McCartney: The Hunt for the Lost Bass

McCartney: The Hunt for the Lost Bass
Release poster
Directed byArthur Cary
Story byScott and Naomi Jones
Produced by
  • Katherine Anstey
  • Emily Jeal
  • Hamish Fergusson
Starring
CinematographyJohann Perry
Edited byPaul Carlin
Music byTim Atack
Production
companies
Release date
  • April 2, 2026 (2026-04-02)
Running time
87 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

McCartney: The Hunt for the Lost Bass is a 2026 British documentary film directed by Arthur Cary. It is a Passion Pictures production in association with The Footprint Partnership. Klaus Voormann provided original artwork for the film. The story was originated by Scott and Naomi Jones, the founders of Footprint and The Lost Bass Project. Nick Wass, the world's number one expert on the Hofner 500/1 Violin Bass, and the third member of The Lost Bass Project, was a consultant. [1]

Synopsis

Using interviews, archive material and dramatic reconstructions, the film tells the story of the search for Paul McCartney’s lost Höfner 500/1 violin bass guitar. Bought by McCartney in Hamburg in 1961, and used extensively with The Beatles, the instrument was stolen in London in 1972 and remained missing for over 50 years.

Cast

Interviewees (alphabetical):

Release

The film was released in UK cinemas for a limited run on 2 and 4 April 2026,[2] and aired on Saturday 11 April 2026 on BBC Two and iPlayer.[3]

Reception

In The Daily Telegraph Ed Power gave the film 4/5 stars and wrote: "As a film about a missing guitar – even one estimated to be worth more than £10 million – some might find the 90-minute duration off-putting. But as a profile of McCartney and what this unique instrument contributed to his style of playing and, especially the Beatles’ legacy, it’s worth every minute."[4]

In The Guardian, Peter Bradshaw gave the film 3/5 stars, writing: "It is an amiable tale with a happy ending but, oddly, the film can’t quite absorb the sadness, and even shame, that are disclosed in the denouement. ... As for McCartney, he forgivingly says that nicking things almost for a lark is the sort of thing that he and his mates might have done themselves, back in the day. It’s a diverting footnote."[5]

Film critic Mark Kermode featured the film on his podcast and said “the documentary that is charmingly made gets the mix of mystery and melancholia just right. I really enjoyed watching this. If you’ve ever cradled a guitar, if you’ve ever held a guitar it’s a very physical thing, particularly a bass... McCartney says 'it’s out there somewhere in the universe and it wants to come back', and so when it does it’s really moving and sweet.”[6]

In The Daily Mail, Kathryn Flett gave 4/5 stars, writing: "This charming 90-minute film, directed by BAFTA-winner Arthur Cary, takes a fashionably forensic approach to crime-solving, with numerous twists, turns and talking heads. However, the cold-case story that unfolds is less Silent Witness, more Dixon of Dock Green – with an unexpectedly poignant final twist".[7]

In The Times Kavin Maher gave 2/5 stars, writing: "The film’s director, Arthur Cary, admittedly crafts some sensitive character profiling among the enthusiastic bass hunters. But elsewhere and especially by the bathetic conclusion, it’s difficult not to regard the entire project with a vaguely benign shoulder shrug."[8]

The Sunday Telegraph called it "a charming documentary."[9]

References

  1. ↑ Collins, David (28 March 2026). "Paul McCartney's stolen bass: how sleuths found it 51 years later". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 5 April 2026.
  2. ↑ Mensah, Katelyn (1 April 2026). "BBC confirms air date for Paul McCartney: The Hunt for the Lost Bass documentary". Radio Times. Retrieved 3 April 2026.
  3. ↑ "McCartney: The Hunt for the Lost Bass". BBC Two. Retrieved 3 April 2026.
  4. ↑ "McCartney: The Hunt for the Lost Bass". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 11 April 2026.
  5. ↑ Bradshaw, Peter (30 March 2026). "McCartney: The Hunt for the Lost Bass review – amiable tale of how Macca's Höfner was finally found". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 April 2026.
  6. ↑ Kermode, Mark (3 April 2026). "Is Amélie Really a Manic Pixie Dream Girl?". Kermode & Mayo's Take. Retrieved 13 April 2026.
  7. ↑ Flett, Kathryn (18 April 2026). "Kathryn Flett: Beatle's guitar mystery is... Macca magic". Daily Mail. Retrieved 28 April 2026.
  8. ↑ Maher, Kevin (29 March 2026). "McCartney: The Hunt for the Lost Bass review — do we really care?". The Times. Retrieved 3 April 2026.
  9. ↑ Ryan, Gary (5 April 2026). "Klaus Voormann: The silly story of how I nearly joined The Beatles". The Sunday Telegraph. Retrieved 13 April 2026.
This page is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.