In 1964, on their way to world domination, the Beatles took aim at the thinning ranks of nonbelievers with their latest secret weapon: a fresh, intelligent rock 'n' roll movie (sorry, Elvis). "A Hard Day's Night" follows the band through a fictional, frenzied day stacked with numbers like "And I Love Her," "If I Fell," "Can't Buy Me Love" and other minor creative miracles.

Director Richard Lester breaks every convention to give the film a style that would earn him credit/blame as the "father of MTV," while Alun Owen's Oscar-nominated screenplay is custom-tailored to the Beatles' humor and irreverence.

Like the best English films, "A Hard Day's Night" is an ensemble piece, filled with brief but shining turns; but the boys' sheer exuberance is the main event. This charming movie captures a moment that's worthy of preservation: a time when the unstoppable force called "The Beatles" was still the thrill ride for the band itself that it's always been for the rest of us.

"A Hard Day's Night" screens at the Egyptian Friday and Saturday, April 4 and 5, at midnight.

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