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Saturday, April 15, 2017

THE DREADFUL DRAMATIC DIALOGUE AND ACTION DELETED FROM “A HARD DAY’S NIGHT,” and ended up on the cutting room floor. Third Post.


Today brings part 3, featuring more deleted but curious scenes removed from the motion picture, “A Hard Day’s Night” as we continue this fun journey to acquire further bits and pieces how the film’s screenplay originally proposed its running cameras to showcase the Beatles in their first movie. Remember, all rejected portions show in [Bold Font.] . . . So, without further ado, let’s go.

Hear and now unfolds the scene that has Norm puzzled why grandfather hasn’t returned from down the ahh, and Shake shrugs it off believing the old fellow needs a couple more minutes. But, it isn’t the call of nature that has delayed Senior McCartney, it’s something much more as you will soon discover. . .

(Shake, and Norm sits quietly on the train as one looks out the window and the other buried deep in a Mad Magazine paperback. Norm looks at his watch nervously.) Norm: “He’s been gone a long time,”

Shake: (Without looking up.) “Who?”

Norm: “Paul’s grandfather.”

Shake: “Oh, I didn’t notice, where’d he go?”

Norm: “Down the––ahh.”

Shake: “Oh. Down the––ahh.”

Norm: “Yeah, down the––ahh.”

Shake: “Well, give him a couple more minutes.” He resumes reading, but Norm continues to worry.
[(Interior of another train compartment. Grandfather is in full flight of conversation with a charming elderly lady, Audrey, who is listening intently.)

Grandfather: (Proudly) “Yes, I’m their manager, I discovered them,”

Audrey: “Did you indeed, Mr. McCartney?”

Grandfather: “Now, Audrey, I told you, the name’s John. We show biz people are a friendly lot.”

Audrey: “Of course.”

Grandfather: Yes, they were playing the queues outside the picture palaces of Liverpool. Scruffy young lads, even lacking the price of a jam roll. Orphans, every Paddy’s son of em. I saw their potential at once although I had me doubts about the little fella, a savage primitive, that Ringo, but it was him what gave in first. He picked up a brick and heaved it at me, and I quelled him with one fierce flash of me eyes. “’Mister, can you spare us a penny copper?”’ he said, I was disarmed by the grubby little-outstretched mauler––so, I took them under me managerial banner.”

Audrey: “The usual ten percent?”

Grandfather: “Oh, not at all, I let them have twenty-five percent; sure, aren’t there four of them?”

Audrey: (Her eyes lighting up) “How fascinating. Do go on, John.”

Grandfather: “Oh, I’m all heart, Ma’am, all heart.”]

(Interior of the train’s corridor) Norm and Shake meet the Boys returning from coffee. Norm: Hey, have you seen Paul’ Grandfather?”

John: “Of course, he’s concealed about me person.”

Norm: No, he’s slipped off somewhere.”

Paul: (Accusingly) “Have you lost him?”

Norm: “Don’t exaggerate.”

Paul: “You’ve lost him.”

Shake: “Put it this way, he’s mislaid him.”

Paul: “You can’t trust you with anything, Norm. If you’ve lost him, I’ll cripple you.”

Shake: “He can’t be far.”

[John: ”I hope he fell off.”

Paul: “Don’t be callous.”

Norm: “Come, lads, let’s look up the sharp end.”  (Skipping the next few scenes)

Interior Train Compartment with John & Audrey. From the Boys point of view, we see the elderly couple sipping champagne and nibbling caviar on toast. Grandfather: (Looking up) “Congratulate me, Boys, I’m engaged.”

Paul: “Oh no you’re not.” [ “You’ve gone too far this time–– and who’s paying for all this?”

Grandfather: “It’s all taken care of. It’s down on our bill.”

Paul: “Oh, well that’s alright.” (Realizing) “What?”

Audrey: “Young man, kindly moderate your tone when you address my fiancée.”

Paul: “I’m sorry, Missus, but the betrothal’s off.” (He grabs Grandfather’s arm) “I’ll refuse my consent; he’s over-age,” (Audrey grabs Grandfather’s other arm and pulls him back,)

Audrey: “Leave him alone, after all he’s done for you is this the way you repay him?” (A tug of war starts between the two)

Paul: (Pulling) “Him? He’s never done anything for anybody in his life.”

Audrey: (Pulling) “You dare to say that when even those ridiculous clothes you are wearing were bought when you forced him to sell out his gilt-edged Indomitables,” (John and George jump on the seat egging Paul and Audrey on.)

John: “Come on, Auntie, you’re winning.”

George: “Get in there, Paul, she’s weakening.”

Ringo: (Attempts to end it.) “Look, Missus, this is all a misunderstanding, you see, he’s . . .

Audrey: “Keep away from me, you depraved lout, I know all about your terrible past.”

Ringo: “Ya-What?” (She hits Ringo with her handbag and continues struggling with Paul for Grandfather. Ringo grabs her handbag to stop her from hitting him.)

Ringo: “He’s given me a bad character, blackguarding me name to all and sundry. He’s got to be stopped. It’s not fair.” (Ringo pushes out into the corridor, forgetting that he is holding the handbag. A voice shouts off from a distance,)

Voice: That’s one of them, stop thief.” (From Ringo’s point of view, we see Johnson approaching with a Guard. Ringo turns the other way and is joined by his mates. Coming their way, we see the two schoolgirls holding autograph books followed by ten other girls from the same academy. Both groups are closing in on the Boys. There is no escape from the narrow corridor.)

Ringo: (Looking down at the handbag) “Oh, Mother.”]

Scene change - 

Next week, Grandfather is sulking behind bars in the baggage bin.

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2 comments:

  1. correction:

    John: ”I hope he fell off.”

    Paul: “Don’t be callous.”

    That dialogue was NOT omitted. It was included in the film.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Asif, I just now took another look at the film and watching that scene you described above, those two lines from John & Paul are not presented in the dialogue. If you have a revised copy of this movie, I'd love to know more about it.

      Delete