MARIANNE & LEONARD: WORDS OF LOVE
****
Director: Nick Broomfield
Principal cast:
Leonard Cohen
Marianne Ihlen
Nick Broomfield
Billy Donovan
Aviva Layton
Irving Layton
Country: USA
Classification: M
Runtime: 102 mins.
Australian release date: 12 December 2019
Previewed at: Universal Theatrette, Sydney, on 20 November 2019.
Back in the ‘70s you were either a fan of Rod McKuen or Leonard Cohen, depending on which side of the popular poetry fence you sat; the two were only a year apart in age, so appealed to much the same demographic. Hipsters of the period felt that the words of the Canadian singer/song-writer Cohen had a relatable ‘edginess’ that drew heavily on his personal life and loves and considered the American McKuen to be more middle-of-the-road, although both writers went on to have incredibly successful careers. Later in life, Cohen reclaimed his status as one of the greats when he was forced to go on the road to restore his finances after he discovered, when he emerged from a period of withdrawal from public life, that he’d been ripped off by his long-term manager. She had taken almost every dollar from him and this was the impetus for the last great touring period of his life, from 2008 to 2013.
Cohen came from a middle-class background and was greatly influenced by his Russian Jewish mother, affectionally known as ‘Masha’, after his father died when Leonard was a boy. Nick Broomfield’s highly personal documentary, Marianne & Leonard: Words of Love, takes us on a journey into Cohen’s past and, in particular, documents his bond with the love of his life and his muse, the Norwegian Marianne Ihlen (one of Cohen’s most widely known songs is So Long Marianne, dedicated to her). The biopic concentrates on the couple’s early days and shows how supportive Marianne was at the outset of Cohen’s career. The pair lived together on the Greek island of Hydra in the 1960s, at a time when it was a haven for artists wanting to pursue their creative pursuits in beautiful surroundings - and it was cheap, too. Cohen struggled with depression after his 1966 novel Beautiful Losers bombed and Ihlen was pivotal in caring for him and encouraging him to put his words to music. She was right to do so because it turned out that he had a unique singing voice that eminently suited his sombre prose. Broomfield, who had an affair with Ihlen himself, says that she was an incredibly perceptive woman who was able to influence people in a positive direction. After separating, she and Cohen maintained a distant connection, even during his many relationships and her subsequent re-marriage (she left her first husband for Cohen) and they were in contact at the end of their lives. Both died within a few months of each other in 2016 and Cohen acknowledged his deep love and respect for her in a final letter when he wrote the touching message, “Dearest Marianne, I’m just a little behind you, close enough to take your hand. This old body has given up, just as yours has too, and the eviction notice is on its way any day now. I’ve never forgotten your love and your beauty. But you know that. I don’t have to say any more. Safe travels old friend. See you down the road. Love and gratitude. Leonard.”
Marianne & Leonard: Words of Love is a moving, honest portrait of a musician and his muse. Its warts-and-all approach shows that Cohen was highly self-centred, as so many artists necessarily are, and a serial womaniser, which made him a difficult partner. It is also quite affectionate and it’s clear that Broomfield had a lot of time for his subjects, which shows in the wonderful early footage that he unearthed of the couple on Hydra shot by D. A. Pennebaker. There’s not much music in the documentary, so don’t go expecting some kind of concert film, but if you’re interested in the life of this important 20th century poet, author and song-writer and one of the major influences on his career, this movie is for you.
Principal cast:
Leonard Cohen
Marianne Ihlen
Nick Broomfield
Billy Donovan
Aviva Layton
Irving Layton
Country: USA
Classification: M
Runtime: 102 mins.
Australian release date: 12 December 2019
Previewed at: Universal Theatrette, Sydney, on 20 November 2019.
Back in the ‘70s you were either a fan of Rod McKuen or Leonard Cohen, depending on which side of the popular poetry fence you sat; the two were only a year apart in age, so appealed to much the same demographic. Hipsters of the period felt that the words of the Canadian singer/song-writer Cohen had a relatable ‘edginess’ that drew heavily on his personal life and loves and considered the American McKuen to be more middle-of-the-road, although both writers went on to have incredibly successful careers. Later in life, Cohen reclaimed his status as one of the greats when he was forced to go on the road to restore his finances after he discovered, when he emerged from a period of withdrawal from public life, that he’d been ripped off by his long-term manager. She had taken almost every dollar from him and this was the impetus for the last great touring period of his life, from 2008 to 2013.
Cohen came from a middle-class background and was greatly influenced by his Russian Jewish mother, affectionally known as ‘Masha’, after his father died when Leonard was a boy. Nick Broomfield’s highly personal documentary, Marianne & Leonard: Words of Love, takes us on a journey into Cohen’s past and, in particular, documents his bond with the love of his life and his muse, the Norwegian Marianne Ihlen (one of Cohen’s most widely known songs is So Long Marianne, dedicated to her). The biopic concentrates on the couple’s early days and shows how supportive Marianne was at the outset of Cohen’s career. The pair lived together on the Greek island of Hydra in the 1960s, at a time when it was a haven for artists wanting to pursue their creative pursuits in beautiful surroundings - and it was cheap, too. Cohen struggled with depression after his 1966 novel Beautiful Losers bombed and Ihlen was pivotal in caring for him and encouraging him to put his words to music. She was right to do so because it turned out that he had a unique singing voice that eminently suited his sombre prose. Broomfield, who had an affair with Ihlen himself, says that she was an incredibly perceptive woman who was able to influence people in a positive direction. After separating, she and Cohen maintained a distant connection, even during his many relationships and her subsequent re-marriage (she left her first husband for Cohen) and they were in contact at the end of their lives. Both died within a few months of each other in 2016 and Cohen acknowledged his deep love and respect for her in a final letter when he wrote the touching message, “Dearest Marianne, I’m just a little behind you, close enough to take your hand. This old body has given up, just as yours has too, and the eviction notice is on its way any day now. I’ve never forgotten your love and your beauty. But you know that. I don’t have to say any more. Safe travels old friend. See you down the road. Love and gratitude. Leonard.”
Marianne & Leonard: Words of Love is a moving, honest portrait of a musician and his muse. Its warts-and-all approach shows that Cohen was highly self-centred, as so many artists necessarily are, and a serial womaniser, which made him a difficult partner. It is also quite affectionate and it’s clear that Broomfield had a lot of time for his subjects, which shows in the wonderful early footage that he unearthed of the couple on Hydra shot by D. A. Pennebaker. There’s not much music in the documentary, so don’t go expecting some kind of concert film, but if you’re interested in the life of this important 20th century poet, author and song-writer and one of the major influences on his career, this movie is for you.
