Help! (1965)

VHS CASE/SIDE

Length of film:  92 Minutes

Rated: U

Genre: Comedy, Musical, Adventure

Director: Richard Lester

Starring: The Beatles (John, Paul, George, Ringo), Leo McKern, Eleanor Bron, Victor Spinetti, Roy Kinnear

IMDB Rank: 7.1 /10

Part 1 Time:  31 Minutes

Part 2 Time:  61 Minutes

****** Although this break is satire, it is nevertheless an official intermission.

Where does the first part end? Ahme (Eleanor Bron) and The Beatles prepare to use a magical serum that will shrink Ringo, which will allow him to remove the ring that is stuck on his finger.

Final line of dialogue on the first part: “Alas, if he were brave this would not be necessary,” Ahme refers to Ringo as she speaks into the camera.

First line of dialogue on the second part: “Where’ve you been? You’ve been up at that temple again…” a mother speaks to her daughter who is covered in red paint from the failed temple sacrifice.

How jarring is it when the first part ends? Minimal/ Somewhat, the intermission takes us by surprise, but can be somewhat jarring as it is prior to using the shrinking serum on Ringo. Will the shrinking of Ringo enable him to take the ring off once and for all.

Which part is better? The film is a jumbled mess with a simplistic plot taking place across various landmarks across England, Austria, and the Bahamas. The film introduces The Beatles with their star drummer Ringo who (for unknown reasons) has a ring stuck to his finger. It soon becomes apparent that various groups want the ring for themselves, attempting to steal it by any means necessary. Part two is significantly better as The Beatles travel across England, Austria, and the Bahamas avoiding Clang (Leo McKern) and his cult.

Academy Awards: None