Across Abbey Road · Scene 03 of 21 · Album 2 of 13

03 0:41–0:48 Era 2With the Beatles 1963

“The music seems to take you into each song”

One hard line of morning sun across his face, and then he is looking straight at you.

All 21 scenes

The Scene

Scene 03 · With the Beatles · 7 seconds · three shotsHis face crosses a hard line of morning sun, half lit and half in shadow, the way that album’s cover taught everyone to see 1963, and the film holds on it. The dove crosses a skyline of slate roofs and television aerials, carrying the song into every home below. Then, on a brick street corner under an old cast-iron clock, with a red bus rolling past, he finds you through the lens and keeps his eyes on you while the camera eases closer.

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The Story

Robert Freeman’s cover for With the Beatles, four faces cut in half by one hard light, turned a pop sleeve into a portrait. Here it is worn by one man. This is the first time in the film he looks at us, and it happens on the line about the music pulling you in: the half-lit face, the bird over the rooftops, and then the held gaze. Mike asked for this close-up to run longer, so it does.

Shot by Shot

  1. 1 · The half-shadow face · 0:41–0:44One hard light cuts his face exactly in half, sun and shadow, and the film stays with it while he sings.
  2. 2 · The bird over the rooftops · 0:44–0:46The dove crosses a skyline of slate roofs, chimney smoke and television aerials.
  3. 3 · Still looking at you · 0:46–0:48A street corner, an old clock and a red bus going by: eyes on the lens, the camera easing closer, and the scene ends at its closest.

What to Look For

You can’t miss itThe half-shadow face: one side in sun, one in shadow, the second album’s cover light on a single face. It comes back twice more before the film ends.

Look closerThe rooftop forest of television aerials under the dove. 1963 was the year the broadcast carried the band into every living room.

All 21 scenes