Although they disbanded as a group more than 50 years ago, the Beatles are still one of the most recognisable names of popular music. The Fab Four of John, Paul, George and Ringo, together with their hit songs are legendary as is their meteoritic rise to international stardom. Less well known is the individual who was instrumental in launching their careers.
Long before their global fame, Brian Epstein recognised their talent, saw their potential and lobbied for their interests. Without him as their very first manager they might not have achieved the dizzy heights of fame as quickly or perhaps never even moved beyond the small gigs in their native Liverpool.
Working in his father’s furniture store which also sells classical music records as a sideline, Epstein (played by Jacob Fortune-Lloyd) expands this part of the business to include contemporary music. With his ear attuned to the latest music trends, he ventures to a local Liverpool venue the Cavern Club where he discovers a rather rough-looking band and is impressed by their distinctive sound. The rest is music history with Epstein at the heart of it.
This film covers the period roughly from 1961 to 1967, from the Beatles early years as unknowns to their initial world-wide success. In the process, it explores many themes related to international fame including: the commercial pressures of the music industry and the difficulties in maintaining a balance between one’s public and private life.
Midas Man, 2024. Directed by Joe Stephenson.
As their first manager, he moulds them from slightly scruffy leather-clad rockers into a marketable commodity – a popular group with a distinctive sound. Along the way, he has to overcome various obstacles including unreceptive music companies, the demands of touring schedules and intrusive media attention.
The authenticity of the film is reflected in every aspect including the script, the decor and the casting. In particular, the actors playing the Fab Four act, look and sound like the originals. They have the voices, accents and attitudes of the originals. Jonah Lees who plays John Lennon is particularly authentic: we feel this is what he must have been like as a teenager.
Although the Beatles feature prominently, the main focus, as the title suggests, is Brian Epstein. He emerges as a talented yet tormented individual who belongs to more than one marginalised group. Not only was Epstein Jewish he was also a gay man at a time when homosexuality was considered a criminal offence. We see him sneaking out of the house for clandestine liaisons; being threatened, robbed and blackmailed by unscrupulous thugs as well as being exploited by one supposed lover. Unsurprisingly, Epstein struggles to keep his private life out of the public eye. Among his close family, only his mother is supportive while his father is critical and grudgingly tolerant.
He constantly walks a tightrope between several competing and conflicting demands including: the expectations of his family; the pressures of the music business (which sometimes jar against his relationship with the Fab Four) and the tensions between his public image and private life. As a result, he is frequently popping pills, smoking countless cigarettes and drinking lots of booze. (Perhaps it is not so surprising that he died of an accidental drug overdose at the age of 32).
Midas Man, 2024. Directed by Joe Stephenson.
Despite all his personal demons and without any previous experience in the music industry, he helps the Beatles achieve international success. As a result he becomes a successful music entrepreneur managing several popular artists including Cilla Black, Gerry and the Pacemakers, the Moody Blues and various others.
His achievements show how seemingly ordinary people can do not-so-ordinary things in often difficult circumstances. Given his less than ideal family of origin, the Beatles became his de facto family. Ultimately, their success made them and others he managed multimillionaires – a fact which explains the film’s symbolic title. But unlike the mythical Midas, Epstein ensures all those involved have a share in the ‘gold’ to be had.
Epstein’s ability to spot and successfully promote up-and-coming talent as well as his devotion to his artists single him out as an exceptional figure in the music business of the time. He does not see the Beatles and the other singers he represents as mere ‘cash cows’ to be exploited. Instead, he is genuinely concerned for their welfare; always approachable when it comes to their personal issues and tactful in business negotiations with them. His artists are not mere sources of income but talents who need to be nurtured and encouraged. He is their advocate, adviser, even their friend. He comes across not as an indifferent business man but as a type of benevolent older brother to his young charges. Perhaps because of his status as an ’outsider’ in the society of the time, he never loses his basic humanity and compassion.
This film depicts Epstein’s many personal ordeals, triumphs and sacrifices. He emerges as a man who saw his role in the music industry not just as a way to make big bucks but as a calling and an obligation to his clients. As such, it is a tribute to one of the unsung heroes of popular music in the twentieth century and a tribute long overdue.