Help! (1965)

Ringo Starr and Leo McKern steal their scenes in this entertaining vehicle for the Beatles. The former is sent a magic ring that won’t come off, which is unfortunate because the latter (“Clang”) has decided that the wearer of this jewel is to be sprayed in red paint and then ritually sacrificed to appease his cultish god. When the dead-pan Ringo realises just what peril he is in, he tries to get some scientists to help out and that only makes matters worse. You see the men in the white coats also realise that this ring is unique and they want it too! If it can’t come off voluntarily then “Foot” (Victor Spinetti) and his hapless sidekick “Algernon” (the ever reliable Roy Kinnear) will just have to resort to more drastic measures. What now ensues sees a series of “Fu Manchu” meets “Pink Panther” meets “Dads Army” escapades with loads of messy slapstick comedy to accompany plenty of set piece Beatles numbers like “Help”, “Ticket to Ride” and “You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away” - all segued between some Beethoven and even a little Wagner. It’s an out-and-out comedy, very much of it’s time and Richard Lester allows the lads to behave really quite engagingly whilst their more professional acting co-stars to do what heavy lifting there needs to be. Apparently we have the lady who invented the sewing machine to thank for this, even if she wasn’t actually called “Singer”!