Give My Regards to Broad Street (film)
Paul McCartney began filming Give My Regards to Broad Street in November 1982. This project marked his first attempt at a non-documentary feature film since Magical Mystery Tour ended in 1967. He had nurtured the idea for years while promoting his previous album Pipes of Peace. Production wrapped by July 1983, just before the scheduled autumn release date arrived. The film was produced by Andros Epaminondas and directed by Peter Webb. It starred McCartney alongside Bryan Brown and Ringo Starr. Both McCartney and Linda appeared as themselves within the narrative.
The film featured real-world appearances by Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, and Linda McCartney playing themselves. Bryan Brown appeared as a supporting actor within the production. The cast included members of the band who were present during the original studio session. These musicians helped piece the track back together in the video game adaptation released later. The film served as a vehicle for McCartney to showcase his musical talents alongside acting duties. It marked a significant moment in his career following the success of the Beatles' films. Critics noted the presence of these famous figures throughout the narrative structure.
Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave the film one out of four stars. He praised its music as wonderful but wrote that it is about as close as you can get to a nonmovie. He particularly criticized the long, irrelevant dream sequences and the poor photography. Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes has clocked the film's positive review score at 22% based on reviews by 18 critics. Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of
B- on an A+ to F scale. Despite negative critical reception, the soundtrack album sold well. No More Lonely Nights was nominated for a Golden Globe Award and a BAFTA Film Award for Best Original Song-Motion Picture. The title refers to London's Broad Street railway station and takes inspiration from George M. Cohan's song Give My Regards to Broadway.
Rupert and the Frog Song appeared as a thirteen-minute animated film shown in cinemas immediately preceding Give My Regards to Broad Street. This short film contained the song We All Stand Together sung by McCartney and the Frog Chorus.
Simultaneously with the film's premiere in November, We All Stand Together was released as a single. It became a hit in the UK reaching number three on the charts. The animation provided a musical interlude before the main feature began its narrative journey. Critics noted the contrast between the animated segment and the live-action drama that followed.
A video game based on the film was released for the Commodore 64 and ZX Spectrum home computers in 1985. The game was developed by Argus Press Software and released in its Mind Games series. The C64 version was published by Mastertronic in the U.S. under catalog number ICD-0082. The game takes place after the action of the film when one track from the album goes missing from the recovered tapes. Without this lead single, the studio is back
in jeopardy once again. The player takes the role of McCartney who must travel around London to track down members of the band. Other people who were at the original studio session help piece the track back together. The game package contained a fold out map of London and profiles of the characters which the player needs to use to predict where to find them.
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Common questions
When did Paul McCartney begin filming Give My Regards to Broad Street?
Paul McCartney began filming Give My Regards to Broad Street in November 1982. Production wrapped by July 1983, just before the scheduled autumn release date arrived.
Who directed and produced the film Give My Regards to Broad Street?
The film was produced by Andros Epaminondas and directed by Peter Webb. It starred McCartney alongside Bryan Brown and Ringo Starr with both McCartney and Linda appearing as themselves within the narrative.
What critical reception did Roger Ebert give to Give My Regards to Broad Street?
Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave the film one out of four stars. He praised its music as wonderful but wrote that it is about as close as you can get to a nonmovie while criticizing long irrelevant dream sequences and poor photography.
How many critics contributed to the Rotten Tomatoes score for Give My Regards to Broad Street?
Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes has clocked the film's positive review score at 22% based on reviews by 18 critics. Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of B- on an A+ to F scale.
When was the video game adaptation of Give My Regards to Broad Street released?
A video game based on the film was released for the Commodore 64 and ZX Spectrum home computers in 1985. The game was developed by Argus Press Software and released in its Mind Games series.