A Hard Day's Night (1964)

Director:

Richard Lester

Writer:

Alun Owen (original screenplay)

Release Date:

6 July 1964 (UK)

Genre:

Comedy | Musical

Tagline:

The Beatles starring in their first full-length, hilarious action-packed film !

Plot:

A 'typical' day in the life of the Beatles, including many of their famous songs.

Plot Keywords:

The Beatles | Concert | Television | Cult Film | Apostrophe In Title

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 2 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

The Beatles
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 (as Eddie Malin)
Robin Ray	...	T.V. Floor Manager
Lionel Blair	...	T.V. Choreographer
Alison Seebohm	...	Secretary
David Janson	...	Young Boy (as David Jaxon)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Bridget Armstrong	...	Lead Makeup Woman (uncredited)
Roger Avon	...	(uncredited)
Bruce Beeby	...	Man Talking to Casino Manager (uncredited)
John Bluthal	...	Car Thief (uncredited)
Pattie Boyd	...	Jean - Schoolgirl on Train #1 (uncredited)
Andrea Brett	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Terry Brooks	...	Urchin (uncredited)
Prudence Bury	...	Rita - Schoolgirl on Train #2 (uncredited)
Anne Clune	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Phil Collins	...	Seated Fan with Necktie (uncredited)
Rosemarie Frankland	...	Brunette Showgirl (uncredited)
Bob Godfrey	...	Man in Park (uncredited)
Kenneth Haigh	...	Simon Marshall (uncredited)
Susan Hampshire	...	Dancer at Disco (uncredited)
Julian Holloway	...	Adrian - Simon's Assistant (uncredited)
Terry Hooper	...	Casino Croupier (uncredited)
Ric Hutton	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Clare Kelly	...	Barmaid (uncredited)
Lavinia Lang	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
David Langton	...	Actor (uncredited)
Richard Lester	...	Man in Back of the Stage (uncredited)
Linda Lewis	...	Audience Member (uncredited)
Jeremy Lloyd	...	Tall Dancer at the Disco (uncredited)
Maggie London	...	Girl at Disco (uncredited)
Jane Lumb	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Dougie Millings	...	Tailor (uncredited)
Peter Newton	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Derek Nimmo	...	Leslie Jackson - Magician (uncredited)
Margaret Nolan	...	Grandfather's Girl at Casino (uncredited)
Gordon Rollings	...	Man with Sandwich in Pub (uncredited)
Edina Ronay	...	Girl at Disco (uncredited)
Sally Sheridan	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Geraldine Sherman	...	Girl Outside Secondhand Shop (uncredited)
Marianne Stone	...	Society Reporter (uncredited)
Michael Trubshawe	...	Casino Manager (uncredited)
Hedger Wallace	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Shalini Waran	...	T.V. Studio Audience Member (uncredited)
Carol White	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Susan Whitman	...	Susan (uncredited)
Tina Williams	...	Tina (uncredited)

Directed by
Richard Lester

Writing credits
Alun Owen		(original screenplay)

Produced by
Denis O'Dell	....	associate producer
Walter Shenson	....	producer
David V. Picker	....	executive producer (uncredited)

Cinematography by
Gilbert Taylor		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
John Jympson

Art Direction by
Ray Simm

Costume Design by
Julie Harris
Dougie Millings		(uncredited)

Makeup Department
Betty Glasow	....	hairdresser
John O'Gorman	....	makeup artist

Production Management
John Rogers	....	executive in charge of production: Miramax (special edition re-release) (as John S. Rogers Jr.)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
John D. Merriman	....	assistant director
Alex Carver-Hill	....	second assistant director (uncredited)
Bob Howard	....	third assistant director (uncredited)
Barrie Melrose	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
William Alexander	....	draughtsman (uncredited)

Sound Department
Michael Barry	....	sound re-mixer: Sound One Corp. (special edition re-release)
H.L. Bird	....	sound recordist
Stephen Dalby	....	sound recordist
Gordon Daniel	....	sound editor
Michael DiCosimo	....	sound consultant: Dolby Laboratories (special edition re-release)
Kevin Reeves	....	sound engineer: Polygram Studios (special edition re-release)
Dominick Tavella	....	sound re-mixer: Sound One Corp. (special edition re-release)
Jim Roddan	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Mike Silverlock	....	sound camera operator (uncredited)
Don Wortham	....	boom operator (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Ronnie Wass	....	optical effects: titles (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Derek V. Browne	....	camera operator
Jack Atcheler	....	second camera operator (uncredited)
Paul Wilson	....	camera operator (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Dan Edelstein	....	editorial coordinator (special edition re-release)
Romeo Fornoles	....	timer: 4-Media Co. Film Laboratory restoration
Stephen Schwartz	....	assistant editor (special edition re-release)
Charlotte Stobbs	....	apprentice editor (special edition re-release)
Kenny B. Stuart	....	post-production coordinator (special edition re-release)
Pamela Tomling	....	assistant editor
Roy Benson	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
John Lennon	....	songs by
George Martin	....	musical director
George Martin	....	performers: "This Boy (Ringo's Theme ")
Paul McCartney	....	songs by
George Martin	....	composer: incidental music (uncredited)
George Martin	....	music arranger (uncredited)

