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      Let It Be

      G Released May 13, 1970 1h 28m Documentary List
      75% 12 Reviews Tomatometer 88% 5,000+ Ratings Audience Score Initially slated to be a television documentary about the Beatles in the studio, this film, directed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg, instead captures the writing and recording of their penultimate album, "Let It Be." After the dense complexity of "The White Album," Paul McCartney wants to return to basics with the next offering. However, tensions within the band are high and quickly become frayed in the studio. The film ends with a rooftop concert in London, the last live show from the group. Read More Read Less

      Audience Reviews

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      Audience Member I'm a huge Beatle fan, and I've been one since December 1963, so as much as I hate to say this, but this is "reality tv" of the heavily edited kind. Plus, it's boring. The trailers are far more entertaining than this "documentary". Again, I love the Beatles. Don't love this film. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 02/05/23 Full Review Audience Member I meant this for the 2021 documentary. This documentary is a fascinating look into the group's last phase. It corrects the historical record as to the relationship within the band and dispels the previous version that showed this period as totally acrimonious. It also showcased the creative genius behind this band, showing Paul creating "Get Back" from a relentless jam. It also showed that George discussing his solo ambitions with John (and Yoko, who we learn was not the instigator of the breakup). George still held out the belief he could release this album separately and still be a part of the Beatles. This documentary's brilliance is that not only is it a look back but a guide to aspiring artists as to how to deal with competing pressures, deadlines, and internal strife, and still overcome these and create great work. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/25/23 Full Review Audience Member It's fascinating if you are interested in the musical creative process, or the most famous band in the world or one of the seminal moments in music history. Mostly the film has a miserable undercurrent with the famous Paul and George row and generally no-one looking too happy. But there are bright spots which shine even brighter because of the context, in particular the jamming of Octopuses Garden. The rooftop concert is absolutely fantastic, all these people in 70s fashion and E-type jags driving around. I had no idea the police came and stopped it although the Beatles were on their 2nd rendition of Get back. Sounded fantastic and looked like they were enjoying it, so another bright spot. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/16/23 Full Review Audience Member As tremendously sad as it is to watch these friendships and this band break up, to see Paul flail desperately as he tries to keep them together and going, his efforts in effect pushing them further away and apart, to feel George's barely contained frustration and John's obvious boredom along with them, to admire Ringo's warmth and forbearance through it all, the little insights that the fly-on-the-wall documentary gives into their creative process, how it captures gods at their most vulnerable, and the undeniable joy of that final rooftop concert make for a bittersweet final bow. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/30/23 Full Review Brett G Should have been titled, "Let it Be Paul". Historically important, but hard to keep awake with all the bickering, poor production values and audio. Perhaps a new HD release of this almost-forgotten film will improve the experience.... Rated 3 out of 5 stars 07/05/19 Full Review Audience Member An interesting look at the Beatles in the studio, could've and should've been way better though, for fans it is worth a watch. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/05/23 Full Review Read all reviews Post a rating

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      Let It Be

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      Critics Reviews

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      Variety Staff Variety Let It Be is a relatively innocuous, unimaginative piece of film. Sep 6, 2007 Full Review Time Out The sycophancy of the direction notwithstanding, this survives as a fascinating record of both the Beatles' collapse and their unending power over their audience (us). Jun 24, 2006 Full Review Dave Kehr Chicago Reader Sanitized it may well be, but agonizing nonetheless -- it's a domestic squabble that somehow touches history. Sep 26, 2002 Full Review Tony Palmer Observer (UK) The film is a bore. It's supposed to show how the Beatles work, but it doesn't. Shot without any design, clumsily edited, uninformative and naive, it would have destroyed a lesser group. Jan 17, 2018 Full Review TV Guide The scenes included in the film show the four simply trying to make music, and often as not having fun doing it. Rated: 3/4 Sep 6, 2007 Full Review Lori Hoffman Atlantic City Weekly Rated: 3/5 Jan 25, 2006 Full Review Read all reviews

      Movie Info

      Synopsis Initially slated to be a television documentary about the Beatles in the studio, this film, directed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg, instead captures the writing and recording of their penultimate album, "Let It Be." After the dense complexity of "The White Album," Paul McCartney wants to return to basics with the next offering. However, tensions within the band are high and quickly become frayed in the studio. The film ends with a rooftop concert in London, the last live show from the group.
      Director
      Michael Lindsay-Hogg
      Producer
      George Harrison, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr
      Distributor
      United Artists
      Rating
      G
      Genre
      Documentary
      Original Language
      English (United Kingdom)
      Release Date (Theaters)
      May 13, 1970, Original
      Release Date (Streaming)
      May 8, 2024
      Runtime
      1h 28m