Let It Be

Filmed as the Beatles were crumbling under the weight of their own legend, LET IT BE is a milder film than its reputation suggests. For the most part, Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr are shown working out arrangements to new songs and informally covering some of their favorite oldies before taking to the rooftop of the Apple building for what would prove to be their last public performance together.

LET IT BE (originally to have been titled GET BACK) was conceived as part of a step away from the studio-bound music the Beatles had been making ever since they decided to quit touring. They had decided to record an album of simpler song...