A Hard Day's Night

A Hard Day's Night

1964

The Beatles are shadowed by a documentary film crew as they rush through a chaotic, farcical day of travel and appearances leading up to a live television performance. Richard Lester's mock-documentary is a witty, anarchic celebration of Beatlemania and an affectionate portrait of the Fab Four at the height of their fame.

Director

  • Richard Lester

Cast

  • John Lennon
  • Paul McCartney
  • George Harrison
  • Ringo Starr

Filming Locations

  • Clarendon Road

    The chase sequence filmed around Notting Hill included St John's Secondary School at 83 Clarendon Road, which was used as the police station exterior.

  • Crowcombe Heathfield Station

    This where the Beatles run along the platform shouting to Richard Vernon playing a retired army officer 'Hey mister, can we have our ball back?'

  • Lancaster Road

    Lancaster Road in Notting Hill was used for the sequence in which Ringo wanders the streets taking arty photographs, with St Luke's Road visible in the background.

  • Minehead

    The first week of filming took place on a train travelling between London and Minehead; Minehead station and the surrounding branch line formed part of the early train sequences in the film.

  • Newton Abbott

    The Beatles' train journey for location filming ran between London and Newton Abbot in Devon, with the route providing exterior train and trackside shots used in the film.

  • Penzance Place

    An unused scene featuring The Beatles running through the Portland Arms pub-entering from Portland Road and exiting via the Penzance Place door-was filmed in this Notting Hill location.

  • Portland Road

    Portland Road in Notting Hill was used for the Portland Arms pub sequence, part of the chase and escape scenes filmed in the Notting Hill area.

  • The West Somerset Railway

    Parts of the train sequences in the first section of the film were shot on the Taunton to Minehead line (now the West Somerset Railway), including scenes at Crowcombe Heathfield station.