The Beatles' final film captured a band in decline, then vanished for decades.

Entertainment · Published 3 October 2026 · Updated 25 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Released in 1970, the documentary Let It Be captured the Beatles' final public performance and the fraying nerves of a legendary group. Despite winning an Oscar, the film became a ghost, largely unavailable for decades due to its raw, unvarnished look at the band's internal tensions and eventual dissolution.

Originally conceived as a television special to accompany a live concert, the project shifted into a feature film after the band failed to agree on a venue. Directed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg, the documentary follows the Beatles during their January 1969 rehearsals at Twickenham Film Studios. The atmosphere was notoriously strained; George Harrison described the sessions as the "low of all-time," while John Lennon called them the "most miserable sessions on earth." The film famously omits the moment Harrison temporarily quit the band on 10 January, though it captures the palpable friction between him and Paul McCartney.

The film concludes with the group's unannounced rooftop concert at Apple headquarters on 30 January 1969. This 42-minute performance, which was interrupted by police, serves as the band's final public appearance. While the film was meant to be a fly-on-the-wall documentary, the final edit was perceived by some members as biased. Lennon later claimed the film was "set up by Paul for Paul," arguing that the editing favored McCartney while portraying the other members as disengaged or bored.

For years, the film remained a subject of controversy. It was last officially available on home media in the 1980s, leading to a proliferation of bootleg copies. Rumors persisted that McCartney and Ringo Starr blocked a DVD release to protect the band's legacy from the "darker side" of their history. However, after decades of unavailability, a restored 4K version was finally released on Disney+ in May 2024, offering a new generation a glimpse into the final, fragile days of the world's most famous rock group.

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