Musical comedy starring the Beatles in their movie debut. John, Paul, George and Ringo set off for London, where they are due to take part in a live TV show. But the antics of Paul's mischievous grandfather throw the performance into jeopardy. Includes the classic songs A Hard Day's Night, Tell Me Why, I Should Have Known Better, She Loves You, This Boy, Can't Buy Me Love, I Wanna Be Your Man and All My Loving.
For those who still miss John Lennon’s sardonic wit and soulful falsettos, this fondly curated evening of tributes stands as a welcome commemoration.
It kicks off with the 1964 film A Hard Day’s Night, made during a hugely prolific period that saw the Beatles bridging their early teenybopper days with their more sophisticated later songwriting.
The fulcrum of the night, however, is Michael Epstein’s evocative 2011 doc Lennon: the New York Years, which charts John and Yoko’s move to the Big Apple in 1971. Although it’s a difficult period, which begins with a legal dispute and ends in murder, there’s lots to celebrate in between.
It’s fun to speculate on what Lennon might have subsequently achieved: from political activism and conceptual art to novelty hits and TV voiceovers. In the end, all we can do is imagine.
| role | name |
|---|---|
| John | John Lennon |
| Paul | Paul McCartney |
| George | George Harrison |
| Ringo | Ringo Starr |
| Grandfather | Wilfrid Brambell |
| Norm | Norman Rossington |
| Shake | John Junkin |
| TV director | Victor Spinetti |
| Millie | Anna Quayle |
| Police inspector | Deryck Guyler |
| Man on train | Richard Vernon |
| Hotel waiter | Eddie Malin |
| TV floor manager | Robin Ray |
| TV choreographer | Lionel Blair |
| Simon | Kenneth Haigh |
| Car thief | John Bluthal |
| Jean | Pattie Boyd |
| Seated fan with necktie | Phil Collins |
| Man in crowd | Brian Epstein |
| Dancer at disco | Susan Hampshire |
| Adrian | Julian Holloway |
| Actor | David Langton |
| Tall dancer at disco | Jeremy Lloyd |
| Leslie Jackson | Derek Nimmo |
| Grandfather's girl at casino | Margaret Nolan |
| Girl at disco | Charlotte Rampling |
| role | name |
|---|---|
| Director | Richard Lester |
