Thursday, October 10, 2024

So long, Marianne (2024)

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So long, Marianne - a miniseries with eight episodes - is a historical drama (based on a true story) which premiered on Norwegian television (NRK) in 2024. 

 

This is about the Canadian artist Leonard Cohen and his Norwegian muse Marianne Ihlen.

 

Here is some basic information about this drama:

 

** Created by Ingeborg Klyve and Tony Wood

** Written by Øystein Karlsen and Jo Nesbø

** Directed by Øystein Karlsen and Bronwen Hughes

** Languages: English and Norwegian

** Subtitles: Norwegian

** Run time: 8 x 45 minutes = 360 minutes

 

The cast includes the following

 

** Alex Wolff as Leonard Cohen (1934-2016)

** Thea Sofie Loch Næss as Marianne Ihlen (1935-2016)

** Anna Torv as Charmian Clift (1923-1969)

** Noah Taylor as George Johnston (1912-1970)

 

** Peter Stormare as Irving Layton (1912-2006)

** Jonas Strand Gravli as Axel Jensen (1932-2003)

** Simon Lööf as Goran Tunström (1937-2000)

 

A Canadian man and a Norwegian woman are not very likely to meet each other. 

 

But the Canadian man Leonard Cohen and the Norwegian woman Marianne Ihlen meet each other on the Greek island of Hydra in 1960.

 

How and why does this happen?

 

Because both of them have left their home. Because both of them are searching for something else. Because both of them are looking for an adventure far from home.

 

Marianne and her husband Axel Jensen travel from Norway to Hydra in 1958.

 

Leonard arrives two years later, when Marianne and Axel’s marriage is falling apart.

 

Leonard is a poet and a writer. Marianne becomes his muse. They become friends and lovers and they are together for several years.

 

Leonard becomes a stepfather for Marianne’s son Little Axel, whose father Axel is disappearing with another woman.

 

The relationship begins in 1960 and lasts for ten years. Around 1970, they separate, but they never forget each other. They are still in contact and they remain friends during the following years.

 

In 2016, when Marianne is in Norway and close to the end of her life, she asks a friend to contact Leonard and tell him what is happening.

 

Her friend sends a message to Leonard who is in the US. He responds at once. He sends a message to tell her that he is not far behind her. He is also close to the end.

 

In this way, they are able to say goodbye to each other in a peaceful way. He dies in November 2016, only three months after she dies.

 

This drama covers their lives and the story of their relationship from the beginning in 1960 until it comes to an end around 1970.

 

In the drama, we can also meet some of the people around them, including the following:

 

** Leonard’s friend and mentor Irving Layton

** The Australian couple Charmian Clift and George Johnston

** Marianne’s Norwegian husband Axel, who is a writer

** The Swedish author Göran Tunström

** The American musician Lou Reed (1942- 2013)

** The American musician Judy Collins (born 1939)

** Marianne’s mother

** Leonard’s mother

 

As stated above, the drama is divided into eight episodes. Here are the headlines:

 

# 1. Hydra

# 2. In Love

# 3. The First Kiss

# 4. Oslo

 

# 5. The Cohen Family

# 6. On Hydra Again

# 7. The Chelsea Hotel

# 8. So long, Leonard

 

Most of the story is set in one of the following three locations:

 

** Oslo – Norway

** Montreal – Quebec, Canada

** Hydra – an island in Greece

 

Leonard is a poet and a writer. He is a published author. But he does not make much money.

 

He cannot make a living writing poems and books. What can he do? He has to try something else. Perhaps he can write poems and turn them into songs?

 

In this drama, we can follow the gradual transformation of Leonard from an unknown poet to a famous singer and songwriter.

 

The first time he stands in front of a large audience is difficult for him. He is shy. He is so shy, that he has to leave the stage.

 

But his friend Judy Collins is patient. She waits for him and after a while, he finds the courage to return to the stage and they sing a song together.

 

What is the song? What is his first song on a stage? The song is Suzanne. This is his first hit.

 

In the following years, many other hits will follow, but this part of his life is not covered here, because it lies beyond the scope of this drama.

 

The title of the drama is borrowed from another famous song: So long, Marianne, which is inspired by his muse.

 

The original title of this song is Come on, Marianne, but his producer tells him that he has to change it, because Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons have just released a song with a similar title: C’mon Marianne.

 

This is why Leonard changes the title of the song to So long, Marianne.

 

With the benefit of hindsight, we can see that this change was a good idea, because the relationship with Marianne was close to the end when this song was released.

 

What do reviewers say about this drama?

 

On IMDb it has a rating of 69 percent

 

Three user reviews are posted on IMDb

 

The first review does not offer a specific rating, but it is very positive. Perhaps indicating a rating of 80 percent. The second review offers a rating of 100 percent, while the third review offers a rating of only 40 percent.

 

As you can see, a mixed response.

 

In my opinion, the 69 percent offered on IMDb is too low. On the other hand, I cannot go all the way to the top. This drama is good but not great. I think it deserves a rating of four stars (80 percent).

 

PS. This drama includes a brief scene where Marianne is sitting in the house on Hydra. Looking out of the window, she says she can see a bird on a wire.

 

Leonard is inspired. He begins to compose a song based on this observation. The lyrics begin like this:

 

Like a bird on the wire

Like a drunk in a midnight choir

I have tried in my way to be free

 

When Leonard Cohen met the American singer and songwriter Kris Kristofferson, Kris told Leonard that he wanted to have the opening lines of this song written on his tombstone. Kris Kristofferson, who was born in 1936, died in 2024.

