Paul McCartney Movies
In tandem with John Lennon, musician Paul McCartney is responsible for composing most of the songs in the nine-year history of the Beatles. While still a member of the group, McCartney wrote the score for the 1966 film The Family Way; it would be his last solo gig until the Beatles' breakup in 1970. So prolific and popular was McCartney in his post-Beatle years that it became a standard joke amongst post-postwar kids to query "You mean that Paul McCartney was in a band before Wings?" Also grist for the humor mill was McCartney's incredible wealth; his legal ownership of virtually every song ever written (including such state anthems as "On Wisconsin"); and the strict vegetarian edicts of his wife and business partner Linda Eastman McCartney. Paul McCartney has also kept active in the film world, penning the theme for the 1973 James Bond flick Live And Let Die, and producing, scoring and acting in the 1984 vanity project Give My Regards to Broad Street, in which viewers were offered the unlikely premise that McCartney would face bankruptcy if he didn't locate a lost record album. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
During the first worldwide flush of Beatlemania in 1964, United Artists wanted to ship out a movie with The Beatles before their vogue was over. Working within a tight $500,000 budget, director Richard Lester turned out A Hard Day's Night in a fast 6 1/2 weeks; the picture was in the theatres three months after shooting commenced. Using a variety of techniques cribbed from Hollywood slapstick comedies, the French "new wave" movement, and his own experiences as a TV-commercial director, Lester, with screenwriter Alun Owen, fashioned an exhilarating study of a "typical" 36 hours in the lives of the Fab Four. Onto a plot about getting to the Big Show on time are hung a series of instant-reaction gags, character vignettes, and musical setpieces. Much of the humor arises from Paul McCartney's efforts to keep his grandfather (Wilfred Brambell), a "clean old man," from getting into mischief. Also good for several laughs is the hookey-playing Ringo Starr, whose mistimed declaration of independence lands him in jail. We are also treated to a war of nerves between the unflappable John Lennon and an uptight TV director (Victor Spinelli), who worries that, should the Beatles not show up at broadcast time, he'll be demoted to "News In Welsh." George Harrison stars in a sequence in which he is mistaken for an auditionee by the producer (Kenneth Haigh) of a superficially trendy, teen-oriented TV weekly. Then there's Norman Rossington and John Junkin as The Beatles' managers, who carry on a battle royale simply because one man is taller than the other. The supporting cast includes comedienne Anna Quayle, cartoonist Bob Godfrey, TV host Robin Ray, dancer Lionel Blair, Harrison's future wife Patti Boyd, and director Lester himself. The songs include "I Should Have Known Better," "And I Love Her," "Tell Me Why," "If I Fell," "Can't Buy Me Love," and the title song. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Lennon, Paul McCartney, (more)
Set against the anti-war protests, rock & roll revolution, and mind-expanding psychedelia of the 1960s, Julie Taymor's hallucinogenic musical follows the arduous journey of star-crossed lovers Jude (Jim Sturgess) and Lucy (Evan Rachel Wood) as they and a small group of musicians are swept up in the raging waters of the volatile counterculture movement. Guided through their journey by a pair known only as Dr. Robert (Bono) and Mr. Kite (Eddie Izzard), Jude and Lucy are eventually forced to find their way back to one another after being split apart by powerful forces beyond their control. The music in the film consists exclusively of songs made popular by the Beatles during the time period depicted in the movie. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Evan Rachel Wood, Jim Sturgess, (more)
- 1976
All This and World War II is a fascinating but singularly pointless "musical documentary". Virtually all the footage has been culled from the vaults of Fox Movietone News, and edited in a linear manner in order to visually trace the history of World War II. Complementing this priceless newsreel film is a relentless musical score, comprised of Beatles tunes (though not sung by the Fab Four). Evidently all this effort was expended to make some sort of antiwar statement. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- The Bee Gees
- 1981
Actors pose as the Beatles, the classic rock superstars, in this musical based on the stage production. ~ Kristie Hassen, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mitch Weissman, David Leon, (more)
- 1983
