THE MOVIES
A Hard Day’s Night
(1964) DIRECTED BY RICHARD LESTER
WRITTEN BY ALUN OWEN
STARRING The Beatles, Wilfrid Brambell, Norman Rossington, John Junkin and Victor Spinetti
THE SETUP With the first wave of Beatlemania hitting its crest, the Fab Four look for a respite as they prep for a big television appearance.
Taking a day-in-the-life approach with Marx Brothers–level anarchy, the movie breathlessly captures the moment the Liverpool lads became generational idols. It’s all about rehearsing for a TV show, but it turns into a grander pastiche based on their own busy lives. As such, the subplots are rich: Paul’s mischievous grandfather nearly messes up the band’s live performance; Ringo goes