Other crew
Rita Davison	....	continuity
Robert Freeman	....	titles design
Andrew Herwitz	....	business affairs: Miramax (special edition re-release)
Mal Evans	....	private assistant for the Beatles (uncredited)
George 'Bud' Ornstein	....	production executive: United Artists (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Proscenium Films
• Walter Shenson Films (A Walter Shenson Production)
• Maljack Productions (uncredited)

Distributors

• United Artists Corporation (1964) (UK) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1964) (USA) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1967) (USA) (TV)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (1974) (Finland) (TV)
• Universal Pictures (1981) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Pan-Canadian Video Presentations (1983) (Canada) (VHS)
• Criterion Collection, The (1987) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Vestron Video (1988) (UK) (VHS)
• Fazer Musiikki Oy/Fazer Video (1989) (Finland) (VHS)
• MPI Home Video (1991) (USA) (VHS)
• Video Collection International (1992) (UK) (VHS)
• MPI Home Video (1995) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Pioneer (1996) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• MPI Home Video (1997) (USA) (DVD)
• Miramax Films (1999) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Buena Vista International (2001) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (2001) (UK) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (2001) (UK) (DVD)
• Gativideo (2001) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Gativideo (2001) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2001) (Germany) (DVD)
• Alliance Atlantis Home Video (2002) (Canada) (DVD)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (BVHE) (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Miramax Home Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• RCV Home Entertainment (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD) (special edition) (rental)
• RCV Home Entertainment (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD) (special edition) (retail)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (2005) (Finland) (TV)
• Nelonen (2005) (Finland) (TV)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• YLE Teema (2008) (Finland) (TV)
• Cine-Studio (????) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Magna-Filmi (????) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Shôchiku Eiga (????) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Universal Pictures Finland (????) (Finland) (theatrical)
• EMI Music (????) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Imagem Filmes (????) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Oy Nordisk Film (????) (Finland) (DVD)
• VCI Distribution (????) (UK) (VHS)
• West Video (????) (Russia) (DVD)

Other Companies

• 4-Media Co. Film Laboratory  restored by
• Dougie Millings and Son  Beatles' wardrobe (as Dougie Millings & Son)
• Polygram Studios  engineered at (special edition re-release)
• Sound One Corporation  sound re-mixing (special edition re-release) (as Sound One Corp.)
• Triage Motion Picture Services  film restoration (special edition re-release) (as Triage Motion Picture Svcs.)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

87 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English | German

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.75 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | Finland:S | France:U (2001 re-release) | Peru:PT | Sweden:Btl | UK:U | West Germany:6 | Australia:M | Australia:G (original rating) | Canada:F (Ontario) (re-rating) (1982) | Canada:G (Manitoba/Quebec) | Canada:G (Nova Scotia) (original rating) (1982) | Canada:PG (Canadian Home Video rating) | Canada:PG (Ontario) (original rating) | Iceland:L | Portugal:M/12 | USA:Approved (original rating) | USA:G (re-rating) (1979) | USA:TV-14 (cable rating) | Netherlands:AL

Filming Locations:

Charlotte Street, Fitzrovia, London, England, UK

Company:

Proscenium Films

Trivia:

United Artists was pressuring the producers to finally come up with a title for the film. When John Lennon told producer Walter Shenson about Ringo Starr's malapropisms, Shenson thought that Ringo's phrase "a hard day's night"--referring to his resting up after an exhausting day--might make a good title. John agreed. Shenson called United Artists with the proposed title, which was coolly received. Shenson suggested that they ask the secretaries and other young employees, who might be fans of The Beatles, what they thought of the proposed title. The suggestion worked and the title was accepted.

Goofs:

Continuity: During his bathtub sequence, John can be seen wearing dark swim trunks. When the tub is emptied with John having "disappeared", the trunks in the tub are a lighter color.

Quotes:

Reporter:Has success changed your life?
George:Yes.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "V.I.P.: Hard Val's Night (#2.16)" (2000)

Soundtrack:

I Should Have Known Better

The Age of Innocence

This is it. There has never been and never will be another band like the Beatles. The innocence of the generation is showcased in A Hard Day's Night. The perfect musical for any audience, the Beatles capture a time that can never be repeated. Like 4 childhood friends knowing that the Old can never get them down, they represented everything good and right of the world. They reflected the generation that wanted to be heard. Almost 40 years later, they are still as young as ever. Timeless, beautiful, true. A Hard Day's Night is perfection!