Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
National
Callum Crumlish & Aaron Curran

Paul McCartney defended 'okay' film in heated debate with old schoolfriend

Even though the Beatles split in 1970, the band's members would remain in the spotlight for the rest of their lives.

In the decades that followed, Paul McCartney branched out with his art. By 1984, he was working in Hollywood on his first feature film. He wrote the screenplay for the film Give My Regards to Broad Street, as well as the soundtrack album for the movie.

But once it hit cinemas, it was slammed by critics, and Macca refused to take the feedback lightly.

READ MORE: Thomas Cashman murder trial resumes as man accused of shooting schoolgirl Olivia Pratt-Korbel

McCartney was brought onto Channel 4 news to talk about his movie with news reporter Peter Sissons. But before he was given the opportunity to speak, viewers were bombarded with a string of quotes from extremely negative film reviews. During this portion of the news, the star's movie was described as "the worst film of the year" and "egomania run riot".

When the Beatles star was given a chance to reply, he hit out: "A lot of what you said was wrong. [The film's] taken over $1.4million; it’s in the top 20 of the American films; the reviews have been about 50% good and 50% bad, all of which you showed, I noticed."

He then lashed out at the news anchor directly, saying: "What about equal time, Peter? As an old Liobian I'm totally ashamed of you."

McCartney was referring to the Liverpool Institute Old Boys' Association (referred to as Liobians), before pointing out the connection: "I went to school with this man."

Sissons, who died in October 2019 at the age of 77, had a distinguished broadcasting career and was also a primary schoolfriend of John Lennon and Jimmy Tarbuck at Dovedale Junior School in Mossley Hill.

The singer then defended his movie, adding: "I think making a film like this, with music and plot, trying to mix the two, is actually a very difficult genre. And I think people don’t realise how difficult it is to do that. And the people that like it weren’t expecting too much so that the kind of slight plot that it has – my fault, because I wrote it – it really kind of doesn’t get in the way of the music."

Give My Regards To Broad Street, 1984 (Daily Record)

McCartney, who 42 at the time, said he "personally" thought the film "was okay". He added: "The more you see it, the better it is."

McCartney was also quizzed over whether he expected the criticisms he received for the movie. He replied: "I did expect this, and rougher. But I've never let it put me off in the past."

The star spoke about The Beatles album, Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, and how it received negative reviews when it first came out. Despite this, it has become one of the band's best-loved albums of all time.

He added that Give My Regards to Broad Street was a "very small budget film" and he would be losing "nothing" if it bombed at cinemas.

Although the film received painfully negative reviews, the soundtrack of the same name reached number one in the UK album charts and was certified platinum after selling more than 300,000 units.

READ NEXT

Doctor 'bowed her head' as she read baby's test results to parents

Joseph Nee 'had enemies' and had been shot at before, jury told

'He was my best mate' dad's heartbreaking tribute to son killed in Speke crash

New Look's 'incredible' £36 dress that's 'perfect for a spring wedding'

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.