A Hard Day's Night

Cynthia on the streets of London, Spring of 1964

Photographed by Astrid Kirchherr

The first film John was in. It started to film in the beginning of March and ended until the end of April. John played himself, but his movie character appeared to be not married as he flirted with a showgirl dancer. To be fair, Paul too was “seeing” a showgirl dancer, not Jane Asher. Not very much other than John was home in London so he was able to come home to Cynthia every night. Cynthia did visit him on the set, according to Victor Spinetti at one of the Beatles conventions Q&A.

“During our relatively short stay in Emperor's Gate so many marvelous things took place, the first being A Hard Day's Night, the Beatles' first film… John went through hell making that film, he had to be at the studios at a very early hour and John hated getting up early. He would be chauffeur-driven to the studio with the rest of the boys and return home at about seven at night exhausted, only to find the place in a stage of siege.”

Cynthia, from her 1978 book A Twist of Lennon

“Back in London we barely had time to draw breath before the boys started making their first film, A Hard Day's Night… John was excited about making a film: it was another creative medium to explore and he was fascinated by the whole process. But he hated having to get up at dawn to be driven to the studio. He wasn't home again until seven in the evening, by which time he was exhausted. The whole film was shot in the space of a few weeks. It went on to become the most successful pop spin-off film ever.”

Cynthia, from her 2005 book John

George Harrison and Pattie Boyd on the set of A Hard Day's Night, 1964

I suppose I could point out that George Harrison met and fell in love with Pattie Boyd. Pattie was a model that got casted as a school girl on the train by Richard Lester with other models as school girls after being in his commercial. George asked her out but got turned down! Pattie had a boyfriend; about two weeks later, the relationship was over. Pattie was then called back to the set. George casually asked how the boyfriend was and Pattie told him it was finished… George wasn't definitely sad about it and asked her out again and this time he got lucky! I don't know when exactly Pattie and Cynthia met, but it wasn't long. When Pattie first met John, she was a little scared of him and didn't ask for her autograph as she did with the other three (George gave her seven kisses X's under his name).

Astrid, Maureen, and Pattie at Scala Theatre watching the filming of A Hard Day's Night, 1964

Okay, getting sidetracked here. Let's reel it in and go back to A Hard Day's Night: Pattie wasn't the only thing that was happening! Maureen Cox came from Liverpool to visit Ringo Starr on the set, as did Astrid Kirchherr from Hamburg. Astrid came down with Max Scheler for a project, not only visiting the set but going their homes. But, John didn't want Max to his home- he barely knew that guy! So, Astrid came. I believe it was her first time meeting Julian, who was turning one year old.

"I was very friendly with Cynthia, John's first wife, and used to visit them at their flat in London..."

Astrid Kirchherr

John and George sword fighting in Ireland while Cynthia and Pattie were in hiding from the press

Over Easter weekend (March 27-30th), John, Cynthia, George, and Pattie decided to take a quick vacation to Ireland. This would be George and Pattie's first official vacation and their relationship was still very new. Worrywart Brian Epstein was trying to downplay the romance but it was starting to be impossible. They stayed at Dromoland Castle but the press found out and mobbed the place. John and George confirmed they were there to take a break, even hammed up to the press by putting on a sword fight and a game of croquet. But it got too much. The press was very much interested in the new girl that George was seeing. More about this later but needless to say, the vacation was cut short.

Julian, around his first birthday

John's handwritten lyrics of A Hard Day's Night in back of Julian's birthday card (from who? I wonder)

And yes, as just mentioned, Julian turned one year old! John was home for the big milestone! I don't know if there was a birthday party or anything… During that day, filming was halted when fans managed to break into Twickenham Studios. Other than that, nothing else in a lot of Beatles’ chronology books… I am hoping that John spent most of the day with Julian and Cynthia. The film needed a lead song, so Richard Lester asked John and Paul to write one. John must have had a flash of idea that he grabbed whatever was nearby and writable: the back of Julian's birthday card. He wrote A Hard Day's Night on it. It became the title of the movie. Personally, I do believe the lyrics do have Cynthia as a muse (more on that momentarily). During the filming, The Beatles also recorded the soundtrack album, A Hard Day's Night.

John and Cynthia at the Dorchester Hotel for his In His Own Write luncheon

Another big moment for John in April was his first book release, In His Own Write. On April 23, 1964, John was the guest of honor for the Foyle's Literary Guild luncheon at Dorchester Hotel; he missed the day of filming of A Hard Day's Night with The Beatles with the running/playing around in the courtyard during Can't Buy Me Love sequence. John and Cynthia were suffering hangovers from partying the night before after going to dinner with friends and went to the Ad Lib club with only four hours of sleep. John and Cynthia ended up sitting apart with John being the center of attention while Cynthia enjoyed the company of Earl of Arran Arthur Gore and Marty Wilde. I'll get more into In His Own Write in its own individual post as I want this to be about A Hard Day's Night.

John and Cynthia at the premiere of A Hard Day's Night

A Hard Day's Night premiered at London Pavilion on July 6, 1964, followed by a party at the Dorchester Hotel. Before the event, an excited Cynthia combed through just about every dress shop to find the right evening gown for the event. She found it, but unfortunately it needed to be fitted and would be ready on the day of the premiere; Lillian went to pick up the dress. Cynthia went with John, Paul, George, and Ringo, walking on the red carpet with her husband's arm around her; she felt like a Princess. She also met a real Princess, Princess Margaret (sister of Queen Elizabeth II) introduced by John… I don't think the Princess was all that interested other than talking to the Beatles, Richard Lester, and producer Walter Shenson but Cynthia was still rather starstruck of meeting royalty.

The only thing that bothers me is that Cynthia always described the wrong dress for A Hard Day’s Night premiere… she always confused it with the Help! premiere outfit. It feels like no one ever bothered to correct her when it was obvious.

A Hard Day's Night 1964

It's been a hard day's night, and I've been working like a dog
It's been a hard day's night, I should be sleeping like a log
But when I get home to you I'll find the things that you do
Will make me feel alright
You know I work all day to get you money to buy you things
And it's worth it just to hear you say you're going to give me everything
So why on earth should I moan, 'cause when I get you alone
You know I feel ok
When I'm home everything seems to be right
When I'm home feeling you holding me tight, tight, yeah
It's been a hard day's night, and I've been working like a dog
It's been a hard day's night, I should be sleeping like a log
But when I get home to you I'll find the things that you do
Will make me feel alright
So why on earth should I moan, 'cause when I get you alone
You know I feel ok
When I'm home everything seems to be right
When I'm home feeling you holding me tight, tight, yeah
Oh, it's been a hard day's night, and I've been working like a dog
It's been a hard day's night, I should be sleeping like a log
But when I get home to you I'll find the things that you do
Will make me feel alright
You know I feel alright
You know I feel alright

Why do I think why Cynthia is part of being a muse of the song? Well… who else would be in John's home? Who else would he get her money to buy things? Who else would be holding him? … or I am wrong and it's really about Sonnie Freeman, their downstairs neighbor John was cheating with? My money is on Cynthia. I don't think Sonnie ever spent a penny of John's money.