Lighthearted fun from Dick Lester and the Beatles

Rating: 8/10 (19 November 2010)

"A Hard Day's Night" was filmed in early 1964 when Beatlemania was still in its relatively early stages. In the film the Beatles play themselves as they go through a typical 'day in the life', as it were.
Though the boys had no previous acting experience they managed to do an admirable job of playing themselves here. That is, their on-screen personae seem to capture the appeal that made them successful entertainers off the screen. Apart from the Beatles the acting is pretty decent but nothing to get too excited about.
While entertaining, the script is fairly inconsequential but that's not necessarily a drawback. The film's main strength is it's soundtrack, which prominently features about a dozen Beatles tunes, including the title track and "Can't Buy Me Love". Meanwhile, Richard Lester's tirelessly inventive visuals keep the action interesting throughout.
In the end, the film offers a fascinating time capsule of the Beatles circa 1964. The fact that it contains excellent music and accomplished direction only makes it all the more palatable.