Beatles Attend “Knack” Premiere in London

June 3, 1965 - Beatles John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr were among the celebrities who attended the premiere last night of director Richard Lester’s film “The Knack…and How to Get It” at the London Pavilion Cinema.

The Beatles worked with Lester on their first film, “A Hard Day’s Night,” and their forthcoming second film, “Help!”

“The Knack” is a comedy starring Rita Tushingham, Ray Brooks, Michael Crawford, and Donal Donnelly. The screenplay by Charles Wood is based on the 1962 play “The Knack: A Comedy in Three Acts” by Ann Jellicoe. 

Lester made major changes to the play, adding his own touch through direct address, unexpected oddly edited sequences, humorous subtitles, and a Greek chorus of disapproving members of “the older generation.” Filming took place in a few weeks in November and early December of last year. John Barry contributed the jazzy score.

In the film’s story, a young schoolteacher tries to master the art of flirtation using his slick neighbor’s skills.

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