick as one of the girls whom McCartney comes onto on the train.
I'll admit that sometimes I feel a bit sad watching this wonderful film, but mainly it just makes me happy to be alive and have good taste in movies and music. HA!
If anything, this film gains in significance and pleasure-inducement as each year passes by. Fans of the Beatles already have seen this film a gazillion times and know that all four of them were charming and humorous beyond belief. Not only were the Beatles meant to rule the radio airwaves, but for a brief time, thankfully recorded for posterity, they ruled the movies. This film, which is certainly as anarchic as a Marx Bros. classic and basically invented the music video, just lets the Beatles play themselves on frenetic tour during the crazy early Beatlemania days just after they had become a worldwide phenomenon. There is a semblance of a plot which helps because Paul's incredibly "clean" grandfather (Wifrid Brambell) is hilarious, as well as their Mutt and Jeff team of "pseudo-managers" (Norman Rossington and John Junkin). Then, who can ever forget Victor Spinetti as the sweater-wearing TV producer/director who is positive that the Beatles will ruin his career even if "I won an award... "
Fave Love Song from the Film:
American expatriate Lester had already directed a cute British musical omnibus flick called It's Trad, Dad!, which featured Chubby Checker, Gene Vincent, Del Shannon, Gary U.S. Bonds, etc., and then he made The Mouse on the Moon, the sequel to The Mouse That Roared, where he worked with Margaret Rutherford, Ron Moody and Terry-Thomas, but neither of those could prepare a viewer for how innovative he made A Hard Day's Night. Sometimes, the thing was downright lyrical (when Ringo takes a holiday), but more often it was utterly insane with visual and verbal jokes flying by at a staccato pace. The musical numbers were filmed from completely straightforward to manic. All the Beatles' personalities were allowed to shine through. For example, it's here where we first see Ringo shooting photographs, and Ringo was the photographer for the group, going so far as being the director of photography in their "home movie", Magical Mystery Tour. Lennon's infectious smile and black humor are on fine display, while Paul and George both get to be charming with a touch of menace and romanticism. In fact, the scene where George tears into a pompous forecaster (Kenneth Haigh) of teen trends is a special highlight. Plus, George's future wife Pattie Boyd (nicknamed "Layla"
) is in the flick as one of the girls whom McCartney comes onto on the train. I'll admit that sometimes I feel a bit sad watching this wonderful film, but mainly it just makes me happy to be alive and have good taste in movies and music. HA!