‘One Potato, Two Potato’: A bleak progressive 60s film (Review)

This review contains spoilers.

Studiocanal UK has sent our site a newly restored copy of One Potato, Two Potato to review, and this film is also now available on DVD, Blu-ray and digital.

The 1950s and 1960s were a racially charged time, although decades later there is still an ongoing issue with racism. In the U.S.; the extreme societal pressures, segregation, discrimination for persons of colour not being seen as equal, and a prejudice against interracial marriage paved the way for the civil rights movement and eventual passing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (on July 2, 1964), which is also when this film was released weeks later, on July 29, 1964.

The ‘Civil Rights Act of 1964′ was proposed by President John F. Kennedy and then signed in by President Lyndon B. Johnson after Kennedy’s assassination. This act outlawed segregation, prohibited discrimination in public places, businesses/employment. A year later, the ‘Voting Rights Act of 1965‘ was also passed; allowing persons of colour to vote.

One Potato, Two Potato, directed by Larry Peerce, is a 1960s film which focuses mostly on the aspects of racial discrimination against interracial marriage and the devastating effects this has on the families experiencing this. The film does keep a singular focus on these two families, rather than expand into a wider issue.

Due to the controversial subject matter, it is a bleak and dramatic story, as well as progressive for its time, the writers handled this story respectfully.

Julie Cullen (Barbara Barrie) is a divorced white single mother with her young daughter, and she gets into an interracial marriage with a black man called Frank Richards (Bernie Hamilton).

Barbara Barrie gave an incredible performance as Julie Cullen, which led to Barrie winning the Best Actress Award at the 1964 Cannes Film Festival.

Bernie Hamilton was brilliant at portraying his character; conveying the frustration and anger about how Frank was treated in the story.

The film is distressing at times to watch when these acts of racial discriminaton happen; pertaining to the derogatory and racist language used. There is one brief scene of attempted sexual violence displayed in this film involving two other characters which is also unsettling.

Julie had to deal with her ex-husband Joe Cullen (Richard Mulligan) returning after so many years, and his ego was confronted with the fact that his ex-wife is now in an interracial marriage, this led to him wanting custody of the child.

Joe Cullen and his daughter standing in the garden in One Potato Two Potato — Joe Cullen (Richard Mulligan) and his daughter Ellen Mary (Martha L. Mericka) in ‘One Potato, Two Potato’. Studiocanal

Joe only thought about his ignorance and jealousy towards his ex and his penchant need to be racist; although by seeking to get custody of his child… ripping that child away from a stable loving home, he never really thought about what the child wanted or how she would be affected by his actions, it was a powerful and upsetting third act.

This was my first time knowing about and watching this film and I wondered why it was called ‘One Potato, Two Potato‘, however after seeing it, it was apparent that it was focused on the child. The title referenced a children’s playground game; thus putting the child at the forefront of this heartwrenching narrative.

One Potato, Two Potato is a great film which successfully addresses a crucial aspect about racial discrimination dividing people, by choosing to explore this issue through these two families, and I highly recommend watching this drama.

The 80-minute film is in excellent brand new 4k restoration quality, although, remains in black and white, rather than being colourised. And this does include subtitles.