Film Snail

7.3

A Hard Day's Night

G·1964·88m

Comedy

Music

Comedy

Music

Summary

Capturing John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr in their electrifying element, 'A Hard Day's Night' is a wildly irreverent journey through this pastiche of a day in the life of The Beatles during 1964. The band have to use all their guile and wit to avoid the pursuing fans and press to reach their scheduled television performance, in spite of Paul's troublemaking grandfather and Ringo's arrest.

Cast

John Lennon

John

Paul McCartney

Paul

George Harrison

George

Ringo Starr

Ringo

Wilfrid Brambell

Grandfather

Norman Rossington

Norm

John Junkin

Shake

Victor Spinetti

T.V. Director

Anna Quayle

Millie

Deryck Guyler

Police Inspector

Richard Vernon

Man on Train

Edward Malin

Hotel Waiter

Lionel Blair

T.V. Floor Manager

Robin Ray

T.V. Choreographer

Alison Seebohm

Secretary

David Janson

Young Boy

Bridget Armstrong

Lead Makeup Woman (uncredited)

Roger Avon

Policeman (uncredited)

Bruce Beeby

Casino Man (uncredited)

Isla Blair

Actress (uncredited)

John Bluthal

Car Thief (uncredited)

Pattie Boyd

Jean (uncredited)

Andre Charisse

Champagne Waiter at Casino (uncredited)

Sheila Fearn

Makeup Lady (uncredited)

Rosemarie Frankland

Brunette Showgirl (uncredited)

Bob Godfrey

Man in Pub (uncredited)

Kenneth Haigh

Simon Marshall (uncredited)

Susan Hampshire

Dancer at Disco (uncredited)

Victor Harrington

Man at Casino (uncredited)

Julian Holloway

Adrian (uncredited)

Clare Kelly

Barmaid (uncredited)

David Langton

Actor (uncredited)

Al Lewis

Gambler (uncredited)

Jeremy Lloyd

Tall Dancer at the Disco (uncredited)

Derek Nimmo

Leslie Jackson (uncredited)

Margaret Nolan

Grandfather's Girl at Casino (uncredited)

Jim Brady

Pub Patron (uncredited)

Charlotte Rampling

Girl at Disco (uncredited)

Gordon Rollings

Man with Sandwich in Pub (uncredited)

Edina Ronay

Girl at Disco (uncredited)

Marianne Stone

Society Reporter (uncredited)

Michael Trubshawe

Casino Manager (uncredited)

Noel Trevarthen

Journalist (uncredited)

Neil Wilson

Doorman (uncredited)

Phil Collins

Seated Fan with Necktie (uncredited)

Crew

Director

Richard Lester

Screenplay

Alun Owen

Reviews

Geronimo1967

December 2, 2024

Who says there were no pop videos in the 1960s? This is an example of one, two, three - indeed, possibly five - all loosely connected via a daftly enjoyable storyline featuring old "Steptoe" himself - Mr. Wilfrid Bramble. It has a plot, not that it remotely matters: the fab four are heading to London to do a television show and poor old Ringo gets separated - much to the chagrin of the programme's director. What ensues are various enjoyable escapades interspersed with some dapper performances from the band. The thing is riddled with charisma - the band are clearly having a whale of a time, Bramble looks like startled rabbit - as only he could - and the scenes with the screaming fans contribute well to the overall sense of adulation in which this band were held. It makes no pretence to be a film of great cinematographic worth - which is just as well 'cos it isn't - but as 90 minutes of almost fly-on-the wall fun and games, it's well worth a watch.