HELP! (1965, U.K.)

HELP!

(1965, UK) 100 minutes color
(aka Beatles Phase II, Eight Arms to Hold You)
United Artists Corporation
Story: Marc Behm
Screenplay: Marc Behm, Charles Wood
Original Music: Paul McCartney, Ken Thorne
Cinematography: David Watkin
Film Editing: John Victor-Smith
Art Direction: Ray Simm
Produced by Walter Shenson
Directed by Richard Lester

With: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr (as The Beatles), Leo McKern (Clang), Eleanor Bron (Ahme), Victor Spinetti (Foot), Roy Kinnear (Algernon), Patrick Cargill (Superintendent), John Bluthal (Bhuta), Alfie Bass (Doorman), Warren Mitchell (Abdul), Peter Copley (Jeweller), Bruce Lacey (Lawnmower)

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In 1965, with the success of their first film A Hard Day's Night!, the Beatles and their director Richard Lester released a parody of adventure films: Help!. The story opens on a bizarre ritual in an Asian temple where Clang (played by character actor Leo McKern who would go onto greater fame as PBS TV's Judge Rumpole) the evil and bloodthirsty leader of a group of unethical worshipers is about to conduct a hideous sacrifice.

A beautiful young woman is forced to wear a lovely ring and be painted red as a prelude to be killed for the sake of the followers' god Kalli. Just as Clang is about to thrust his knife into the victim's body Ahme (Eleanor Bronson) notices that the victim (who is also her sister)is not wearing the sacrificial ring on her finger. After searching her and putting the young woman thru a grueling interrogation they find out that she had sent the ring to one of The Beatles Ringo Star and that he is wearing the ring.

Angered, Clang, Ahme and his henchman Buta fly to London, England to try and retrieve the ring from the drummer of the famous rock group. Despite their efforts the evil cultists fail to acquire the evil jewel when the rock group enjoys some soup at a Hindu restaurant. Clang and his henchmen enter the restaurant and they tell Ringo and his pals that unless they return to the cult by 5:00 P.M. they will be killed instantly.

Unable to wait Buta grabs a knife and tries to attack Ringo and the group their lives are saved by Ahme and the group flees to the streets much to the annoyance of Clang. After trying to get the ring removed by a jeweler the boys seek out a pair of nutty scientists. One of them (played by Victor Spinetti who had appeared with The Beatles in A Hard Day's Night a year before) tries to get the ring off of Ringo's finger. By strapping him to a strange device which thru the use of high pitched sound waves will make the rings expand and fall off of his fingers and drop into a metal pan on the floor.

Despite this effort the sacrificial ring remains on his hand and the scientist loses his mind. Seeing that ring as a means of ruling the world The scientist and his little assistant (played by Roy Kinnear) grab a laser and aim it at Ringo. Ahme saves the boys by pointing her pistol at the two mad scientists and the group flees once again.

Later, at the Beatles’ flat, Ahme reminds the team that his sister has been freed from the cult but they are now stalking Ringo and very soon he will become the next offering to Kalli. In order to get the ring off and save him Ahme removes a vial of a strange drug and a syringe from her purse. She will inject Ringo with this serum to make his finger shrink and the jewel will fall off and Clang's murderous plan will be thwarted. The plan to save him goes awry when the cultists break into The Beatles home and wreck the place in the interim Paul McCartney is given the drug by mistake and shrinks out of his clothes and hides nude in an ashtray.

The villains are thwarted when Ringo turns on his collection of food vending machines and hits the fiends with a barrage of hot coffee and oranges. Just as Clang and his men leave the scene the two mad scientists break into the house and demand the ring their efforts are thwarted when Spinetti's gun fails to fire. Needing protection the team seeks out the chief police inspector at Scotland Yard. At first he doesn't believe that The Beatles are in any danger until Clang calls the inspector on his phone and sends two arrows (One of them is attached to a balloon filled with red paint)thru the window and it sticks into a city map on the wall.

Now seeing that the rock group is in danger The police inspector (played by Patrick Chargrill) hires an Army tank squad to guard the boys during a recording session. This doesn't stop Clang and his men from attacking them during the recording session. Seeing that they have to get out of England the boys head for Austria, to Buckingham Palace and then to The West Indies for some relief and for further protection. The Police Inspector makes sure that the boys will be safe by having some imposters disguise themselves as Ringo to try and capture the bogus Beatle drummer So that the authorities can capture the villains and lead them to Clang and arrest him.

But Ringo is caught by the scientists and they take him to their boat docked near the beach, where they are preparing to remove the ring via surgery Ahme swims to the boar and frees Ringo and the pair jump overboard. Only to be caught by Clang's men. The evil cult leader has the pair tied up on the beach and prepares to do away with the two of them. Angrily Ringo shouts You just wait till me mates get their hands on you! Anticipating this Clang has sent for extra henchmen who have brought their machine guns and bombs, setting up their weapons on the shore and preparing to attack the other Beatles and the police if they interfere.

As Clang begins the ritual Ringo tries to free himself from his bonds he gets his hand free and he throws the ring off of his finger. As a form of revenge he places the evil jewel on Clang's finger and tells him Now get yourself sacrifice I don't subscribe to your religion. The police and John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison arrive just in time to save their mate and Ahme and they leave the scene as the authorities capture the cult and two scientists and take them to prison.

This film was not a hit with the critics but the kids liked it and it has since become a popular feature at Saturday Matinees and on tv reruns and on the home video market. Help! was recently rereleased in a new edition fully restored and featuring a documentary recalling the creation of the movie by Ms. Bronson and Mr. Spinetti. I first saw this film with my brothers at The Wakefield Theater in The Bronx, NYC back in 1965 and I seen it many times at the movies and on TV. I still find the film funny, exciting and thrilling and I also enjoy the songs performed by this famous troop of rock musicians.

- Kevin S. Butler

Video/DVD availability: VHS/DVD (United Artists Home Video)