The new documentary “One to One: John & Yoko” delves into the intense backlash Yoko Ono faced after falling in love with John Lennon in the late 1960s.
This film revisits the couple’s life, focusing on their move from England to New York City in 1971, and the cultural collision that ensued.
“One to One: John & Yoko” features never-before-seen footage of the high-profile couple. It explores their efforts to make a difference in a rapidly changing America. The documentary includes a touching segment of Ono’s 1973 speech at the First International Feminist Conference. In her emotional address, Ono, then 40, described the severe societal treatment she received once her relationship with Lennon became known.
In her speech, Yoko Ono recounted how society’s disdain for her intensified after she began dating John Lennon.
She was already a successful artist when she met Lennon in 1966. However, society’s negative reactions to her independent nature and her relationship with Lennon were harsh. Ono humorously noted that she was first labeled a “bitch” and later a “witch” after their relationship became public.
Ono revealed how society’s hostility affected her. “Society suddenly treated me as a woman who belonged to a man who is one of the most powerful people in our generation,” she said.
She recounted being advised by Lennon’s close friends to stay in the background, give up her work, and remain silent to avoid further trouble. The constant attacks and negative public opinion were so severe that she began to stutter.
She also reflected on the impact of being linked to Lennon. “I consider myself a very eloquent woman,” she said. “But suddenly, I was considered an ugly woman, an ‘ugly Jap,’ who took your monument away from you.” Ono realized the difficulty women face when even a strong woman like herself could be reduced to stuttering under public scrutiny.
The documentary also features a conversation between Ono, now 91, and the late musician David Peel.
Ono discussed the harsh criticism she faced, including receiving letters wishing death upon her and her unborn child, and receiving a rubber doll poked with needles. She expressed disappointment with Lennon’s former bandmates—Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr—for not publicly defending her against the accusations related to the Beatles’ breakup.
Ono criticized the Beatles for their silence. “I know that whenever reporters asked Paul, George, or Ringo about me, they would ignore the question,” she said. “None of the Beatles made any comment on me, which I see as male chauvinism.”
Lennon and Ono married in 1969 and moved to New York City two years later. Lennon was tragically shot and killed in New York in 1980 at age 40. Despite the challenges, Lennon spoke highly of Ono in a clip from the documentary. He praised her influence, saying that falling in love with her helped him grow. “I fell in love with an independent, eloquent, outspoken, creative genius,” he said. “I started waking up.”
Directed by Kevin Macdonald, “One to One: John & Yoko” culminates in the 1972 One to One Benefit Concert, the only full-length show Lennon performed after leaving the Beatles. The concert, held at Madison Square Garden, was inspired by a Geraldo Rivera exposé they watched on TV. It raised $1.5 million for Willowbrook State School, a home for children with special needs, marking a significant moment in their journey of love and transformation in the US.