A Hard Day’s Night (1964) Review

 

A Hard Day’s Night (1964)

A Hard Day’s Night follows The Beatles, John Paul, George, and Ringo, on a day in the life, as they must find a way to keep Paul’s mischievous grandfather in check while preparing for a live TV performance. 

In The Beatles debut film performance, aptly titles A Hard Day’s Night, we get a fictionalized look at the Liverpool-based band taking the world by storm, as they must survive screaming fans, hot-headed managers, and…Paul’s grandfather? Obviously, we get a litany of 'Lennon & McCartney' classics—from the title song, "A Hard Day's Night", to "Can't Buy Me Love" & "She Loves You", in what would come to make up their third studio album at the time, with an honorable mention given to George Harrison’s uncredited “Don’t Bother Me”. And while the music is great, if not a bit varied, it’s really the story and performances that stand out so well (not a small task), painting the band in a mockumentary style format that would predate the next closest thing by nearly 15 years (enter, The Rutles), quite literally inventing their own genre in the process. 

It’s such a stark but familiar contrast, especially having just watched Get Back, because much of the witty, sarcastic humor is still present in the band 5 years on, as it was at their height. We see John as the comically fast-witted leader of the group that he was, with some comedic ‘characterization’ given to the silent but endearing George and Ringo, with Paul always hilariously trailing not too far behind, wondering what his delinquent grandfather has gotten into now. 

Naturally, we get a wonderful cast, starring Victor Spinetti, John Junkin, Norman Rossington, Wilfrid Brambell, Ringo Starr, George Harrison, Paul McCartney, and John Lennon. Most impressive honestly is just how well acting comes to the Fab Four, with their wittiness and comedic timing on full display, in what feels like slightly heightened versions of their existent personalities (why it works so well), making for a genuinely hilarious film debut for the band. 

A Hard Day’s Night, directed by Richard Lester, is a joyous musical comedy that doubles as their distinguished debut, while also acting as a subtle satire on the sweeping Beatlemania of the time, as well as The Beatles themselves, in this pseudo documentary that runs like a long-form music video on the band. 

8/10