Summary

Help!’ follows in the great tradition of classic comedy chase movies. In this instance, John, Paul, George and Ringo, find themselves being pursued across the world by not one but two groups of fanatics with separate agendas. Ringo possesses a ring with a large red stone set in the middle, sent to him by a fan. Unknown to him this artifact is the sacred sacrificial ring of Goddess Kaili: the deity of an Asian religious cult led by Swami Clang (Leo McKern). The younger sister of High Priestess Ahme (Eleanor Bron) has been selected by Kaili’s thuggish followers as a human sacrifice. However, panic breaks out when, as she is about to be dispatched by the ceremonial-sword wielding fanatic, Swami Clang, he realizes that she is not wearing this religious bauble. The human sacrifice is promptly placed on hold. Clang, Ahme and a bunch of bumbling henchmen organized by Blutha (John Bluthal), set about tracking down the wearer with the aim of retrieving the ring by covering Ringo in bright red paint and sacrificing him in the process. Even before he realizes he is the object of these fanatics attention, Ringo finds that he can’t slip it off his finger. It’s stuck! Meanwhile, unbeknownst to Clang, the lovely Ahme is a secret Beatles fan with a shine for Paul. These cult followers of Kaili frantically pursue The Beatles first, through London, then up the snow-covered Austrian Alps, followed by Buckingham Palace across Salisbury Plain and finally along the sandy beaches of the Bahamas. Amidst this turmoil, two scientists named Foot (Victor Spinetti) and Algernon (Roy Kinnear) have become involved, being called in by the Government to try and remove the ring from Ringo’s finger. Algernon is a harmless fool, however, Foot is a megalomaniac and sees the ring as a means to “rule the world!” and is prepared to go to extremes to get his hands on the ring. Following up the rear is dapper Scotland Yard Police Superintendent (Patrick Cargill), Fortunately, all attempts to remove this religious artifact from Ringo’s hand are thwarted at every turn often by John, Paul and George. This wild chase eventually culminates on a beach in the Bahamas when the ring suddenly falls off Ringo’s finger and those in pursuit are suddenly afraid to pick it up in case they themselves become splattered with red paint and selected as the sacrificial victim!