David Hurn (b. 1934)

Pattie Boyd: The instructions for my first day’s filming on A Hard Day’s Night were to go to Paddington station and meet three other models, who had also been cast as schoolgirls, under the clock at 8:00 a.m., then join a train halfway down platform one. About ten minutes out of London it ground to an unexpected halt at a tiny station, deserted but for four familiar figures, who leaped on board and bounced into our compartment to say hello. They introduced themselves fleetingly, one made a crack and we all laughed, then they bounced out. They were enchanting and we cursed our luck to be meeting them in school uniforms. The film crew had taken over the train and most of the action happened on the move. It was supposedly about two days in the life of the Beatles and the train scene began with the four racing into a station, chased by hundreds of screaming fans, then jumping into a train that pulled away, leaving the fans forlornly on the platform. They had done that bit at Marylebone station before they met up with us. We were involved in the action once they had supposedly jumped into the carriage. The train took us to Cornwall and back, not that I remember much of the scenery. I spent most of the day watching the action, chatting to everyone during the breaks, and waiting to do my bit. The Beatles were so funny together, so quick-witted, and their laughter was infectious. I couldn’t understand half of what they said because of the thick Liverpudlian accent - a revelation to me, I’d never heard anything like it. It was impossible to be in their company and not be helpless with laughter. On first impressions, John seemed more cynical and brash than the others, Ringo the most endearing, Paul was cute, and George, with velvet brown eyes and dark chestnut hair, was the best-looking man I’d ever seen. At the break for lunch I found myself sitting next to him, whether by accident or design I have never been sure. We were both shy and spoke hardly a word to each other, but being close to him was electrifying. As the train neared London and the filming was winding down, I felt sad that such a magical day was ending. It had been pure joy and I wanted to capture it forever. As if George had known what I was thinking, he said, “Will you marry me?” I laughed, as I had at all the Beatles’ jokes. I scarcely allowed myself to wonder why he had said it or whether he might feel as I did. Then he said, “Well, if you won’t marry me, will you have dinner with me tonight?”

Magnum photographer David Hurn was asked by director Richard Lester to photograph the first Beatles film A Hard Day’s Night from a sociological point of view, rather than for press purposes. Interviewed for Magnum Photos, Hurn recalled the experience: In 1963, the Beatles had gained unprecedented fame and status. It could be argued that their only next step could either be down, or to individually go in new directions. They were at crossroads in their respective careers, and yet had already transformed the music industry... The film was shot in near sequential order – very rare – shooting began on 2 March 1964. Most of the shooting was done on an actual travelling train leaving daily from Marylebone Station and traveling to Minehead in Somerset. It meant space was very confined – sometimes in a small carriage, there had to be the four Beatles, the director, the lighting cameraman, and of course at that time a large cinematic camera. I was considered an annoyance. The train would stop, for various filmic shooting reasons, several times during the journey. Miraculously, thousands of fans would appear at every stop seemingly from nowhere – I spent a lot of time photographing action between bodyguards and police and those fans. This was difficult as I had to judge how long the train was stopping for, and I had to make sure I would be able to get back on to it – usually with a gaggle of young girls trying to be in tow... They’re the biggest band that has ever been and I suspect they had the most ludicrously fanatical fans ever too. The Beatles couldn’t go anywhere. A couple of times they were in my car and the police would have to just wave us through a red light because they knew if the car stopped it’d be totally mobbed. The effect it has on four young guys must have been enormous, and it must raise all sorts of things that none of us know about.