Review: Take Flight With Wings Documentary PAUL McCARTNEY: MAN ON THE RUN
Most people would probably be right in thinking that there’s hardly any new information to be uncovered as people continue to try to unpick the history of The Beatles. At this stage, we’re probably looking at tens of millions of articles, books, documentaries and podcasts which have delved into the lives and careers of The Fab Four. There’s likely nothing (or at leats, very little) left to tell, but at least we can home that someone can attempt to tackle the tales in new ways. Morgan Neville manages to take a fresh look at Paul McCartney’s post-Beatles career with Paul McCartney: Man On The Run – a feature-length documentary that puts the focus on the McCartney’s 1970s career with Wings.
This authorised version of the Wings story (McCartney is Executive Producer) might not be a fully warts-and-all telling of what went down with the band, but there’s enough honesty from McCartney to make it come across as an honest retelling of events. There’s a lot to pack into 115 minutes – the messy break-up of The Beatles, his move to Scotland, the formation of Wings, McCartney’s arrest for drug possession in Japan and John Lennon’s murder. And that’s not even talking about the music!
Man On The Run could easily have been twice as long – and it probably should be. There’s so much to cover that sometimes it feels like a lot of these events are just being paid lip service. The drug bust in Japan alone could probably cover a full 90-minute film.
Neville is no stranger to music documentaries – having won an Academy Award for his 2013 film, 20 Feet from Stardom – and he manages to zip through a lot of material, eschewing talking heads for voice-over and a wealth of film footage and photographs. There’s some fascinating material of Paul and Linda McCartney at home, as well as on the road with Wings. You do get a sense of who McCartney is and what drives him as an artist.
Man On The Run is a must for fans of Paul McCartney, Wings and/or The Beatles – aren’t they the same thing? It might not be great for the casual viewer, but there’s a treasure trove of information and behind-the-scenes footage and photographs. There might be stories you know, and there might be stories that you’ve forgotten, but you won’t be bored by what this documentary has to offer. It’s not quite The Beatles Anthology, but in the era of multiple celebrity-produced hagiographies, then Paul McCartney: Man On The Run is definitely one of the better ones.