 

REFERENCES

 

# 1. Books

 

Various Positions:

A Life of Leonard Cohen

By Ira B. Nadel

(2010)

 

Leonard Cohen:

The Music and the Mystique

By Maurice Ratliff

(2012)

 

The Holy or the Broken

By Alan Light

(2012)

 

I’m Your Man:

The Life of Leonard Cohen

By Sylvie Simmons

(2012 = hardcover)

(2021 = paperback)

 

# 2. Film and video

 

Leonard Cohen: I’m Your Man

A documentary film

(2005)

 

Leonard Cohen: Live in London

A concert

(2009)

 

Leonard Cohen: Live in Dublin, 2013

A concert

(2014)

 

Tower of Song: 

A Memorial Tribute to Leonard Cohen

This concert was held in Montreal (Quebec) in November 2017, one year after his death in November 2016

(2018)

 

Marianne & Leonard: Words of Love

A documentary film

(2019)

 

Hallelujah:

Leonard Cohen, a Journey, a Song

A documentary film

(2021)

 

*****


So long, Marianne

A historical drama 

(based on a true story)

which premiered in 2024


*****


The Canadian poet,

singer and songwriter

Leonard Cohen

(1934-2016)

 

*****


Marianne Ihlen and Leonard Cohen

on the Greek island of Hydra

sometime in the 1960s

 

*****

 

 

Tuesday, October 8, 2024

Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, a Journey, a Song (2021)

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, a Journey, a Song is a documentary film which premiered in 2021.

 

It is about the life and the musical career of the Canadian artist Leonard Cohen (1934-2016), with special focus on his famous song Hallelujah.

 

Here is some basic information about this film:

 

** Creators: Daniel Geller & Dayna Goldfine

** Based on the book The Holy or the Broken by Alan Light (2012)

** Language: English

** Subtitles: English

** Run time: 112 minutes

 

Several persons are interviewed in this film

Here are the names of the participants

Listed in alphabetical order

 

** Nancy Bacal (1937-2023) – an actress

** Steve Berlowitz – a producer

** John Cale (born 1942) – a Welsh musician

 

** Brandi Carlile (born 1981) – a musician

** Eric Church (born 1977) – a musician

** Judy Collins (born 1939) – a musician

 

** Clive Davis (born 1932) – a producer

** Susan Feldman

** Mordecai Finley

 

** Glen Hansard (born 1970) – an Irish musician

** Dominique Issermann (born 1947) – a French photographer

** Vicky Jenson (born 1960) – a film director

 

** Myles Kennedy (born 1969) – a musician

** John Lissauer – a producer

** Janine Dreyer Nichols – an actress

 

** Amanda Palmer (born 1976) – a musician

** Sharon Robinson (born 1958) – a musician

 

** Larry “Ratso” Sloman (born 1950) – an author

** Regina Spektor (born 1980) – a musician

 

** Rufus Wainwright (born 1973) – a musician

** Joan Wasser (born 1970) – a musician

** Hal Willner (1956-2020) – a music producer

 

Archive footage is used between the talking heads

Archive footage is used to support and supplement the statements made by the talking heads

Archive footage allows the viewers to witness significant moments of the past and to meet the person who is the main subject of this film.

 

The poet Leonard Cohen worked on the song Hallelujah for something like seven years. It was a track on an album which was recorded in 1984:

 

Various Positions

 

But when the recording was completed, the record company declared that it was a horrible album and refused to release it in the US.

 

It was released in the UK. After a while, it was released on a very small label in the US.

 

Bob Dylan heard the song, and he liked it so much that he sometimes included it when he gave a concert.

 

The artist John Cale also liked it, and he liked it so much that he recorded a cover version of it for an album which was a tribute to Leonard Cohen:

 

I’m Your Fan:

The Songs of Leonard Cohen

(Released 1991)

 

When the song was played by Bob Dylan and when it was recorded by John Cale, it became so well-known that it took on a life of its own.

 

Nowadays, it is a famous song which has been covered by many artists and which is used on many occasions, some of them with a religious nature and others with a non-religious nature.

 

This film covers the history of this song.

 

As stated above, this film is based on a book:

 

The Holy or the Broken

By Alan Light

(2012 = hardcover)

(2022 = paperback)

 

What do reviewers say about this film?

 

Here are some results:

 

70 percent = Meta

76 percent = IMDb

88 percent = Rotten Tomatoes (the critics)

91 percent = Rotten Tomatoes (the audience)

 

The ratings are very good, as you can see. I understand the numerous positive reviews and I agree with most of them.

 

The story of this song is interesting. It deserves to be told, and in this film, it is done quite well.

 

In my opinion, the ratings on Meta and IMDb are too low, while the ratings on Rotten Tomatoes are too high. 

 

I want to find a position in the middle. I think this film deserves a rating of four stars (80 percent)

 

REFERENCES

 

# 1. Books

 

Various Positions:

A Life of Leonard Cohen

By Ira B. Nadel

(2010)

 

Leonard Cohen:

The Music and the Mystique

By Maurice Ratliff

(2012)

 

The Holy or the Broken

By Alan Light

(2012)

 

I’m Your Man:

The Life of Leonard Cohen

By Sylvie Simmons

(2012 = hardcover)

(2021 = paperback)

 

# 2. Film and video

 

Leonard Cohen: I’m Your Man

A documentary film

(2005)

 

Leonard Cohen: Live in London

A concert

(2009)

 

Leonard Cohen: Live in Dublin, 2013

A concert

(2014)

 

Tower of Song: A Memorial Tribute to Leonard Cohen

This concert was held in Montreal (Quebec) in November 2017, one year after his death in November 2016

(2018)

 

Marianne & Leonard: Words of Love

A documentary film

(2019)

 

So long, Marianne

A historical drama

A miniseries with eight episodes

(2024)

 

*****


Leonard Cohen on Leonard Cohen:

Interviews and Encounters

Edited by Jeff Burger

(2014 = hardcover)

(2015 = Paperback)

 

*****