Let It Be (1969)

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

Director:

Michael Lindsay-Hogg

Stars:

John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison

Won 1 Oscar. Another 1 win.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
The Beatles	...	Themselves (uncredited)
George Harrison	...	Himself (The Beatles) (uncredited)
John Lennon	...	Himself (The Beatles) (uncredited)
Paul McCartney	...	Himself (The Beatles) (uncredited)
Yoko Ono	...	Herself (uncredited)
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Peter Sellers	...	Himself (scenes deleted)

Storyline

A documentary showing both how The Beatles made music together, and how they split up. Hundreds of hours of raw footage was condensed into the final product. The rooftop performance ending the film remains a rock-n-roll archetype.

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Plot Keywords:

rooftop | guitar | guitar playing | electric guitar | rock music | 

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Taglines:

an intimate bioscopic experience with THE BEATLES

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Genres:

Documentary | Music

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Certificate:

G

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 May 1970 (UK)

Also Known As:

Déjalo ser

Filming Locations:

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

Company Credits

Production Co:

Apple Corps, ABKCO Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

81 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Digitally re-mastered by Apple Corps in 1992 from the original 16mm negative for a planned video re-release, however this was cancelled at the last minute. In 1997, a U.K. company, VCI, announced plans to issue this remastered version again in England, which would have been the first time the film had appeared on video in the U.K. However, it was again withdrawn at the last minute. Clips of the remastered footage, as well as several outtakes, can be seen in The Beatles Anthology (1995). The restored footage was also used for "The Beatles 1+" video compilation in 2015, and underwent a further image and audio restoration. This marked the first time the restored footage was seen in High Definition.

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Goofs

Due to the 2 camera technique used to film most of the scenes, during much of the performances the audio does not match up with the performers. One such example is during the Suzy Parker segment, and again during I Got a Feeling, though this scene was filmed using 5 cameras.

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Quotes

John Lennon: I'd like to say thank you on behalf of the group and ourselves, and I hope we pass the audition.

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Alternate Versions

There are bootleg tapes that exist of some footage not used in the final release, including a moment where Peter Sellers visits the band.

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Connections

Spoofed in In the Red: Episode #1.3 (1998)

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Soundtracks

I Me Mine
Performed by The Beatles
Written by George Harrison
Published by Apple Records
Courtesy of Apple Records

User Reviews

The first "reality show"

The Beatles were not only a group that challenged the recording industry, and of course, the world of entertainment. They acted also as avant-gardè multi-media artists.

Not only they helped improving the pop music marketing with their innovative LP packages and stuff but also created new kind of media that would become a mania in the XXI century: the reality show. Yes, almost 100% of the scenes shown on Let It Be are cine realitè - the bare truth captured by the lens of cameras directed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg.

In fact, although the band was working on the edge of their break-up, almost 90% of the scenes are cheerful and enjoyable. The main bulk of the footage shows Paul McCartney trying to find ways of enhance the Beatles performing and figuring out what to do in the future. Although John Lennon seems to be distracted by his future wife presence, Yoko Ono, he also looks to be happy playing and having fun - even dancing around to the sound of I Me Mine, sung by George.

By the way, George Harrison the most "unhappy" character also appears on the film having a ball singing rock and roll tunes. The lowest point (or highest, depending on the way you look at it) seems to be a row he had with Paul, but it only consumes about 5 minutes of the whole picture.

At last but not the least, Ringo Starr is shown for the first time ever playing a song - Octopus's Garden - that would later take part of Abbey Road - the LP that marked the end of the Fab Four as a group, but the begining of the Beatles as an universal legend.