Saturday, 18 September 2021 18:47

John and Yoko, A Love Story






JOHN AND YOKO: A LOVE STORY

US, 1985, 146 minutes, Colour.
Mark Mc Gann, Kim Miyori, Peter Capaldi.
Directed by Sandor Stern.

John and Yoko: A Love Story is a long telemovie focusing on John Lennon from the mid-'60s until his death in December 1980. It focuses on his relationship with Japanese artist Yoko Ono.

The film was written and directed by Sandor Stern, writer and director of many telemovies. Mark Mc Gann is excellent in the role of John Lennon, creating the impression that this really is Lennon. Kim Myori is also excellent as Yoko Ono. The film focuses on the success of the Beatles, the pressures on them and their breaking up, the breakdown of John Lennon's marriage to Cynthia, the affair with Yoko Ono, their marriage - and his decline in output and popularity, his identification with the peace movement in the United States and the suspicions and surveillance of the FBI, the separation of Yoko Ono and John Lennon, their coming back together again, hoped-for pregnancies, the birth of Sean, the restoring of relationship with Julian Lennon - his coming back in his career and artistry and the assassination.

The film is a tribute to John Lennon, though it does not underestimate his eccentricities and failures.

Another portrait of John Lennon, much more of a documentary, is Andrew Solt's Imagine. Other films highlighting the life of the Beatles include Richard Marquand's The Birth of the Beatles, the documentary Let It Be, the animated Yellow Submarine.

1. The impact of the Beatles in their time, succeeding generations, into the '90s? The significance of John Lennon as an English artist, musician, embodiment of popular culture? His life and career, Liverpool to New York, the assassination? Yoko Ono, the artist, her relationship with John Lennon and being part of his life? The widow?

2. The impact of the telemovie - the portrait of John and Yoko for the wide television audience? The tailoring of the story for the television audience?

3. Audience knowledge of and interest in the Beatles and their music, the career of John Lennon? His verbal wit, art, music and lyrics? Life? The stances of the screenplay for and against him and Yoko?

4. The background of the Beatles' career, the opening in 1966, the demonstrations of the Ku Klux Klan, his statement that the Beatles were more popular than Jesus Christ? The fundamentalist religious reaction? The acclaim of the American teenage audience? The tours? The style, each of the Beatles glimpsed in this film? Characters, talents, interactions, the break-up, hostilities? To Yoko Ono? Brian Epstein as their manager - and the impact of his suicide?

5. Yoko Ono and her art, her marriage to the American Tony Cox, her daughter? Her belief in her art - and its eccentricity? The sequences with her parents in Japan?

6. The encounter between John and Yoko, the gallery, her not knowing him, his being playful about the art? Cynthia and John watching Yoko Ono on television and Cynthia's reaction? The mutual fascination, interactions, going out on occasions, sharing, the affair? The credibility of their becoming a romantic couple?

7. The effects on Lennon himself and his work, going to India with the other Beatles and their wives? The impact of the '60s and his becoming tired? Plans to move away, records, law cases and people suing one another? The break with the Beatles and his handling of it? The possibility of joining in the concert for Bangladesh but George Harrison not wanting Yoko Ono to participate?

8. Yoko's pregnancy, the hope for the child, hospital, the loss of the baby? The going through the divorces? Custody questions and Yoko being deprived of her daughter? Her daughter's hostility? John reminiscing about his parents' break-up, the holiday with his father, having to make choices, going to his father who had given him a happy holiday, the pain for his mother? His understanding of the impact on children? The wedding, the publicity honeymoon of them staying in bed?

9. Going to America, the impact of the Vietnam war and his stance? Antagonism towards Richard Nixon? The inserts of news footage on the war, the Nixon campaigns and the 1972 election? His participating in protest songs and concerts? Yoko Ono and her singing, singing with him? The antagonism of the public, the press, the Beatles towards her? The FBI and surveillance at his concerts? The drug case in England and its being held against him? Wanting to get a visa for the United States, the government wanting to deport him? The lawyer, consultation and advice?

10. His private life, music, 1971 and the peace movement, his songs? The second pregnancy and the loss of the child? Yoko and John doing everything together? His infidelity at the time of the election? Yoko's reaction? Her feeling that they were suffocating each other? Their attempts to be together, home in the country? Yoko asking for the separation?

11. John Lennon in Los Angeles, encounters with Harry Nilsson, Elton John and other musicians? His disorganised year, sexual encounter with the Japanese producer, infidelity? His staying away a year? Yoko and the phone calls, her not wanting him to come back? Elton John's asking him to participate in the concert after the success of the record? His return, its success, Yoko reunited - `the separation didn't work out'?

12. Yoko's pregnancy, the birth and the Caesarian section? Sean and their delight, the visit to Japan - the reaction of Yoko's parents? John's aunt? The visit of Julian - and the talk about the Sex Pistols, a sense of reconciliation? The songs of the period - especially about women and the beautiful boy? The happiness, John Lennon from 35 to 40? The information given that he could stay in the United States? At home in New York, its atmosphere and life? The possibility of retiring also to the country?

13. The brutality of the assassination? Its effect on the family? On Yoko Ono? The grief of Beatles fans and the impact around the world?

14. The character of John Lennon, his Liverpool background, broken family, his aunt? The music, its success, world response? Lennon as the eccentric, the rebel, the touch of continued counter-cultural poses? Popularity, songs? Idolised? The break-up of the Beatles, his collapse? The impact of Yoko Ono on his life? An emotional man, relying on her? The separation and his having to work through his problems, coming to some kind of understanding and peace? His achievement?
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