A Hard Days Night 1964

 

 

A Hard Days Night 1964

* glasses to create an Other
* glasses used to add age


I had the pleasure of seeing a print of this film on the big screen at the Colonial Theater with my father. The way this film was shot was brilliant, and at the time was never done before.  Often you are looking at characters on television screens and mirrors, also  "amateur" hand held camera techniques are used to keep a faster pace of the movie. I don't expect everyone to look at the same details on composition as me, but this film is very funny as well. It has often been compared to  the Marx Brothers movies, and since the director hang out with The Beatles before shooting, he got a good feel for everyone's character. Some of the lines in the movie are things The Beatles have said, and their tailor was in the film as well.
But enough of that talk,
 There are Glasses in this film. If you have not seen it, it's not what you think. John Lennon did not start wearing glasses till later.  There is one particular character that wears glasses throughout. Paul's Grandfather.  John McCartney, Paul's (fictitious) Grandfather (Wilfrid Brambell) is traveling along with Paul and his band to get a change of scenery. However he is a "king mixer" as Paul puts it and gets in all kinds of trouble.
Glasses are used as a tool here, they are to age the actor. This grandfather character is from another generation, and another country. He is Irish, he life was not as easy as his grandkid's  he faced discrimination. Enough so that makes him kinda kooky around authority.  He convinced Ringo to have some adventure, to enjoy himself which leads to him getting arrested, Which is pretty bad due to they have be on tv soon.Take a look at one of my favorite scenes  after he gets arrested for causing a disruption in front of the television studio:

go about 5 Minutes in to see his reaction to the police





 

 Ringo doesn't understand, due to being a different generation and living in England.  Also these particular policemen are rather polite.

 

 

There is another Character who wears glasses through out the film, the TV director's assistant. The director Simon is rather over dramatic, a worry wart, Adrian(Julian Holloway) his assistant does what he is told. He pretty much fallows Simon around writing down anything he says. I can't find the scene on youtube, He takes a drumstick and plays around on Ringo's drum kit. Which gets Ringo a little upset. The only respect Adrian has is for the director.

 

 

And yet another use of glasses is in this scene:

 

 



 

I think that is all the speaking characters,

lots of extras wearing glasses too.

enjoy