John Mackenzie directed this schematic adaptation of Graham Greene's best-selling thriller The Honorary Consul. Richard Gere stars as Dr. Eduardo Plarr, a brilliant doctor who has chosen to practice in the provinces rather than the teeming city of Buenos Aires because his father remains a political prisoner in Paraguay. As the story begins, Plarr is awaiting word from his father after years of silence. One day Leon (Joaquim de Almeida), an old childhood friend, contacts him. Leon was a priest who had left the church and is now working for the Paraguayan underground. Leon blackmails Plarr into obtaining information on an upcoming visit to the province by the United States Ambassador. Leon's plan is to kidnap the ambassador and hold him for ransom in order to obtain the release of Paraguayan political prisoners -- including Plarr's father. The source for the information is an alcoholic has-been, Charley Fortnum (Michael Caine), the province's honorary British counsel, whose wife Clara (Elpidia Carrillo) also happens to be Plarr's mistress. When the kidnapping goes wrong, Plarr is forced to re-examine his relationship with Clara and with Charley, whose betrayal by Plarr has put Charley's life in jeopardy. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael Caine, Richard Gere, (more)
- 1993
- Add Bill Monroe: Father of Bluegrass Music to QueueAdd Bill Monroe: Father of Bluegrass Music to top of Queue
Bill Monroe was inarguably the single most important and influential figure in the history of bluegrass music. Fusing the fiddle and madolin sounds of the Eastern Kentucky Hills with the guitars of rural blues and adding a streamlined speed and emotional passion to the music, Monroe was truly the father of bluegrass and a brilliant musician by any standards. This program features performances by Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys, with interviews and performances from a host of special guests, including Dolly Parton, Lester Flat, Emmylou Harris, Ricky Skaggs, Jerry Garica, John Hartford, Marty Stuart, Del McCoury, Peter Rowan, Tim O'Brian and noted bluegrass authority Paul McCartney. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bill Monroe
- 1979
British director Richard Marquand graduated from BBC documentaries to dramatized features with 1979's Birth of the Beatles. This chronicle of the Fab Four begins when the group consisted of five musicians: John Lennon (Stephen MacKenna), Paul McCartney (Rod Culbertson), George Harrison (John Altman), Stu Sutcliffe (David Wilkinson), and Pete Best (Ryan Michael). The group begins its career in the dregs of a Hamburg, Germany nightclub (most of the film was made on location). Under the tutelage of manager Brian Epstein (Brian Jameson), the group sheds its rough-hewn image in favor of choirboy haircuts and Eton collars; along the way, Sutcliffe dies and drummer Best is replaced by Richard Starkey, (aka Ringo Starr, played here by Ray Ashcroft). First aired in the U.S. on November 23, 1979, Birth of the Beatles is significant as the only Beatle biopic made while John Lennon was still alive. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Stephen MacKenna, Rod Culbertson, (more)
Both as a member of the Beatles and as a solo artist, George Harrison was one of the best loved and most influential musicians of his generation, and when he died November 29, 2001, after a long battle with cancer, it was a tremendous blow to the many great artists who were his friends and collaborators. A year to the day after his passing, a handful of pop music royalty who had known and worked with Harrison staged a special concert at London's Royal Albert Hall to play his music and honor his art and memory. Concert for George is a documentary which presents highlights from the Harrison memorial concert, featuring performances by Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton, Ringo Starr, Tom Petty and the Heartberakers, Jeff Lynne, Billy Preston, Jools Holland, Sam Brown, and Joe Brown. A portion of the profits from the film's release will be donated to The Material World Foundation, a charitable organization founded by Harrison. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Joe Brown, Eric Clapton, (more)
- 1987
- R
Set in 1964, a group of four Toronto teens enter a battle of the bands to win an opening spot at a Beatles show. Led by an Italian teenager (Joseph Dimambro), the band just might be successful. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Joseph di Mambro, Luke McKeehan, (more)
A restaurant worker (Lanah Pellay) is fired from a posh London eatery, so the man returns with a band of terrorists, who have their own ideas about how to run a restaurant, and they begin feeding new customers with old customers. Motorhead provides the music. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lanah Pellay, Nosher Powell, (more)
- 2009
- PG13
- Add Everybody's Fine to Queue
A widower (Robert De Niro) takes his grown kids on a road trip in order to reconnect with them after his wife's death in this Miramax production. Drew Barrymore, Kate Beckinsale, and Sam Rockwell co-star in the drama, written and directed by Kirk Jones. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert De Niro, Kate Beckinsale, (more)
