The Beatles Break-Up Film & Final Concert Explained

Let It Be, which has been remastered and rereleased on Disney+, showcases the final concert and the increasing tensions that led the Beatles to break up. Formally beginning in 1960, the Beatles quickly became one of the world’s most iconic and influential bands. For almost a decade, the Beatles weathered massive controversies and internal strife to produce some of the 20th century’s most iconic songs, all while starring in major films like great music movies like A Hard Day’s Night and animated films like Yellow Submarine. However, the band eventually reached a point where they couldn’t maintain their cohesion as a band.

Some of the tensions that set off this event were captured on film in Let It Be, copies of which spent years becoming a rare and valuable tape. Originally envisioned as a behind-the-scenes showcase of the Beatles’ process, it transformed into a documentary about the Beatles’ final album, including their last performance as a group. However, the film also showcases the energy and joy at the heart of the band’s enduring legacy, giving the documentary wonderfully bittersweet vibes. Here’s how the Let It Be documentary came to be, and what happened to each member of the band after the breakup.

Let It Be Was Supposed To Reinvigorate The Beatles, Not Split Them Up

Tensions Were Boiling Over Before And Throughout Let It Be

Let It Be chronicles the Beatles rehearsing songs for their Abbey Road and Let It Be records, which ended up being the final original albums the band released. After nearly a decade of being the world’s most famous band, the Beatles had become increasingly frayed following the death of their longtime manager, Brian Epstein. After a particularly stressful time recording their 1968 album “The Beatles” (otherwise known as “The White Album”), the band agreed to a new record that could be tied to an upcoming concert event. The plan was to make music that hearkened back to their early days.

The group also agreed to take part in the filming of a “Beatles at Work” short documentary to coincide with the new album and concert. Michael Lindsay-Hogg, who’d previously helmed other similar promotional films for the band, was brought on to direct what would become Let It Be. As such, the documentary lacked any particular context or explanations of the band’s dynamics. Instead, the footage was supposed to just focus on the band playing together. However, tensions within the group proved impossible to hide from the camera. This steadily impacted the tone of Let It Be into something more bittersweet.

The Tensions Within The Beatles In Let It Be

How Years Of Problems Boiled Over During Let It Be

As captured on Let It Be, tensions within the band had been steadily developing into conflicts that could threaten the unity of the group. There wasn’t a single reason why the band broke up, but Let It Be captured several of the contributing factors. Chief among them were their high internal expectations and clear creative differences. While Paul, George, John, and Ringo could still create great music together, tense moments of Paul criticizing George’s playing and George’s curt responses were captured in the film. George even briefly left in frustration off-camera, only returning when the tie-in concert was formally canceled.

Further complicating matters was the relationship between John Lennon and Yoko Ono. John was increasingly focused on his romance with her, which had prompted him to leave his wife and young son. Yoko is seen frequently through Let It Be, often right alongside John. The film showcased their romance several times, including a passionate kiss between the pair and an extended sequence of the two dancing in the rehearsal studio. The tension behind the scenes adds an underlying element of bittersweet joy to the film’s musical moments, which are among the few where the entire band seems genuinely happy together.

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Why The Beatles Broke Up

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The Beatles’ Iconic Rooftop Concert Explained

One Of The Beatles’ Most Famous Concerts Was Also Their Last

Looking for a fittingly cinematic conclusion to the now-feature-length documentary, the band agreed to an impromptu and unannounced concert on the rooftop of their recording studio. Alongside Billy Preston, who’d joined the band as a contributing artist (and had reinvigorated the group’s energy), the Beatles took to the roof and played for forty-two minutes, much of which appears in Let It Be. Playing in downtown London during the middle of the day, the concert attracted the attention of hundreds of locals, some of whom were briefly interviewed for the film. Ultimately, the police were called and shut down the show.

The Beatles’ rooftop concert was an immediate touchstone in pop culture. It was the final public performance by the Beatles as a group, as tensions within the group were only exasperated while they worked on the final songs for the Let It Be album. Tensions between McCartney and the rest of the band spilled over into the public eye, and a frustrated McCartney told the press in late 1969 that he was done with the group. By the time Let It Be premiered in May of 1970, the Beatles had gone on hiatus, and they never reunited as a group.

What Happened To The Beatles After Let It Be

The Beatles Worked Together On Other Songs, But Never All Together

The Beatles breakup meant Paul, John, George, and Ringo could fully embrace their newfound creative freedoms and further their solo careers outside the group. John and Yoko, who’d already been playing together with the Plastic Ono Band, continued to collaborate. Paul kept on releasing solo works while also becoming a founding member of the Wings in 1971. Breaking free of the shadow cast by the public perception that Paul and John wrote all their best songs, George’s solo career highlighted his skills as a songwriter. Ringo likewise flourished as a solo artist, releasing several albums and experimenting with other artforms.

Any hopes for a potential reconciliation of the Beatles were dashed in 1980, when Mark David Chapman, a former fan of the band, shot and killed John Lennon. The death shook the surviving members of the group, but they never formally reunited. However, the individual band members would sometimes collaborate on albums, such as Ringo Starr’s 1973 album Ringo, which featured all of the other Beatles (albeit on separate tracks). After George Harrison passed away in 2001 from cancer, Paul and Ringo have increasingly played together. Let It Be remains the final album and film involving all the Beatles together.

Source:History, Beatles Movie