Paul McCartney Joked That His ‘Big Ambition’ Was Playing Cathy in ‘Wuthering Heights’
The Beatles were professional musicians, and, according to one interview, mediocre actors. These artists starred in Help, with John Lennon even saying the Fab Four were “no good” acting in this comedy film. Still, Paul McCartney had one “big ambition” on his mind — playing Catherine in Wuthering Heights.
The Beatles released their music film ‘A Hard Day’s Night’
They’re the artists behind “Let It Be,” “Hey Jude,” and “Strawberry Fields Forever.” In addition to creating music, the Beatles released the movie A Hard Day’s Night, which shares the same title as one original song.
This was a groundbreaking project for the band, shifting the music industry and making the band even more marketable, according to the Beach Boys’ Mike Love.
In 1965, the Beatles released the music film/comedy production, Help. According to the IMDb description, in this film, “Sir Ringo Starr finds himself the human sacrifice target of a cult, and his fellow members of The Beatles must try to protect him from it.”
With a 90-minute runtime, Help was created in part by returning director Richard Lester. Later, the band members elaborated on their roles in the film.
Paul McCartney’s ‘big ambition’ was playing Catherine in ‘Wuthering Heights’
During one 1965 interview (via Beatles Interviews), these artists were asked about their acting experience — especially if they had their sights set on any other projects or roles. Lennon said that they couldn’t be professional actors.
There were “so many cuts” in Help to make it look as though they were good. Still, one Beatles member jokingly set his sights on a role in Wuthering Heights.
“Yeah, that’s right, Paul’s Cathy,” Harrison added.
“Wuthering Heights,” McCartney clarified. “It’s my big ambition.”
This novel by Emily Brontë tells the story of two families — the Earnshaws and the Lintons — primarily through the eyes of Catherine Earnshaw. It’s a love story that was later reworked into a play. However, the Beatles member never appeared in a stage production as the protagonist.
“We’re not good enough as actors because they get, as John said, they get people around us in the film, and just stick us in a little bit,” McCartney added in the same interview. “Then there’s a whole big pile of acting. And it looks as though we can act. But we can’t.”
What other movies featured the Beatles and their music?
One of the Beatles’ best-known films was Yellow Submarine — the animated production with the Blue Meanies and The Lord Mayor of Pepperland. It featured originals by this band, including “Only a Northern Song,” “It’s All Too Much,” and, of course, “Yellow Submarine.”
Years later, the Beatles appeared in the Disney+ documentary series The Beatles: Get Back, which gave fans a behind-the-scenes look at their 1969 rooftop performance at the Apple Corps headquarters in London.
