Marianne & Leonard: Words of Love (2019)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Marianne & Leonard: Words of Love is a documentary film which premiered in 2019.

 

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

 

Here is some basic information about this film

 

** Director: Nick Broomfield (born 1948)

** Writers: Nick Broomfield and Marc Hoeferlin

** Narrator: Nick Broomfield

** Languages: English and Norwegian

** Subtitles: English

** Run time: 97 minutes

 

Several persons are interviewed in this film

Here are the names of the participants

Listed in alphabetical order

 

** Judy Collins – American singer and songwriter

** Ron Cornelius – a musician, guitar player

** Billy Donovan – a manager

** Julie Felix (1938-2020) – American folk singer

** Helle Goldman – a friend of Marianne

** Aviva Layton – she lived with Irving Layton for many years

** John Lissauer – a producer

** John Lowe – a writer

** Jan Christian Mollestad – a friend of Marianne

** John Simon – a producer

** Rick Vick – a writer

 

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 is used when the narrator is speaking

Archive footage allows the viewers to see and listen to the two persons who are the main topic of this film:

 

** Leonard Cohen (1934-2016)

** Marianne Ihlen (1935-2016)

 

A man from Canada and a woman from Norway are not likely to meet each other, but Leonard Cohen and Marianne Ihlen met each other in Greece, on the island of Hydra, in 1960.

 

How and why did this happen?

 

Both of them had left their home. Both of them were searching for something else. Both of them were looking for an adventure far from home.

 

Leonard was a poet and a writer. When he came to Hydra, he became an artist, a singer and a songwriter. Marianne became his muse. They became friends and lovers and they were together for several years.

 

Around 1970, they separated, but they never forgot each other. In 2016, when Marianne was in Norway and close to the end of her life, she asked a friend to contact Leonard and tell him what was happening.

 

Her friend sent a message to Leonard, who was in the US. He responded at once. He sent a message to tell her that he was not far behind her. He was also close to the end. In this way, they were able to say goodbye to each other in a peaceful way. He died three months after she died.

 

This film covers the lives of Leonard Cohen and Marianne Ihlen in great detail. The story is told by people who knew them, by people who were close to them, and by people who worked with them.

 

What do reviewers say about this film?

 

Here are some results:

 

69 percent = Meta

70 percent = IMDb

81 percent = Rotten Tomatoes (the critics)

85 percent = Rotten Tomatoes (the audience)

 

23 reviews are posted on IMDb. 21 offer a specific rating. The ratings span from 40 to 100 percent. The average rating of the 21 user reviews is 69 percent, which is close to the rating offered by the website.

 

The ratings are quite good, as you can see. When you look at Rotten Tomatoes, you can see that the audience likes this film more than the critics. But both groups are positive.

 

It is unusual see the audience offering a higher rating than the critics, when we are dealing with a documentary film. But this case is the exception to the general rule.

 

I guess this is because of the topic. Many viewers are avid fans of Leonard Cohen. This fact is probably lifting the rating to a higher level than what is normal for the audience.

 

Some reviewers say the film is too long and that it is boring. I do not agree with such statements.

 

The story of the Canadian artist Leonard Cohen and his Norwegian muse Marianne Ihlen is interesting. It deserves to be told, and in this film, it is done quite well.

 

In my opinion, the ratings Meta and IMDb are too low, while  the ratings on Rotten Tomatoes are very appropriate. I think this documentary film deserves a rating of four stars (80 percent).

 

REFERENCES

 

Leonard Cohen in Oslo

Run time = 49 minutes

A concert

(1988)

Available on the NRK website

 

Leonard Cohen: I’m Your Man

Run time = 98 minutes

A documentary film

(2005)

 

A Meeting with Leonard Cohen

Run time = 29 minutes

An interview

(2006)

Available on the NRK website

 

Leonard Cohen in London

Run time = 157 minutes

A concert

(2009)

 

Leonard Cohen: Live in Dublin, 2013

A concert

(2014)

 

Tower of Song:

A Memorial Tribute to Leonard Cohen

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

(2018)

 

Hallelujah: 

Leonard Cohen, a Journey, a Song

Run time = 112 minutes

A documentary film

(2021)

 

So long, Marianne

A historical drama

A miniseries with eight episodes

(2024)

Available on the NRK website

 

*****

 

I'm Your Man:

 The Life of Leonard Cohen

By Sylvie Simmons

(2012 = hardcover)

(2021 = paperback)

*****