A Hard Day's Night - G

Beatles classic holds up as fabulously as the Fab Four.

Rating: G Studio: Miramax Directed By: Richard Lester Release Date: 08/11/1964 Genre: Classic

Common Sense Note

Families who see this movie could talk about the nature of fads and the problems created by success.

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Common Sense Review

Reviewed By: Nell Minow

The documentary style of this movie masks its tight construction, clever script, and sublime anarchy second only to the Marx brothers. A surrealistic day in the life of the most overwhelmingly popular rock group of all time, it portrays the Beatles sympathetically -- like the heroine of "It Happened One Night," they are constantly told what to do and smothered by all they have. Part of the humor is that it is not the members of the Beatles but Paul's "clean" grandfather who causes most of the trouble. Musical numbers include "Can't Buy Me Love" and "Should Have Known Better" as well as the title song, its title taken from Ringo's warped syntax after a long recording session.

Families who see this movie should talk about the nature of fads and the problems created by success.

Families who enjoy this movie together will also enjoy the Beatles in "Help!" and "Yellow Submarine," but skip the movie "Magical Mystery Tour" and just listen to the music instead. Kids 12 and up might enjoy "I Wanna Hold Your Hand," about teens overcome by Beatlemania or "That Thing You Do," written and directed by Tom Hanks, the story of a 1960s Erie, Pennsylvania, rock group that has an unexpected hit song.

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