A new film, "Broken English," chronicles Marianne Faithfull's six-decade career, culminating in a deeply moving final musical performance with Nick Cave and Warren Ellis. The film-makers navigate her complex life, challenging old myths and celebrating her resilience, revealing an unvarnished portrait of the iconic artist.
"Broken English" is a new film celebrating Marianne Faithfull's six-decade career, featuring a deeply moving final musical performance with Nick Cave and Warren Ellis, released posthumously after her death in early 2025 at 78. Directors Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard aimed to create an unvarnished portrait, avoiding the "cringey 1960s rock mythology." They worked quickly with Faithfull, who was ill and living in a care home, using a fictional "Ministry of Not Forgetting" (led by Tilda Swinton) to log her vast output and correct historical misrepresentations. The film shows Faithfull's sharp wit and directness, as she confronts artifacts from her past, including a sexist interview about her talent. Swinton's character powerfully refutes the notion that Faithfull was merely "Mick Jagger's ex-girlfriend," highlighting her 30+ albums, Grammy nomination, and survival of addiction, overdoses, and cancer. Faithfull's reactions to watching her younger self, particularly with Bob Dylan and Joan Baez, are poignant. The film-makers were surprised by her unjaded view of the industry despite personal struggles, including the impact of Covid. They consciously avoided common sexist tropes in portraying female artists, ensuring Faithfull's intimidating moments weren't highlighted, unlike how male artists' "bad behaviour" is often romanticized. They also corrected the infamous "Mars bar" myth from the Redlands drug raid. Inspired by Beckett's "Krapp's Last Tape," the film shows Faithfull confronting her younger selves, which proved fortifying for her memory, affected by Covid. The film also frames the "clusterfuck of dates" around 1969 – Sister Morphine's withdrawal, her miscarriage, and Brian Jones's death – as a pivotal, traumatic period. Despite initial health concerns preventing her from singing, Faithfull's determination led to her recording the final track with Cave and Ellis a year later, a moment described as "special" and emotional for all involved. The film is set to be released in UK cinemas from March 20.
