Common Sense Media Review
By Charles Cassady Jr.
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Madcap, nonsensical romp with the Beatles.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Help!
What's the Story?
The immortal rock-pop quartet the Beatles (John, Paul, George, and Ringo) star in this full-color, wild farce. It's never explained how, but drummer Ringo is the proud owner of a sacred giant ruby. A fanatical religious cult must sacrifice any human bearing the ring, and so they pursue the Beatles for most of the movie, setting bizarre traps in the Fab Four's gimmicky high-tech mansion, and even attacking them at safe havens like Buckingham Palace. Since the uncanny ring refuses to come off Ringo's finger, the lads consult a mad scientist. What do you know? He starts chasing Ringo as well, claiming that with the ring he and his doofus assistant can rule the world.
Is It Any Good?
From the same director (Richard Lester) as the Beatles' pitch-perfect screen debut A Hard Day's Night, this is a far less realistic comedy about a band on the run. The practically freeform plot, full of international-intrigue and "mod" vibes, typifies the James Bond 007 spoofs ubiquitous back then, maybe with a touch of embryonic Monty Python spirit. Of course, a handful of great Beatles songs on the soundtrack don't hurt either.
The plot has scant rhyme or reason, just a disconnected barrage of madcap pursuits and ambush episodes in scenic locations, with old-fashioned, random title cards ("Paul's Exciting Adventure on the Floor") in a childish narrative kids might actually follow better than adult viewers. A lot of the British-specific landmarks and topics -- references to the "brain drain" problem, and English Channel swimmers -- will go way over American viewers' heads, though.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the appeal of the Beatles as characters, then and now. Do you think this film nails it just as well as A Hard Day's Night or other Beatles features and documentaries? Do you think Help! has stood the test of time? In its daft style-over-substance plot and imagery, does Help! seem like the ancestor of the MTV music video?
Movie Details
- In theaters : August 25, 1965
- On DVD or streaming : November 6, 2007
- Cast : George Harrison , John Lennon , Leo McKern , Paul McCartney , Ringo Starr
- Director : Richard Lester
- Studio : Capitol
- Genre : Musical
- Run time : 100 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : October 15, 2025
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