Let It Be (1970)

Director:

Michael Lindsay-Hogg

Release Date:

20 May 1970 (UK)

Genre:

Documentary | Music

Tagline:

an intimate bioscopic experience with THE BEATLES

Plot:

The filmed account of the Beatles's attempt to recapture their old group spirit by making a back to basics album, which instead drove them further apart.

Plot Keywords:

Beatles | John Lennon | Actor Playing Himself | Title Based On Song | Singing

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 1 win

Cast

John Lennon	...	Himself (The Beatles)
Paul McCartney	...	Himself (The Beatles)
George Harrison	...	Himself (The Beatles)
Ringo Starr	...	Himself (The Beatles)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Mal Evans	...	Himself
Michael Lindsay-Hogg	...	Himself
George Martin	...	Himself
Heather McCartney	...	Herself
Yoko Ono	...	Herself
Billy Preston	...	Himself
Derek Taylor	...	Himself

Also Known As:

Beatles at Work (UK) (working title)
Get Back (UK) (working title)

Runtime:

81 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | UK:U | USA:G

Filming Locations:

Apple Corps, 3 Savile Row, Mayfair, London, England, UK

Company:

Apple Corps

Trivia:

Both Beatles producer George Martin and independent producer 'Glyn Johns (I)' prepared mixes of the soundtrack album, neither of which satisfied everyone. Martin effectively quit working with the band, when criticisms started turning personal, but returned to make "Abbey Road" after the Beatles promised to work with him "like in the old days", with Martin calling the shots in the studio. A second remix by Johns was also rejected, and with Martin unwilling to work any further on "Let It Be", Phil Spector was hired to complete the soundtrack.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: At one point rehearsing "I've Got A Feeling", John is heard singing (and bantering) with Paul, but his mouth isn't moving on camera.

Quotes:

George Harrison: [to Paul] Yeah, okay, well, I don't mind. I'll play, you know, whatever you want me to play. Or I won't play at all if you don't want me to play, you know. Whatever it is that'll please you, I'll do it.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Across the Universe (2007)

Soundtrack:

Don't Let Me Down

This one's a tearjerker

I watch Let It Be every Halloween because for me, a hardcore Beatle scruff, it's one of the scarriest (and saddest) films ever made. The most frightening thing perhaps is Paul McCartney's beard, which makes one reconsider his title as the Cute Beatle. What we see is our beloved Beatles shot in documentary style as they are breaking apart. Albeit most of the music is in the works through the first part of the film, and the Beatles get into arguments but the music they're making sounds awful. They're all burned out and it's obvious that the presence of the film cameras didn't help any. It all ends with a concert on top of the Abbey Road Studios (yes, on top as in on the roof) which turns out to be the shining moment of the film. That impromptu concert turns out to be the last one the Beatles gave together. This is a very depressing film, folks, and it's hard for me to recommend it even to the hugest of Beatle fans, because it's so sad.