MovieChat Forums > Backbeat (1994) Discussion > A few little problems...

A few little problems...

posted 19 years ago by ginger_sling
32 replies | jump to latest

I loved the movie a lot (I love anything to do with the Beatles) but there were a few little things that didn't fit right.

For one, the person they cast as John didn't look like John at all. They did a pretty good job with Paul and Stu, but it took me about ten minutes of watching before I could figure out where John Lennon was.

I was kind of offed by the fact that one of the bandmates said "It's been a hard day's night." That was a Ringo quote and you'd think that, if a sixteen-year-old Beatle fan knew it, the writers of a Beatle movie would know it too.

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[–] OggieBoogieBoy 19 years ago

Ian hart looks a great deal like lennon did in that period, those pics that Astrid took in the film are almost the same as the originals.

As for the quote, I don't think Lennon ever told Stu his solo spot was *beep* either, but it hardly matters.

[–] 19 years ago

[deleted]

[–] horatiohellpop 19 years ago

The actors looked reasonably similar to how the real Beatles lloked during that time. However, they were cast because of their talent and chemistry, not just because they were lookalikes.

[–] todd-175 18 years ago

They also threw in George stating, "I'd be quite prepared for that eventuallity" which was completely lifted from "A Hard Day's Night" when he was in the TV Producer's office talking about "shirts for teenagers".

[–] eweloon 18 years ago

There's many mistakes in that movie. Though it's a great film, I find one thing very annoying; Astrid couldn't speak a word English when she firstly met the Beatles, but in the movie she's great at it.
I understand if that's just easier for the movie-makers, but it's wrong anyway.

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[–] archer1949 18 years ago

The problem I had is that they depicted Paul as simply the guy who plays back up for John.. It's as if Paul and George were session guys for John Lennon. John and Paul knew each other before Stuart Sutcliffe even came into the picture. They were a lot closer than the movie gave them credit for. They were "The Beatles", not "John Lennon, his best bud Stu and some other random guys."

I wish someone would do a proper movie about the early days of the Beatles.

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[–] st_pilot 17 years ago

I agree, te movie was about the John-Stu relationship when the strongest relationship was John and Paul, with George in there too. According to the Hunter Davies book The Beatles, Stu and Pete were more like the outsiders to the other three. They were th elast two to join the group, and were picked on by the others. Pete blew it off or argued back, but Stu would tak eit seriously, and his relationship with John, George and Paul suffered because of it. The movie would also have you believe the Lennon-McCartney songwriting partnership was nonexistent in 1960-61. Although this was due in part to the filmakers not getting the license for any Beatles original songs.

My other complaint is that the film, especially in the beginning was too fast paced. They played in Hamburg for several weeks before meeting Klaus, then he brought Astrid a few days later, and over the next few weeks, all their friends began to frequent the club. Not to mention, they stayed in Hamburg about three months initially, and in the end, George was deported first, followed by Pete and Paul, and eventully John, then Stu, who flew home when Astrid bought him a plane ticket. Again, this is according to the Hunter Davies book.

[–] HeyDigital06 18 years ago

I had a problem with the fact that Cynthia Lennon was portrayed as some clingy little girlfriend with a head scarf, Who forced john into marrying her. Thats not what happened at all in real life. I think if they would have portrayed the characters a little bit better than i would have liked it more..

[–] leah_williams82 18 years ago

Just saw the movie for the first time and thought it was great.

Ian Hart who played Lennon did a superb job but I had a hard time picking him out, too. Still, excellent.

By the way, there is another Ringo coined phrase: When Stu is in the doctor's office, he says he's in a band and works 'Eight Days A Week.'

I'm sure, like another poster said, it's just for kicks.

[–] pbrun5 15 years ago

Ringo did not coin "Eight Days a Week". McCartney heard it from a chauffeur.

[–] kathyselden 18 years ago

Yeh it wasn't totally accurate and I DID cringe when I heard that too. Fookin' Hollywooders. Did anybody else notice that 'George' says "Oh yeh I'd be quite prepared for that eventuality", a line that the real George Harrison delivered in A Hard Day's Night?

I suppose the writers knew what they were doing, cuz all these mis-quotes work as in-references to the Beatles' first film, A Hard Day's Night.

P.S. I thought Ian Hart did a good job, I knew it was him almost straight away.

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[–] MartyMacFly 18 years ago

Maybe the worst mistakes is when Stu comes into the room and teh rest of the boys are writing "Twist and Shout", a song not composed by them.

[–] ahab345 17 years ago

were they writing it or just rehearsing it...despite the many inaccuracies I still enjoyed the "feel" of the film.

[–] MartyMacFly 17 years ago

Stu says "It sounds good" and John replies, "yes, we are great composers"

[–] PirateofPie 17 years ago

Ha ha...I never realized they were "writing it." I thought they were just rehearsing it. I guess I missed that line.
But come to think of it, had Twist and Shout even been recorded yet? If memory serves me right, the Isley Brothers did it in 1962, and this part of the film is supposed to be in 1960-61 ish. Meh, I don't know...

A thing that confuses me in this movie is the whole John-Stu-Astrid love triangle. I've never heard or read anything that indicates its existence. Did it and did I just miss something? Or is this just made-up Hollywood drama?

[–] MartyMacFly 17 years ago

Well, I've heard that the Isley Brothers' was not the first version. But if the writers of the movie beleived that the Beatles had written the song, they could have mistaken the date as well.

As for the love triangle: Stu and Astrid did have a relationship (which originated Astrid's breakup with her boyfriend Klaus Voorman). It seems that Lennon had a crush on her too, but of course the exact way in which things happened are made up by the writers of the movie.

[–] PirateofPie 17 years ago

Huh. I knew about Stu and Astrid, but I didn't know John had a crush on her too.
Thanks, that thing always confused me. :)

[–] seekandannoy 17 years ago

What he actually says is "we're clever lads".

They're freedom haters. We're freedom lovers. Shh, don't tell Canada.

[–] erinker74 16 years ago

I always thought that was another example of Lennon's sarcastic wit.

[–] Noir-It-All 16 years ago

/Pete blew it off or argued back/

This is controversial:
Albert Goldman's infamous book about John Lennon opined that Pete's maturity, confidence and good looks unnerved both John and Paul. Also, his mother ran the Casbah where they played, a strong, smart, successful woman. John had to have a partner. The three other Beatles, Goldman felt, represented parts of John's personality. Pete's was too integrated so he had to go. Tell me that Ringo was a great drummer in 1961 and threatening to John and Paul.

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[–] klipindorff 17 years ago

Yeah I didn't really care that he didn't look like John. But yeah the Hard Days Night Quote really pissed me off. Like who did the research for this movie? Cause they play in two clubs before moving to the top ten club. And Paul and Pete were deported for another reason. John and Stu were never deported and John stayed in Hamburg till he made enough money to go back. And Stu stayed back till January.George went back by himself. Plus George lost his virginity in Hamburg when he was 17, and it wasn't a thing he was shy about. He just didn't lose it yet! And then there's like a million little things that were wrong. But whatever. The concept of making a movie about Stu Sucliffe was good, but get the facts straight!!!

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