McCartney's Broad Street at 40 | Were The Critics Right?

On the 40th anniversary of it's release, we look at Paul McCartney's one and only film, 'Give My Regards To Broad Street'. Using contemporary reviews, we look at how the film was received in the UK and the U.S. and what I though of it when I saw it for the first time just a few days ago.

0:00 - Opening & intro
1:01 - No More Lonely Nights
3:32 - The film's production
5:34 - The choice of songs
7:27 - Squarespace ad
8:35 - Paul does promotion for the film
9:28 - UK premiere and newspaper reviews
14:19 - Rupert saves the day
15:10 - My review
18:11 - The effect on his career

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[HartponderJr]

I was a staff photographer who got a credential to see Paul and Linda in Los Angeles for the movie. I shouted out when they walked in “you two look great” and they did… Paul pointed to me and said “That’s my favorite photographer!” Got some really great photos (film of course).

[scott]

My friend and I took a bus downtown the Saturday after it opened to see it. We were both 13 and were just happy to see our hero up on the big screen singing and playing guitar. The story was irrelevant to us. We treated it more like an extended music video, not Casablanca, and in doing that we enjoyed it just fine.
The following Monday I got my dad to drive me to a local shop to pick up the album on cassette, which of course included extra songs and longer versions than the LP. It was my most-played tape for months to come.
By the way, I live in Canada, and I can confirm that Rupert did indeed play before the film here and I still have the newspaper clipping of the ad for the movie to prove it.

Broad Street still gives me fond memories of a simpler time which I cherish. I never gave a damn what the critics and naysayers had to say about it... and I still don't!

And it IS an anniversary we are celebrating, by the way. We will be watching the film next weekend, 40 years to the day I first saw it.

[mrleetheteacher]

I was a teenager at the time and my father took me to the movie theater to see it. The film was horrible, but I cherish the memory of my father doing this for me.

[Vince_Tasciotti]

It's not the absolute worst film I've seen. It's more like a collection of music videos edited together with scenes of dialogue and convincing sets. You put the record on for the music. And put the movie on for a background distraction.

[bullseyecanada]

I went to see the movie with the knowledge that McCartney wasn't an actor. I recognized, immediately that what was presented on the screen was a long-form video ALBUM of the songs featured on vinyl, cassette, and CD - using a thin thread of "plot" to string them together. These were tailor made for MTV. The fact that the segments weren't marketed and promoted individually as such after the failure in theatres was very short-sighted. It would take YouTube 30 years later to make that a reality.

[fbt]

I first watched it as kid on TV and my first reaction was, "Hey, it's Paul on the movie!". After that I didn't care if it'd going to be good or bad, it was all about Paul being on the movie and that's what mattered to draw my attention.

[josephblue]

I was 30 when this film was released and I never saw it. I'm now seeing it for the first time at the age of 70 and I'm glad I did.
Thank you Andrew for the link.

[theadventuresofhollythecat]

Discovered the Beatles in 82 with the re-release of love me do. I was 10. Pipes of peace was the first McCartney album I owned which I loved. Then with my pocket money brought the single of No more lonely nights and so on. Must be one of the few that actually enjoyed the film. Thanks for the insight….just checked my childhood copy and have the mis-spelt version. Wasn’t aware of that mistake until your video. Thanks Andrew. Really enjoy your channel

[buddyneher]

"The Anniversary No One is Celebrating" 😀 Ouch! (Rutles reference)

[Author]

I was happy to see it. My hero on the screen. I was 12 at the time and had no care for how bad the plot was. It was Paul and the music. What more can you ask for? For me, it was magical to see Paul play the music and sing the songs.

[elvispresleycollectorsgroup]

Great video making and enjoyable review Andrew. If anything it was great to see Paul and Ringo together again at the time and remember enjoying this soundtrack at the time!

[andynator]

I saw this film when it was released in the US and still remember the advert for the cinema in my local newspaper - it was "Do You Wanna See Something Funny?" with cutouts of Paul and Ringo in the ad. I still have the LP that I bought at the time, the VHS copy I bought when it was released, and the CD I bought on Amazon 20 years later. The LP was the first record I played on my new hi-fi system when I began getting back into music in 2022.

I treat this film the same as all of The Beatles films - it's best to view it as a series of performances and MTV-style videos, rather than a complete film. And the "Eleanor's Dream" sequence will always be a masterpiece to me.

[kgammill]

That “chat show” clip was Paul being interviewed by Bobbie Wygant on the local NBC affiliate in Ft. Worth, Texas. She just passed away earlier this year at age 97. Cool to see her in the video.

[MrJameswingham]

I took myself to see this at the Odeon, Marble Arch, the day after it premiered there. I don't know about lonely nights but it was a pretty lonely afternoon. I was joined in the auditorium by a family of 4, who left directly after the Rupert short, leaving me to watch the movie in a now empty cinema. It's actually a fond memory and I do have a soft spot for the film. If only Handmade Films had produced this, using decent scriptwriters. I always imagined George behind the bar of the Old Justice, in a little cameo part, listening to Ravi Shankar while he cleaned the beer taps and emptied the

[MrKaywyn]

I'm so glad that you're reviewing this film, since, it's been a great favourite of mine for many years.

[daranmurphy]

Hi Andrew. Interesting take on the movie. I actually own this on a 40 year old Laserdisc which is still playable today.

[j.r.shartzer]

I'm excited to see you follow-up this video. In my childhood memories, Off the Ground and his work with Elvis Costello made some waves, but it wasn't really until Flaming Pie that it felt like "Paul is back!"

[Mrvictorfernandes]

Even though "Broadstreet" is a cringy slog, I still love mimicking Bryan Brown's delivery of this line from the film: "Gentlemen! I'm sure you'd like to be the first to know... We got the tapes!"

[garylynch]

Needs remembering that Paul had been extremely unavailable for years. To such a degree that an interview with him was a hit album. To hear him sing those Beatles songs in 84 was unreal.

[joshsmusiclibrary]

Loved loved loved the album! When I first got into McCartney's solo work, it was a great stepping stone and some of remakes are really really beautiful. It was my favourite version of Long and Winding Road for a WHILE! And No More Lonely Nights - what a song!!