Work Text:
Imagining what it took to get this scene from A Hard Day's Night finished.
Because once again, John can't help himself when he looks at Macca!
Director Richard Lester, ever the optimist, thinks this time -- Take 23 of the staircase scene -- they might yet nail the tiny bit of dialogue John Lennon must share with Paul McCartney.
"Okay boys, Action!"
John Lennon speaks his line into Paul McCartney's eyes. Then he looks down at Paul’s lips and smiles and takes a little breath.
Richard Lester yells “CUT!” He walks over to John, pulls him aside. “Walk with me.” They walk 20 feet. “John, you’re supposed to be a mischievous and rebellious imp. Stop looking at Paul’s face like you want to eat it.”
John is blushing. “Alright, I’m sorry. I’ll try. But he’s…”
“No, no, now. This is not on Paul. Paul’s having enough trouble standing up and delivering a line without looking awkward. You have to do this, John. You have to control how the scene plays out, and I know you can. Just put on your swagger, and say the line and then maybe raise an eyebrow, like a pirate; show you want to have fun and mean to make trouble, okay?”
“Okay, okay. I’ll do it. I’ll do it. I won’t let you down.” John strides back, ready for the next take.
“And… ACTION!”
John speaks his line into Paul’s eyes and smiles as his gaze immediately drops down to Paul’s lips, and he sighs a little.
“CUT!”
“I’ve got it, Richard,” Paul calls out as he puts his arm around John’s shoulders. “Come on, let’s walk.” They walk about 30 feet. “Johnny, you say the line great, but you have to stop looking like you want to kiss me.”
“Dick said he thought I looked like I wanted to eat your face.”
“No, you want to kiss me.”
“I really do,” John admits.
“Aye, I know what it means when you get all melty like that. But let’s just get through the scene, yeah? And then you and I will find a nice little place to snog a bit, right?”
John stares at Paul’s lips. “Alright. I want to snog you now, though…”
Paul slips him around the corner. Slips him a brief, tender kiss. “Alright then? Come ‘head, let’s finish this.”
They head back. “Okay, we’re good, Richard. Gonna nail this take, we are,” Paul announces.
Lester looks hopeful as once again he calls “ACTION!”
John speaks his line directly into Paul’s eyes, then smiles and sighs a little as he looks right at Paul’s lips.
“CUT! Oh for shit’s sake, Paul, you were no help at all!”
“I’m sorry.”
Lester sighs. “Last take, fellas. John, speak the line, Paul, point down the stairs and then run down them. Just do that!”
The boys try really hard. They want to please Lester and be done with the scene, too.
“ACTION!”
John speaks his line directly into Paul’s eyes, smiles at him, looks down at his lips and becomes a puddle. Paul gestures and they run down the stairs. They keep running.
“PRINT IT,” calls Lester, fumbling for a cigarette and reaching for a drink.
“He did it again,” the cameraman tells him. “Might have been his most, um… might have been his most naked look, yet.”
“Let it go,” Lester said. “We’ll use it. In 50 years or so, maybe someone will notice. I can’t with those two, anymore.”
“You have to admit, they’re electric together. They sizzle…”
“Oh, good. If I ever want to make a porno, I know where to go…”