Let It Be | Page 5 | Fab Forum | The Beatles Bible

Let it Be. That’s what they should have done, simply Let it Be. Allen Klein, Phil Spector, all the business people at Apple, and Paul McCartney . Let the Beatles make their own music. Let Michael Lindsay-Hogg direct his own film. Let John go with Yoko. It would have made it so much easier. 

As far as entertainment value goes, Let it Be is not at the top of the Beatles film list; I would say it at least ties with Magical Mystery Tour as far as that is concerned. Yet, Magical Mystery Tour is an easier film to watch. Let it Be is painful, but not for the reasons most people may expect. Yes, it’s true The Beatles were over. Yes, the music they are making is subpar. Yes, they are fighting on screen. All of those might be legitimate gripes, but each are all resolved by the end of the film. We see them playing finished versions of the songs, together as a group, and securing them places in the mythos that is The Beatles legacy. Even a few of the things not resolved (John’s heroin addiction, George’s unrest, and Ringo barely being there) don’t distract from the beauty of the music and the wonder at seeing masters at work. For years, I have wondered what made the film so difficult to watch. Then, just a few weeks ago when I sat down to watch it again, it occurred to me: The reason the film is hard to watch is Paul McCartney .

At this time, the Beatles were broken up. John had learned via his appearance on the Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus that there was a life making music beyond The Beatles. George had learned this whilst producing records for Jackie Lomax and hanging out with The Band at Woodstock. Ringo would get studio work with John and George, as well as release his own album of classic covers, Sentimental Journey. All the while, Paul was losing his army buddies.

There is really only one reason Let it Be happened, and that reason is Paul McCartney . It was his idea to, in order to fulfill their film contract, film the band rehearsing and then recording their new album of material. It was also his idea to continue the stripped down nature of the recordings, as had been evident during The White Album . Now he had his band back together in the studio, and that was the last place in the world they wanted to be. The film Let it Be doesn’t so much showcase the breakup of The Beatles, but rather Paul McCartney desperately trying to hold the idea of The Beatles. His nostalgia for the band overshadows the reality that they were ready to move on. It’s this desperation that makes the film so sad, not necessarily because of what facts are displayed on screen, but rather because we all know the outcome. Those familiar with the history know the eventual bastardization of his album (Let it Be is no doubt his album) would enrage him. The signing over of management to Allen Klein would alienate him. The pushing back of McCartney so as not to interfere with Let it Be would crush him. This was the end of The Beatles, and it was harder on Paul than any other. It is safe to say that Paul got screwed, and we are essentially watching it happen on Let it Be. 

I think that it is fitting that despite all the hatred which floated in Paul’s direction at the time, and all of the negative press that was given to his first solo album McCartney, that Paul had the most successful solo career of any of the Beatles. John and George had incredibly strong showings for their first solo records, but with each successive album, the praise waned. Then, here comes Paul, reenergized with his new project Wings and ready to take the world by storm. In a way, the ending of the Beatles which beat Paul down so far only strengthened his resolve to come back better than ever, and by God , he did. 

The historical value of Let it Be is not to be understated. As a document, it is as important as A Hard Day’s Night . Preservation is essential, and that has been taken care of. The film has been restored to highest possible quality, according to Michael Lindsay-Hogg, and eventually it will be released. I fear, however, that this will not occur during Paul McCartney ‘s lifetime. When it does eventually come out, it may be hard for the public to look at the film in context, to view it as what it is: a snapshot of the end. The real pain comes from the subtext, and thus perhaps the public will have a better appreciation for the film. The rooftop concert alone is justification. Still, I can’t help but feel a little sorry for Paul while watching the film. No matter what the eventual outcome, it is never a pretty thing to see someones world collapse around them.