BeatleLinks Fab Forum - Beatles' Buddy Recalls 'A Hard Days Night'

http://www.nbc4.tv/entertainment/1695038/detail.html

From left, Victor Spinetti, "Breakfast With the Beatles" radio show host Chris Carter, AHDN DVD producer Martin Lewis and John "Shake" Junkin. Spinetti, Junkin and Lewis were guests on Carter's radio show on Sept. 29

Having veteran British stage and screen actor Victor Spinetti in "A Hard Day's Night" had to have been the easiest decision the Beatles ever had to make in their lives -- or, at least the easiest decision George Harrison's mother ever had to make.

"George said, 'You not only gotta be in the film, you gotta be in all our films -- because if you're not in 'em, my Mum won't come and see 'em because she fancies you,'" Spinetti gleefully recalled for me in a recent @ The Movies interview.

"And, better yet, Spinetti got to meet his "casting agent." "She was adorable, she even gave me an autograph," he enthused. "I can still see it now, 'Louise Harrison,' on the back of a menu card."

Spinetti played the snooty television director in "A Hard Day's Night," the Beatles' classic feature film debut from 1964, that's new on DVD (Miramax Home Entertainment). Spinetti went on to star in "Help!" and "Magical Mystery Tour" with the group, but perhaps more importantly, he became fabulous lifelong friends with the Fab Four.

But along with his close friendship came major heartbreak. John Lennon was lost in December 1980 to an assassination, while Harrison lost his long battle with cancer in November of last year. Fortunately, his relationships with both Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr remain as strong as ever.

So, needless to say, viewing "A Hard Days Night" these days comes with bittersweet emotions. But refusing to let the tragedies that have struck the group bring him down, Spinetti ultimately calls what he sees "a celebration."

"It's like a memorial service, when you say 'What we're going to do is celebrate the life, and not talk about the death,'" Spinetti explained. "Otherwise, you wouldn't be able to watch any classic movie, like, say, 'Casablanca,' and think how of how Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman are no longer with us."

Crashing Foals

So, what is it exactly that gives "A Hard Day's Night" it's longevity? Spinetti believes the film has stood the test of time for nearly 40 years for one simple reason -- fresh and unfettered joy.

"What we see in 'Hard Day's Night' are the beginnings -- the first time they crashed around fields like young foals," Spinetti observed. "They certainly became stallions later on -- and years later they all changed. And as George used to say to me, 'The only permanent thing is life, Vic, is change.' "

[Victor Spinetti in 'A Hard Day's Night'] While the Beatles grew both personally and professionally over the years, Spinetti said the one constant over the years is that the lads from Liverpool always remained honest and humble.

Spinetti says he recognized those qualities the first time he met the group, which was just before filming "A Hard Day's Night."

And, if they were going to convince their audiences, they had to keep it real and play themselves for who they were, too. It may sound easy, but it's quite the opposite, Spinetti explained.

"It's the most difficult thing to do, because most people hide. People put on all sorts of masks, from being shy to hostile to disinterested," Spinetti said. "When I first met them, we looked directly into each others eyes and we talked to each other, and I said 'You're not hidden.' They were directly there."

And without question, that valuable attribute made making "A Hard Day's Night" easy for the group. Just take one look at them in any of the concert scenes, smiling so joyfully -- it doesn't take a lifelong fan of the group to tell that what you see is absolutely genuine.

"I said to them, 'You have that Colgate ring of truth -- you don't look like liars,'" Spinetti recalled. "There's honesty on the stage as they are playing their musical instruments. There was nobody counting the house -- it was about the joy of having fun with it.

From Yesterday To Today

Spinetti remained in touch with the group over the years, whether it was simply to get together with Harrison to engage in deep conversations, or collaborating with Lennon in bringing his books of poetry and prose to the London stage.

Most recently, McCartney rang up Spinetti before the former Beatle's June wedding to see if he could stop by and have tea with his old friend.

[Victor Spinetti with George Harrison and John Lennon (front) in 'A Hard Day's Night'] "He came over and we reminisced and we talked about John, about Linda, and Grahams, a great, great friend of mine who died of cancer at the same time," Spinetti recalled. "We also talked about how life goes on, and later on, he invited me over to meet his new lady, Heather (Mills). She's going to be fine with him."

Unfortunately, Spinetti couldn't attend McCartney and Mills' wedding, but his old Beatle bud didn't forget about him.

"I was on tour in South Hampton and he sent me a huge bunch of flowers because he knew I couldn't go," Spinetti said. "I also sent him a note congratulating him on his tour of the U.S."

Starr is more distant from Spinetti than McCartney, but only in terms of miles, not emotions.

"He lives in Monaco, but when we meet, sometimes we meet in the streets (of London) and he says 'Viiiicc," and there's this huge embrace and kiss and we don't give a s*** who's watching," Spinetti said with an infectious laugh. "Nothing changes. It's just the same as when I first saw him.

"These lads were unique. They were not the type people who went up in the world as everyone went down," Spinetti continued. "Michael Caine said the most horrible thing once and was so pleased with it: 'You know when you are rich and famous you can no longer go out with your friends who are not rich and famous as you are because they only ask for things.' That's a certain person, set in a certain style. Well, the lads were never like that and they never will be, and that's it."

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[This Message Has Been Edited By shyGirl On October 04, 2002 09:20 AM]