Broken English

Marianne Faithfull was a singer, songwriter, grammy nominee, actress and a teacher at the Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics. Was she a woman of exceptional talents or did she assume the roles naturally afforded someone who dated a Rolling Stone during the height of their fame? One thing for sure is she lived an extraordinary life; and this is no ordinary documentary. Or is it a biopic? An interview? A live performance? It evades labels, shapeshifting between forms as Faithfull herself was wont to do.  

The Ministry of Not Forgetting are tasked not with “remembering”, but “not forgetting” Marianne Faithfull. As they navigate how to appropriately honour the singer’s life and career, The Overseer (Tilda Swinton) sits at a desk telling a handheld recorder the importance of this project, listing Faithfull’s achievements and hardships before deploring, “yet to the world at large she’s still just Mick Jagger’s ex-girlfriend- well, fuck that.” Meanwhile, The Researcher (George McKay) is preparing his station for an interview. He interrupts The Overseer’s monologue as he exchanges pleasantries with Marianne herself. The two sit together and The Researcher begins the interview by showing a clip from a talk show that reduces Faithfull’s rise to being “picked out at a party with no evident talent and made [into] a star” by Rolling Stones manager Andrew Oldham. Faithfull laughs it off, ridiculing the idea saying, “I’ll show you, you cunt.”  

The intention to reappraise Faithfull’s legacy is clearly stated; to appropriately accredit her for which she was once dismissed and to dispel the scrutiny that has plagued her life in the public eye. 

The title Broken English is taken from Faithfull’s 1979 grammy nominated album which saw Faithfull reinvent herself by adopting “new wave”, a progressive take on punk rock, while showcasing her songwriting talents through deep lyricism that can shape both politically conscious mantras and intimate storytelling. Described as “whisky soaked”, her voice on the album is raspy, displaying the damage caused by the tumultuous years that preceded its release. Since becoming a public figure Faithfull married, gave birth, divorced, fought addiction, had a stillbirth, attempted suicide and lived homelessly while being the subject of a myriad of gossip columns and media scandals. All experiences that fuelled her authoritative delivery on 1979’s Broken English. These experiences and more are discussed during her interview with The Researcher, as they explore Faithfull’s past the singer offers new insights whilst setting some records straight. 

The interview is interspersed with dramatized debates about Faithfull, input from The Overseer and live performances of her music from the likes of Suki Waterhouse and Beth Orton- including Marianne’s last ever performance before she passed in January of last year which is accompanied by Nick Cave on piano.  

Screening at the Dublin International Film Festival in The Lighthouse on February 25^th, Broken English (2025) is one of over 20 documentaries featured this year. Tackling misogyny, fame and the media while highlighting the impact of a woman too often overlooked, its experimental style is a fitting tribute to Faithfull’s legacy and a perfect match for the festival’s forward-thinking programme.