Quirky comedy, intense drama, and warm nostalgia are all combined in this eccentric look at one night in 1964 amongst the residents of the Five Corners neighborhood of the Bronx. The bulk of the film concerns Linda (Jodie Foster), a young woman who finds herself stalked by a disturbed rapist fresh out of prison. Needing protection, she turns to her formerly tough ex-boyfriend, only to discover that a recent political awakening has transformed him into a pacifist. The tension of Linda's situation is leavened by the film's attention to its bizarre subplots, which include a stolen penguin, partying teenagers who encounter trouble with an elevator, and a pair of detectives investigating a series of mysterious bow-and-arrow attacks. The script by John Patrick Shanley, who won the 1987 Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for Moonstruck, manages to (for the most part) bring these seemingly unrelated stories together into a fairly logical conclusion. Even though numerous critics felt that Five Corners' mixture of widely disparate tones was not completely successful, the end result is a surprisingly charming and unique tribute to a time and a place. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jodie Foster, Tim Robbins, (more)
- 1984
- PG
- Add Give My Regards to Broad Street to QueueAdd Give My Regards to Broad Street to top of Queue
Having written the music and screenplay for this film, Paul McCartney also plays himself in the leading role. When the sole copy of McCartney's latest album is misplaced, he must discover its whereabouts in less than 24 hours or else risk losing his recording company to the lowlife Mr. Rath (John Bennett). McCartney performs three new songs, along with a number of classic Beatles' tunes. ~ Iotis Erlewine, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Paul McCartney, Bryan Brown, (more)
In 1970, a music aficionado and entrepreneur named Michael Eavis staged a "pop, folk, and blues" festival on a dairy farm in the English community of Glastonbury, not far from Stonehenge. 1,500 attended the "Glastonbury Fayre," and a second festival followed in 1971. By 2005, The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts had grown into the biggest pop music festival in the world, playing host to the biggest names in rock, reggae, electronic, blues, and world music for a crowd of up to 150,000 people over the course of a three-day weekend in June. Filmmaker Julien Temple offers a backstage look at the history of this event, as well as a cross section of the memorable performances which have taken place on the festival's stage in the documentary Glastonbury. Performers featured in archival footage include R.E.M., David Bowie, New Order, Radiohead, Coldplay, the Velvet Underground, Nick Cave, Oasis, Blur, Björk, and many more. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael Eavis, T. Rex, (more)
In their second feature with director Richard Lester, who oversaw the massive hit A Hard Day's Night, the Beatles again aim for a mix of goofy comedy and sterling pop music. There is slightly more of a plot this time, though it is a patently ridiculous one: a sacred ruby ring comes into Ringo's possession, attracting the unwelcome attention of an exotic religious cult and forcing the boys to go on the run. This chase narrative is thankfully never taken too seriously, serving mainly as an excuse for colorful excursions to international locations from Europe to the Bahamas. The musical numbers include such classic tunes as "Ticket to Ride," "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away," and, of course, "Help!". ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- The Beatles
Based on the best-selling Vincent Bugliosi book of the same name, Helter Skelter is a made-for-TV account of the investigation and prosecution of Charles Manson (Steve Railsback), who was convicted of leading a group of followers (known as "The Family") to murder seven people in California, including actress Sharon Tate. The film takes a Law & Order-like approach, starting with the discovery of the murders, which leads to the police gathering snippets of evidence that they eventually connect to the bigger picture. The second half of the movie concentrates on how District Attorney Bugliosi (George DiCenzo) attains a conviction despite the enormous amount of press coverage the case received. Nancy Wolfe, Christina Hart, and Cathey Paine portray the three loyal Manson Family members who were the co-defendants at his trial. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- George DiCenzo, Steve Railsback, (more)
- 1991
This is a celebration of the music of a generation's talented songwriter and performer John Lennon. This musical salute mixes footage of Lennon the solo artist with the Lennon as a member of the legendary the Beatles, a man who helped reshaped pop music and changed a culture. Many artists cover 22 of Lennon's songs, like "Power to the People" sung by Al Green; Billy Joel singing "Back in the U.S.S.R."; "Help" performed by U2; Elton John singing "Imagine"; "Come Together" sung by Michael Jackson; "Ticket to Ride" performed by Natalie Cole; Lenny Kravitz singing "Cold Turkey"; and many more. ~ Forrest Spencer, All Movie Guide
- 1970
- G
