A HARD DAY'S NIGHT

UK, 1964, 85 minutes, Black and white.
The Beatles, Wilfred Brambell, Norman Rossington, Victor Spinetti.
Directed by Richard Lester.

A Hard Day's Night was the first Beatles film. It was a great success. They then went on the make Help. They also appeared in Yellow Submarine and the film about their recording session, Let It Be.

The screenplay was written by Alun Owen, noted writer of comedies. It was directed by Richard Lester who had moved from directing commercials and working with the Goons (The Running, Jumping & Standing Still Film) to features like It's Trad, Dad and The Mouse on the Moon. He was to go on to a very successful career with such films as How' I Won the War and The Bed Sitting Room and later the Musketeers and Superman films.

The Beatles are encouraged to be themselves - or at least their image of the time. The film capitalises on their engaging personalities and their own particular styles. They are backed by Wilfred Brambell (pre-Steptoe) as Grandfather and a good supporting cast of English comedians. The film also introduced a number of their songs such as the title song and All My Loving, Ticket to Ride.

1 . An entertaining film? A Beatles vehicle? its impart in its time? In retrospect? A cult film?

2. Black and white photography? The tradition of zany British comedy? Goon comedy? Richard Lester's background in television commercials? Editing and pace? Special effects?

3. The introduction of the Beatles' music, the various songs, settings? Serious and humorous? The contribution of each of the Beatles to composition and performance?

4. The irony of the title, giving theme to the film? The zany experiences of the four? With their grandfather? The frantic antics and performance?

5. The personalities of each of the Beatles? The close-ups, their smiles, ways of speaking? The special focus on Ringo and his disappearance and their finding him again? John Lennon's humour - and the goonery of much of the dialogue? Paul McCartney? and George Harrison and their musical style?

6. The portrait of Grandfather - Wilfred Brambell as the typical cantankerous English grandfather - wanting to go on the trip, sowing seeds of discord, complaints?

7. The range of supporting cast and their contribution to the overall zany effect: Norm as the manager and all his problems, Shake as his assistant? Victor Spinetti's suave but ruffled television director? The shirt-advertising man, Milly, the police sergeant, the travellers in the train, the Twist Club manager?

8. The humour of the Beatles - in themselves, their enjoyment of life, jokes, zany behaviour, songs?

9. The film indicating their impact on popular culture - and people's long memories of their success in the '60s?