“The only thing that stays the same is love.”
Capturing the raw emotion of a musical icon is difficult. Crafting their story in a unique way is even harder. But Jane Pollard and Iain Forsyth have successfully done both with Broken English, their smart, highbrow hybrid documentary about singer-songwriter Marianne Faithfull.
Opening on a black screen, voiceovers provide context as they recount the career and accolades of our protagonist, English musician Marianne Faithfull. And much like our primary player, Broken English makes it immediately clear that it doesn’t plan to play by the rules. While some will know her for her contribution to the music world, the film acknowledges that most will recognize her as Mick Jagger’s ex.
Using a fake, flawed framework to tell a true, captivating story, the directors provide a platform for Faithfull to speak freely, reflecting on her own actions as she offers up a personal account of her life and career. It’s a unique perspective, really, even if it struggles at times to stay on topic as it drifts in and out at free will.
A true mix of genres, George MacKay stars as a researcher employed by the Ministry of Not Forgetting, a fictional government organization headed by the always impressive Tilda Swinton. Over the course of the film, MacKay sits down with Faithfull, asking her questions as he digs into her history, revisiting her life to give viewers a more comprehensive idea of her nearly six-decade career.
Utilizing an abundance of archival footage, roundtable-style interviews, and personal anecdotes from our primary subject, the film offers an in-depth look at Faithfull’s life as she catapulted to stardom and battled numerous suicidal attempts and overdose events. Often handicapped due to her gender, she was sidelined at numerous points, but her music still rings true.
When Broken English succeeds, it’s at the hands of Faithfull’s performance footage. Her voice, unique in every way, crosses genres as we witness her many eras. From folk, rock, jazz, and new wave, she introduced listeners to countless styles, giving them a reason to explore and discover new ways to enjoy the medium. That is her legacy. That is her purpose.
But the visual, as creative as it is, occasionally overshadows our primary narrative. While Swinton’s scenes are clever in context, giving the “documentary” film a rare tone, they are, at times, a distraction. But Faithfull appears game for the experimental approach. Though she is often interviewed with an oxygen tank at her side, a result of a recent battle with emphysema and COVID-19, her interactions with MacKay are remarkably candid. And that is essentially why Broken English works as well as it does.
Never shying away from the intrusive narrative, the film works hard to showcase Faithfull's positive influence on the music industry. But during her forthcoming interviews, she refuses to shy away from the drama. Her experiences with drug addiction, homelessness, and pregnancy are fair game. And while many others would attempt to discuss unfavorable topics with an optimistic slant, our subject refuses to sugarcoat anything, reveling in her history and appreciating her life as she celebrates her journey with candor and frankness.
The beauty of Pollard and Forsyth’s style reaches its peak when Faithfull is reminded of events through their extensive research. And the perspective she shares is truly unforgettable. But no moment rings stronger than when, during the film’s final moments, Nick Cave and Warren Ellis join our leading lady to perform “Misunderstanding” from her 2018 album Negative Capability.
Her signature voice is on full display as the film captures her final recorded performance. Marianne Faithfull died in January of last year at the age of 78. The film, not yet completed at the time, serves as a pure and eloquent exit to one of the industry's most misunderstood players. And while it forces the film to end on a somber note, it’s an appropriate one. Faithfull was used and discarded by the industry. It seems only fair that Broken English, bearing an equal uniqueness to her own career, would serve as her swan song.
