John Lennon was the coolest guy who ever lived.
"Cool" is such a subjective term. The same was always said of James Dean and Marlon Brando in the 1950s. This reputation was bestowed on them because they had "attitude". "Cool" and "attitude" are not necessarily the same thing. What John Lennon had came from some other place besides an attitude, which he did also happen to have. If John had an attitude it’s completely understandable. His father left him when he was a very young child. His mother left him to be raised by his aunt and then was tragically killed by a drunk driver when she and her son had just begun to renew their relationship. John was only a teenager completely unprepared for her death. Yes he did have an attitude and justifiably, but it was only part of what made John Lennon the coolest guy to ever live.
I don’t remember being particularly focused on him individually the first time I saw him in February of 1964 on that fateful Sunday night. The only thing that stood out at the time that I really noticed was the caption under his face that said, "Sorry girls, he’s married." But the whole band was cool. Ringo Starr just looked like the happiest drummer ever. Paul McCartney was also grinning from ear to ear and sang with such energy. George Harrison concentrated on his guitar playing and occasionally also broke out in a broad smile. John Lennon just played his guitar and sang. Effortlessly. John always looked the most natural at what he did. He always made it look easy. Within six months the Beatles’ first film was released. This would be when John would come into his own as the epitome of cool for me. I may never figure out why I was so impressed by John’s performance of "If I Fell"....but what a performance! The way he carries himself in A Hard Days Night is just astounding. Look how John launches into this song, just for starters. He casually strums his guitar, and sings as if he were born doing it.
John’s sense of humor was no less than legendary. In the opening scene of A Hard Days Night, the conflict with the older "stuffy establishment" businessman on the train sets the pace, and is quite telling of John’s razor sharp wit. When the obviously irritated, much too proper for a Beatles’ taste gentleman, insists on closing the window and turning off their radio they deal with him in different ways. George makes a sour face at him. Paul gives him a speech, and Ringo loudly protests when the man grabs his radio and switches it off. John merely bats his eyes at the man and then a moment later just leans in close to his face and says "Give us a kiss!" Watch the expression on John’s face through this whole scene. The other three Beatles are indignant, wide-eyed, and amazed at this man’s attitude. John just takes this "enemy" on full force with nothing more but an attitude of his own. He never gives the poor man an inch and then zeroes in on him for the kill. He blankly stares at the man as if he were a statue. Yes, John was cool.
To me, "cool" is individuality and being unique. It’s also being groundbreaking. John of course had both. As a child I remember not understanding certain dialogue in the first two Beatles films. I always thought it was the British dialect or expressions. Now I know it was just John. He didn’t exactly give stock answers when asked a question. When the others find an old man in their hotel closet clad in only his underwear....John’s answer is an unrattled, "There you go!" When Victor Spinnetti’s fussy director character comes out to rave at them, John responds with a question of his own., a very calm "How do you turn into black and white, the situation somewhat?" I also like the scene in the corridor with the woman who says John "looks like him". John is ready for this sparring session just as quickly as she stops him. That’s what I love about this character that he was in this film. He always seems to know what’s about to be asked, so he’s always at the ready with an answer you will be thinking about for a long time....thirty six years as of this writing! When he tries to sneak off with a chorus girl after a stage rehearsal, he’s barked at "Where are you going?" His answer, though not as unusual but just as funny, is "She’s going to show me her stamp collection!" He then oinks at the figure of authority, and points his finger at him. For myself one of the most enjoyable parts of Hard Days Night is John’s scene playing with toy boats and submarines in the bubble bath. It was complete improvisation. He was a Robin Williams, or Jonathan Winters of his time. They shot several minutes of him "winging it" in his exaggerated German accent, and wonderful childlike play. I truly wish I could see the out-takes of this scene. They must be wonderful to behold.
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