Good Ol' Freda

PG

Released Sep 6, 2013

1h 26m

Documentary

List

85%

34 Reviews

Tomatometer

78%

500+ Ratings

Audience Score

Freda Kelly, a shy Liverpudlian teen, works for a new local band -- the Beatles -- hoping to make it big. As the band's fame multiplies, Freda bears witness to music and cultural history but never exploits her insider access.

Read More

Read Less

Watch on Fandango at Home

Premiered Feb 01

Buy Now

Fandango at Home

Prime Video

Rent Good Ol' Freda on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, or buy it on Fandango at Home, Prime Video.

Critics Consensus

Good Ol' Freda proves that even after all these years, some corners of Beatles history remain unexplored -- and just as fascinating as the chapters we all know by heart.

Read Critics Reviews

kevin w

This one is a must for Beatle fans not inundated too much by the number of retrospectives given to those halcyon days when anything seemed possible, particularly shaking off the dust of "the Greatest Generation". Freda, the Beatles secretary, had little to do with the music, and literally simply answered their fan mail, but was there from the start, and so what's delivered is a intimate and touching perspective of a true lifelong fan. Very nice.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

Audience Member

A very sweet movie about a real Beatles insider. A well told story about Freda's life running the fan club of the biggest rock group ever. Beatles fans will love the details about early fame days in Liverpool. Freda is clearly a trusted person who dearly loved the Fabs. Well worth watching.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/02/23

Full Review

Audience Member

This documentary is absolutely amazing for the simple reason that Freda is an amazing soul and probably the best safe keeper of the Beatles mania from the 60's. The film is beautiful done and the passion, commitment and strong determination of this woman you make you understand why Epstein chose her over thousands of other girls to become the 5th member of the most famous quartet in music history. Humbling and enchanting from start to finish.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/26/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Quizás el mejor documental que he visto de The Beatles. La carrera de los Fab Four vista -y contada- a través de los ojos de su secretaria, Freda Kelly, buena onda y con excelente vibra siempre, quien empezó a trabajar para ellos desde los 17 años, y del principio del grupo. Repleto de increíbles fotos y anécdotas; indispensable para los fans de hueso colorado.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/16/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Really enjoyable look back at the birth of the Beatles and the lives of those around them in the early days of the band

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/02/23

Full Review

Audience Member

A beautiful story about a beautiful woman who worked for the Beatles. If you love the Beatles, then this is a treat. You will see and hear things that you've never seen or heard of the Beatles.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/23/23

Full Review

Read all reviews

Post a rating

Ryan White

Director

Freda Kelly

Self

Ringo Starr

Self

Angie McCartney

Self

Billy Kinsley

Self

Tony Barrow

Self

Show Less Cast & Crew

Show More Cast & Crew

75%

72%

Katy Perry: Part of Me

96%

76%

Dark Horse

TRAILER

for Dark Horse

63%

80%

One Direction: This Is Us

92%

85%

Red Army

97%

89%

Muscle Shoals

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

Mark Feeney

Boston Globe

Brian Epstein needed someone to run the nascent Official Beatles Fan Club. Freda, just 17, got the job.

Rated: 3/4

Sep 26, 2013

Full Review

Marsha Lederman

Globe and Mail

In this charming insider account, Kelly traces her history with the band from the very early days until after their split.

Rated: 3.5/4

Sep 20, 2013

Full Review

Moira MacDonald

Seattle Times

[A] delightful documentary ...

Rated: 3.5/4

Sep 19, 2013

Full Review

Rita Cannon

Battleship Pretension

Kelly's stories are often delightful. Combine that with tons of rare photos and great music from the Beatles and other bands of the era, and you have a breezy, amiable doc that leaves you with a smile on your face.

Feb 24, 2021

Full Review

Joanne Laurier

World Socialist Web Site

...a lively and straightforward account of the relatively humble origins of the British pop music scene in the 1960s.

Aug 13, 2020

Full Review

Morgan Rojas

Cinemacy

If you're a fan of The Beatles, then Good Ol' Freda is a must see; it's a fantastic story with heart and quirk without seeming gossipy.

Nov 12, 2018

Full Review

Read all reviews

Synopsis

Freda Kelly, a shy Liverpudlian teen, works for a new local band -- the Beatles -- hoping to make it big. As the band's fame multiplies, Freda bears witness to music and cultural history but never exploits her insider access.

Director: Ryan White
Producer: Jeffrey Blitz
Distributor: Magnolia Pictures
Production Co: Tripod Media, LLC
Rating: PG (Smoking|Some Thematic Material)
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 6, 2013, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 4, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $136.7K
Runtime: 1h 26m

Most Popular at Home Now