YouHeart I gave it a 7.5 out of 10

2freensel I saw this movie before reading any reviews, and I thought it was very funny. I was very surprised to see the overwhelmingly negative reviews this film received from critics.

Lidia Draper Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

Tayyab Torres Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

blanche-2 "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" is the hysterical story of young girls who want to see the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show, and the lengths that they go to achieve their goal.Nancy Allen, Teresa Saldana, and the late Wendy Jo Sperber are the three crazed girls in this 1978 film, directed by Robert Zemeckis, who also helped write the script. The film also stars Bobby DiCicco, Eddie Deezen, and Marc McClure.The film covers the events of February 9, 1964, the day the Beatles made their American debut on The Ed Sullivan Show. Rosie (Sperber) is determined to get into the show and is constantly looking for phone booths whenever Murray the K is giving away tickets if you can answer questions such as, "Which Beatle is left-handed?" She winds up meeting Richard "Ringo" Klaus (Deezen) who is a nearly insane Beatles fanatic who has taken over a room in the hotel without the hotel's knowledge. Pam Mitchell (Allen) is engaged and rather disdainful of the whole thing, but gets swept up in the events; Grace (Saldana) hopes to start her photography career by getting backstage, but the guard wants a bribe. Janis Goldman plays a protester who thinks the Beatles are a corruptive force in the world of art."I Wanna Hold Your Hand" is heavy on slapstick, but much of the slapstick is very funny the way it's done. The best part of the movie for me is that all the things these girls do, many girls in New York City no doubt tried with as much conviction and passion. And the film captures perfectly the insanity that ruled the teen girl population of New York that day. The only thing not shown is how they screamed during the entire Sullivan show -- there is a dog act with no attendant screaming. Mitzi McCall and Charlie Brill could not hear one word of their skit which was overpowered by screams.On a sad note, two of the stars met with tragedy. Teresa Saldana was badly injured in a knife attack. She was able to resume her career and founded Victims for Victims, devoting much of her time to helping survivors of trauma. Wendy Jo Sperber died of cancer at the age of 47. Both of them, along with the rest of this fine cast, give wonderful performances.If you're a baby boomer, this is a great film for you to watch and relive the innocence of the time and the Beatle furor. If you're not, it's a fun, charming movie.

on_the_can The most remarkable thing about this movie for me is the fact that it made me feel nostalgic for an era I was never even part of. I'm a classic rock fan so the Beetles aren't anything new to me although I'm far from a Beetlemaniac, yet I some how missed the '60's while watching this.It also made me nostalgic for a forgotten era of comedy. This movie is not hysterical...but it's a fun story involving several intertwining characters and plots that you care enough about to stay interested. All in all it's a very entertaining film. We don't seem to get too many of these anymore. I'm a huge fan of Apatow films and others of the like, those movies have far more laughs per minute than "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" but will they still be entertaining 30 years from now? Who knows? Only time will tell...but this one's been time tested and I was pleasantly surprised by it.

marangakis I love the scene between Nancy Allen and Paul's bass. It is hysterically funny, and amazingly erotic. Beyond that, the film is a loving homage to the Beatles, to their music, to Beatlemania, and to the 1960s, generally. The hysteria of the kids, the hostility of the parents, and the desperation of so many to cash in on the new phenomenon that was the Beatles is captured hilariously, and I think, with some accuracy. Like "American Graffiti," this film has going for it a great script that is complemented by direction that is nostalgic, even sentimental, without being sappy or preachy. It also captured young and talented actors and actresses on the verge of great success.

stevenfallonnyc This film is simply the best film to ever show how "Beatlemania" really was, it really gives you a feel of what it must have been like for the teens of 1964 anticipating the arrival of The Beatles on Ed Sullivan. Lots of familiar faces in the cast, especially the gorgeous Nancy Allen, and the dude who plays Jimmy Olsen in the original Superman films. Of course you have to suspend belief to a small degree, you have to ignore that the actors playing The Beatles live don't have the moves shown on the real Ed Sullivan show at the same time on TV monitors down totally even, but that can be easily forgiven because that's a tough job. Plus as all Beatlesheads know, the group didn't perform just one song on the show (anytime they were on Sullivan they always played more than one). But hey this is a movie so dramatic license is needed, and watching the crowd go completely nuts as The Beatles perform "She Loves You" brings everything to a satisfying climax, in more ways than one apparently for Nancy's character. And a great ending!Of course this can't begin to touch "A Hard Day's Night" but it is second only to that film in showing what Beatlemania was in 1964 as the band took over America. And two years before John's "we are bigger than Jesus" comment (taken out of context of course, but John WAS a wimp for apologizing) it is good to see that God wasn't going to allow anything to stop The Beatles broadcast!The one bad thing about this film is that it has Steven Spielberg's name on it, because he is an overrated hack, but thankfully he is just the "executive producer" and didn't actually direct the film, because then it'd be horrible.