The dissolution of the Fab Four is captured on camera in Michael Lindsay-Hogg's documentary, a filmed record of the sessions for what would become the Beatles' final release, Let It Be. (Abbey Road, cut shortly after these sessions, was in fact the group's final recording, but it was released a year before these often-delayed songs.) Included is footage shot at the famous rooftop concert that was the Fabs' final live appearance. The Beatles are shown rehearsing, performing, arguing, and recording and allow the cameras to record their every word and note in the recording studio. The film opens with Paul showing Ringo a piano composition, while the group is surrounded in silence, seemingly light years removed from the screaming hordes of fans that necessitated their withdrawal from performing live. Billy Preston later drops by to jam on keyboards. For this film, the Beatles collectively won an Oscar for "Best Original Film Score," their only Academy Award. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- The Beatles, Yoko Ono, (more)
Letting Go stars John Ritter as a widower and Sharon Gless as a lonely unmarried woman. They meet during a group-therapy session. Romance is inevitable, but the road to true happiness is pockmarked by a series of comic complications. Advertised as a straight romantic drama, Letting Go is actually more akin to the screwball comedies of the 1930s, with a strong satirical bent regarding "behavior modification" theories. The made-for-TV film debuted May 11, 1985. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Roger Moore makes his first appearance as "Bond...James Bond" in 1973's Live and Let Die. Bond is dispatched to the States to stem the activities of Mr. Big (Yaphet Kotto), who plans to take over the Western Hemisphere by converting everyone into heroin addicts. The woman in the case is Solitaire (Jane Seymour in her movie debut), an enigmatic interpreter of tarot cards. The obligatory destructive-chase sequence occurs at the film's midpoint, with Bond being chased in a motorboat by Mr. Big's henchmen, slashing his way through the marshlands and smashing up a wedding party. Clifton James makes the first of several Bond appearances as redneck sheriff Pepper, while Geoffrey Holder is an enthusiastic secondary villain. The title song, written by Paul McCartney and Linda McCartney, provides the frosting on this 007 confection. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Roger Moore, Yaphet Kotto, (more)
- 1999
Some of the most legendary rock & roll artists perform some of their hit songs acoustically before a small, intimate studio audience in this collection of clips from MTV's popular Unplugged series. Some of the performers and songs featured on this tape include "Late in the Evening" by Paul Simon; "Pulling Mussels From a Shell" performed by Squeeze; the venerable Tony Bennett singing "I Left My Heart in San Francisco"; "We Can Work It Out" by Paul McCartney; "Hold My Hand" by Hootie and the Blowfish; Hall and Oates singing "She's Gone"; "Back to You" by Bryan Adams; and the remarkable Eric Clapton performing "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out." ~ Forrest Spencer, All Movie Guide
When the island of Montserrat was devastated by hurricanes in 1997, producer George Martin organized this all-star benefit concert to help the people of the island rebuild their homes and their lives. Artists include Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton, Phil Collins, Sting, Mark Knopfler, Jimmy Buffett and Carl Perkins. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1993
A sing-along video that gives participants the feeling that the band is there in the room. Includes "A Ticket To Ride," "Help," "Michelle," "We Can Work It Out," and more. ~ All Movie Guide
Any comedy should be suspect when the lead character, in this case Benjamin Browning, is played both by an actor (Chevy Chase) and a lovable dog (Benji). Private eye Browning is in London tracking down a sexual scandal in British political circles when he is murdered. His karma is canine in form and gets him rebirth as a dog. Fortunately for him, the dog's owner is Jackie Howard (Jane Seymour), a magazine reporter who does not realize that there is a rather lustful man inside her innocent pooch. Benji supplies the few moments of humor in this uneven film. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Chevy Chase, Benji, (more)
- 2000
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This video features the music icon Paul McCartney, with a stellar cast of performers, giving a live benefit concert for PETA. The organization, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, was the special concern of the former Beatle's deceased wife Linda McCartney. The concert honors her memory while it raises funds for an organization that has been embraced by people around the world. The performers include Ricki Lane, Brian McKnight, Jamie Lee Curtis, Ellen DeGeneres, Chrissie Hynde, Sarah McLachlan, and the B-52's. ~ Rose of Sharon Winter, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Paul McCartney, Jamie Lee Curtis, (more)
