Widely condemned as a worthless ego trip, Paul McCartney‘s musical fantasy is a great idea for a concept video that had the misfortune to be made into a feature film.
McCartney plays himself in the midst of creating a new album. In fact, the master tapes have just been finished. Unfortunately, they were entrusted to the care of an ex-con member of McCartney’s crew named Harry (Ian Hastings) and now nobody knows the whereabouts of Harry or the tapes.
Paul’s manager, Steve (Bryan Brown), is getting nervous as the money men are looming to pull the plug.
Unfazed, Paul goes about his busy routine – rehearsing his band (which includes his wife Linda and drummer Ringo Starr), and planning video shoots – before trying to track down the tapes.
Harry’s blubbering girlfriend, Sandra (Tracey Ullman) is no help and a visit to Ralph Richardson brings nothing to the proceedings. After many songs and a dream sequence or two, Harry is located at a train station.
The references to Fellini’s 8½ (1963) are laughable, and some of the musical sequences lack inspiration – most notably the orchestral elongation of Eleanor Rigby, during which Paul, his wife Linda, Ringo Starr and Barbara Bach go on a Victorian picnic, but fans will enjoy the Beatles‘ classics and newer songs like Ballroom Dancing.
Paul
Paul McCartney
Steve
Bryan Brown
Ringo
Ringo Starr
Linda
Linda McCartney
Journalist
Barbara Bach
Sandra
Tracey Ullman
Jim
Ralph Richardson
Harry
Ian Hastings
Record producer
George Martin
Mr Rath
John Bennett
Disc Jockey voice
Graham Dene
Company accountant
Leonard Fenton
Director
Peter Webb
