Broken English

“Marianne died before we could finish this,” Tilda Swinton states directly into the camera towards the end of Broken English, a documentary on the life of music icon Marianne Faithfull. Before she passed, she recorded what would be her final performance alongside Nick Cave and Warren Ellis. It’s a poignant and bittersweet conclusion to what is a celebration of her rich life in directors Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard’s unique spin on the music biopic.

Whereas the conventional approach to this genre would edit together soundbites from talking heads and archive footage to tell an artist’s story, Forsyth and Pollard frame their feature as an investigation into Faithfull’s colourful life by the fictional “Ministry of Not Forgetting”, whose mission is to discern fact from myth using Faithfull as their first case study. A charming George MacKay gently leads the interview, guiding the songwriter through her time as a teenage sensation in the 60s to her struggle with addiction, countless self-reinventions, and recent battle with COVID-19. Swinton oversees proceedings while making the occasional sharp observation that nudges the discussion towards themes like memory and institutional misogyny. Meanwhile, other artists discuss their relationship with Faithfull’s work and perform some of her songs.

The result is an evocative and slightly trippy blend of elements designed to provide a more objective examination of the subject’s life. Although this approach provides a compelling means of exploring Faithfull’s legacy while challenging the media’s portrayals of her, the artifice frequently gets in the way of what the filmmakers are trying to achieve. By taking such a large step back from the subject matter, the documentary loses some of its personal touch.

Even with Swinton and MacKay on screen, it’s Faithfull who is the real star. She takes every question in her stride, answering them with blunt honesty and a fantastic sense of humour throughout. She is unapologetically herself, embracing everything that made her who she was. In that regard, Broken English is a fitting tribute to the late performer.

Though ambitious in concept, Forsyth and Pollard’s latest feature often stumbles over its own idealism. However, by putting an authentic version of Marianne Faithfull in the spotlight during what would be her final days, the filmmakers craft a loving send-off to one of music’s most formidable artists.