This movie, playing at AMC, presents the story of John Lennon’s life and his impact on American politics. The entire movie consists of original footage from interviews featuring Lennon and his wife Yoko Ono, as well as interviews with friends of the family, news reporters, political figures and other radical thinkers.
The pictures are well matched with Lennon’s music and the movie really shows the surprising character of the singer – stubborn, determined, and dynamic. Lennon’s character was very much in keeping with his beliefs, not only in terms of what he said, but also in everything he did.
Throughout his life, Lennon supported organizations of people who militated for freedom, and he gave up four years of his life in court when the American government was trying to throw him out of the country. Lennon wanted to stress the importance of his message, and the injustice of his situation.
The movie, however, lacked analysis. Noam Chomsky, for example, appeared three times with a single sentence each time. He only added to the facts, without offering any insight into what was going on. The testimonials were similar. They narrated events, rather than going beyond them and offering a real, original interpretation.
This movie may be historically accurate, but it will disappoint many viewers with its shallowness. This subject has a relevance that goes beyond geographical borders and time periods.
I saw the movie with history buffs and it was pointed out to me that Montreal had much of the same attitude as Lennon ‘s ideals at the time. From 1968 to 1979 , Pierre Eliot Trudeau was Prime Minister of Canada. He made an important contribution to our society by bringing political and civil rights to Canadians.
There was much contestation with Trudeau’s government philosophy at the time because, traditionally, Canada had been more on the right side of the spectrum and now it was moving towards a more socialist standpoint.
Montreal was mentioned as an important city several times during the movie. The campaign of 1971 (War is Over), was mentioned. Billboards were purchased in 11 cities around the world to protest against the Vietnam War. Montreal was one of those cities, and the only one in Canad a a t that.
Two months after their wedding in 1969, Lennon and Yoko Ono came to Montreal for a “Bed-in for peace”. They provided the media with an opportunity to see them in bed together, dressed in their pajamas and protesting for peace in a room at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel. It was on that occasion that the couple recorded the famous “Give Peace a Chance” song in Montreal.
It is undeniable that Montreal has had an important place in Lennon’s history and effort to bring the war to an end. This might have been because of the proximity to New York City – where the famous couple lived. Perhaps it was also because of the like-mindedness of the city and its people who shared a common desire for world peace and helping others. That mentality still exists here today.
The Quebec society has, in a way, followed up on Lennon’s plea, as it strives to help the poor and develop equity programs within its province. Canada’s Casque Bleu soldiers show the desire for pacifism of an entire nation. Although the wind has been blowing in a different direction with Harper’s government, peace and inter-cultural understanding remain a vibrant part of reality for Montrealers and Quebecers.
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