“Good ol’ freda,” which was first funded via a campaign on kickstarter.com, was ultimately put into development and then finally production with tripod media over the course of the previous several years. It is the genuine account of the Beatles’ secretary, Freda Kelly, and includes her own narrative of the Beatles (as people) and their families as she knew them, and as they knew her. Also included is their interaction with Freda Kelly. As part of the Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival, my wife and I went to see the movie at the Arlington Hotel and Spa, which is located close to where we live in downtown Hot Springs, Arkansas. However, Freda and the producers are taking it on the road around the nation, and it is something that you should absolutely check out if you have the chance. This is the first time in the last fifty years that she has shared her recollections and photographs of that incredible period in her life. You know that this lady is not pretending modesty within the first five minutes of the video, despite the fact that she talks it in a tone that she describes as “matter of fact noncholant.” Both she and the movie are “the genuine article.” My job for yesterday night was to write a review of a film called “good ol’ freda,” which was being shown at the Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival. In addition, there was a bonus. freda graced us with her presence live in person, and she honored us by speaking and answering our questions. My wife, Lee Hiller-London, who goes by “lee hiller,” has been and will continue to be the finest date I’ve ever had. The documentary was filled to the brim with material that was useful for any fan of the Beatles. I became aware of something that, in the past, I had not been able to identify. Even though most Beatles fans, including myself, really didn’t like the occasional “juicy stories” from the yellow-journalistic press over the years, or their love lives, or how yoko didn’t get along with someone, or paul’s marriages, we endured it to get to the music and bubbling, creative, always-thinking personalities of the four lads from Liverpool. In other words, we endured it to get to the Beatles. Freda doesn’t bring up anything of that type, and even if it does come up, she squashes it like an old cigarette butt. She seems to know intuitively that Beatles fans have never been interested in the rumors or gossip about the band; they are just interested in the music and the Beatles, and nobody tells the truth better than good ol’ freda. We, like Freda, thought of the Beatles as something more than simply a band in many different ways. They were not just brothers but also friends and confidants to one another. When I refer to confidants, I am not referring to the kind of people that we could contact at two in the morning and unload all of our problems. I’m referring about the kind of bands who already recognized, in many respects, our state of mind and our level of perplexity, and who had already produced songs expressing how we were thinking at the time. It became beneficial for us in many different ways if we sang along. No, we did not have the opportunity to speak with them directly, but we had some way of knowing that they approved, maybe based on the vigor and beat of the songs themselves. Even though nobody understood precisely what a “glass onion” was, for example (save the Beatles), singing it together with other gems from the white album appeared to provide a “sacrifice of demons,” or whatever was bugging us at the moment. This was true even if nobody knew exactly what a “glass onion” was. I bring up the record “White Album” for a few different reasons. I was at summer camp when it came out, perhaps around 1969, and rather than participating in any of the other activities that were offered, a few of my friends and I spent our time inside the cabin day after day practicing the lyrics, and those of us who had guitars would perform it (the best we could, but of course sounding nothing like the beatles). Our voices that were “just nearing puberty” didn’t help matters either. However, the White Album was not discussed at all, if at all, in “Good Ol’ Freda.” Despite the fact that it left me wondering why, I couldn’t help but notice that “good ol’ freda” focused more on the day-to-day activities of four bright men from Liverpool. Even though significant development and progress were discussed in the movie, such topics were not its primary emphasis. Freda’s narration made up the majority of the film, with the exception of a few of older Beatles songs (and a few news clips). Freda is a charming character. to a very high degree. She is the kind of secretary that one wishes they had no matter what type of business she was in; and she was not in the “major rock star business” when she was plucked from an office typing pool by the late Beatle “boss” Brian Epstein. She is the kind of secretary that one wishes they had no matter what type of business she was in. “let me put it this way, if you were stranded on an island with him, you’d have nothing to worry about,” one of the Beatles told Freda when she was a 17-year-old naive girl, “though most of us (Beatles fans) knew (or suspected) brian was gay (and couldn’t care less about it”). Freda describes how one of the Beatles explained it to her. freda breaks into an unexpected giggle in the middle of her statement. The majority of the songs included in the movie were early versions of songs such as I saw her standing there” and “love me do,” amongst others. If my memory serves me correctly, the production firm was able to get the rights to four separate Beatles songs. They made excellent use of the music by playing different sections of each song at the proper moments and transitions throughout the movie. Freda was just 17 years old and full of life and innocence at the moment. She was almost adopted on the spot as a younger sibling or cousin, most notably by Ringo (and his mother), whom she referred to as “richie.” Ringo’s given name is Richard Starkey, for the benefit of those who have forgotten it. Freda talks about how she spent many nights at the Cavern Club and how she was evolving as a young lady at this period; nonetheless, it was not such an awkward time since the Beatles were also maturing at the same time. The majority of the video was comprised of Freda’s recollections, which lasted for almost an hour and fifteen minutes. At various points throughout the film, Freda ascended the long, narrow stairs to the attic in order to bring down beatles memorabilia that supported her own recollections. But this isn’t simply a case of Freda talking about Freda; the video also features a number of other characters who speak about her job as well as their own experiences with the Beatles and their families. Billy Hatton and Joey Bower from the band “foremost” and Billy Kinsley from the band “merseybeats” were three of the constants in the film who were close to the Beatles in their early years. These luminaries were included in the film as key characters. rachel norris, freda’s daughter, offers her mother a glowing recommendation by saying, “there could be no greater parent. Simply said, she is the greatest there is (not your typical words from the child of a person working in show or the music business). Angie McCartney, paul’s stepmother, states unequivocally that “this may be the final real account of the beatles,” and it is clear that she intends for those words to be taken seriously. A lengthier than a sound bite dedication to the film and to freda was given by none other than “richie” (ringo star), who cannot speak highly enough of his best and long term buddy, freda. This was one of my favorite portions of the film. when asked whether she had ever dated any of the Beatles, she said that she had not. Her already cheerful expression made her grin even wider, and a twinkle could be seen right in the center of her eye. “that’s none of your business.” She did mention going out with a few of them, but the rest is up to our imaginations as to what transpired during those times. But she handled the situation really well. The majority of Beatles fans do not have any interest in learning what took place. Freda clarified that it was merely an incident that occurred naturally during the maturation process. Freda, in contrast to many others who were acquaintances or friends of wealthy and famous people, has never profited on her close association with the Beatles despite the fact that it is now 50 years later. In point of fact, she did not switch careers at any point. She is still employed in corporate Britain as a secretary. She refers to her time as the Beatle’s secretary as “another phase in my life” when she thinks back on it. Even though Freda showed how the letters were coming in nonstop, especially after rumors that the Beatles had broken up, one could sense the sadness in her personality (and some tears rolled down her cheeks), as she was so much at a loss on how to explain what was happening. Even though Freda showed how the letters were coming in nonstop, especially after rumors that the Beatles had broken up. She carried on with the management of their fan club for another year while also making an effort to console the young ladies who were aware of the truth. Those of you who are cynical about individuals who create movies or have produced them may assume Freda is pretending humility at first, but as time goes on, it becomes clear that Freda is the genuine article. And if there is anybody who has any concerns, the real Freda was on stage, and she was twice as genuine, and modest, as she was when she was recounting her life story in the film. This is in case there is anyone who has any questions. I have to extend my gratitude to producer Jessica Lawson for her contribution to the success of our endeavor. If it weren’t for her, I strongly doubt that I would have had the opportunity to see the documentary that ended up being my all-time favorite. ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————- Author Rick London is also a designer, cartoonist, and singer in addition to being a writer. Offbeat cartoons published in London’s Times have helped him get the highest possible ranking on Google. Good ol’ freda, his favorite new documentary film, will soon be shown in a cinema near you, and he is doing all he can to promote it. related entries include “The Beatles,” “Beatles,” “Good Ol’ Freda,” “Good Old Freda,” “Beatlemania,” “Liverpool,” “Beatles Movies,” and “Beatles Films.” Send a copy of this article to a friend via email! get email updates including stories much like this one right to your inbox. Today, you may get a free subscription!
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