Marianne & Leonard: Words of Love

Name: Marianne & Leonard: Words of Love
Genre: Music, Documentary
Released: July 5, 2019
Duration: 102 min
Rating: 69
Cast: Aviva Layton, Billy Donovan, Don Lowe, Helle Goldman, Irving Layton

2019

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Generally favorable reviews based on 19 Critic Reviews

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Generally favorable reviews based on 8 Ratings

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7.5

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7.5	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 8 Ratings

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Marianne & Leonard: Words Of Love

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Movie Details & Credits

Roadside Attractions | Release Date: July 5, 2019 | Not Rated

Starring: Aviva Layton, Billy Donovan, Don Lowe, Helle Goldman, Irving Layton, Jeffrey Brown, John Lissauer, John Simon, Judy Collins, Julie Felix, Leonard Cohen, Marianne Ihlen, Nancy Bacal, Nick Broomfield, Richard Vick, Ron Cornelius

Summary: Marianne & Leonard: Words of Love is renowned filmmaker Nick Broomfield’s most personal and romantic film of his storied career. The documentary starts on the Greek island of Hydra in 1960, where Leonard Cohen, then a struggling and unknown fiction writer, and Marianne Ihlen, a single mother with a young son, became part of community ofMarianne & Leonard: Words of Love is renowned filmmaker Nick Broomfield’s most personal and romantic film of his storied career. The documentary starts on the Greek island of Hydra in 1960, where Leonard Cohen, then a struggling and unknown fiction writer, and Marianne Ihlen, a single mother with a young son, became part of community of expat artists, writers and musicians. Never-before-seen footage shot by Broomfield and legendary documentarian D.A. Pennebaker make for a unique portrait of an idyllic 1960’s bohemia. It was a time that left a lasting imprint on both Marianne and Leonard, whose friendship would last another fifty years before their deaths in 2016.… Expand

Director: Nick Broomfield

Genre(s): Music, Documentary

Rating: Not Rated

Runtime: 102 min

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Critic Reviews

Glenn Kenny

Jul 11, 2019

While Broomfield’s films often take a sardonic, close-to-cynical tone, “Marianne & Leonard” is admiring, affectionate and a little awe-struck. Read full review

Jim Slotek

Jul 12, 2019

Though it kind of loses track of its marquee title character mid-movie, Marianne & Leonard: Words of Love is a must-watch for Cohen fans, with copious concert and backstage footage. It is also a snapshot of a time, and of hedonistic artistic idealism. Read full review

The Guardian Peter Bradshaw

Jul 25, 2019

Marianne Ihlen emerges as someone of enormous gentleness and dignity. Read full review

Ann Hornaday

Jul 9, 2019

Dutifully covering the rise, fall and final triumph of Cohen’s career, Broomfield relegates Ihlen to the background of her own story, before bringing her back for the film’s touching final act and devastating epilogue. Achieving the kind of balance to which Cohen always aspired, Marianne & Leonard is heartbreaking and heartening in Zen-like equal measure. Read full review

Kenneth Turan

Jul 3, 2019

Because Ihlen was never the public figure that the often idolized Cohen was, “Words of Love” eventually becomes as much a documentary on him as a record of a relationship. But that relationship does have pride of place, and as described by the participants in vintage audio and by people who knew him in contemporary interviews, it does fascinate. Read full review

RogerEbert.com Sheila O'Malley

Jul 5, 2019

Marianne and Leonard turns out to be a rather run-of-the-mill documentary about Cohen's journey, taking us down well-documented paths. Read full review

Empire Ella Kemp

Jul 26, 2019

The lines between artist and muse are too clean cut to capture the visceral and intimate emotion of two lovers. Broomfield’s approach feels more intrusive than reflective, reducing the private story to public gossip. Read full review

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User Reviews

bigtech

Jul 19, 2019

Much better than I expected. I'm aware of Leonard Cohen's music, but not particularly a fan, so I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this documentary. For me, it tells three stories -- an enduring love story, an intimate view of a particular slice of society during the sixties and earlyMuch better than I expected. I'm aware of Leonard Cohen's music, but not particularly a fan, so I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this documentary. For me, it tells three stories -- an enduring love story, an intimate view of a particular slice of society during the sixties and early seventies, and a story of a artist trying to outrun his neuroses. Excellent and amazing footage from beginning to end. I do wish they had showed more of the songs to allow us to reflect on the lyrics, but otherwise delightful.… Expand

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HollywoodGlee

Nov 27, 2019

Marianne & Leonard - Words of Love, the latest work from Brit documentary filmmaker, Nick Broomfield, is a beautiful yet tragic love story between Leonard Cohen and his Norwegian muse Marianne Ihlen. Broomfield delivers a well-organized and polished film with traditional documentaryMarianne & Leonard - Words of Love, the latest work from Brit documentary filmmaker, Nick Broomfield, is a beautiful yet tragic love story between Leonard Cohen and his Norwegian muse Marianne Ihlen. Broomfield delivers a well-organized and polished film with traditional documentary filmmaking techniques of utilizing voice-over-narration still photographs with effects, archival footage, and present-day interviews. Furthermore, Broomfield manages to interview very interesting characters to say the least, all of whom sing the praises of Marianne and share some insightful observations on the semi-reclusive Cohen, most often associated with his best-selling work, Hallelujah that contains most of Cohen's common themes of religion, politics, isolation, sexuality and romantic relationships. What emerges from Broomfield's efforts is a well-researched and documented look into the deeply personal and spiritual relationship of Leonard Cohen and Marianne Ihlen.

Interestingly, Broomfield's work Tales of the Grim Sleeper (2014), introduced filmgoers to the Black Lives Matter Movement before it became a national movement. Broomfield was also the last person to speak to Ailenne Wuornos as he was making his Ailenne: The Life and Death of a Serial Killer (2003), the central character in Monster. Charlize Theron portrayed Wuornos and received an Oscar for her performance. Other prominent and well-known works from Broomfield include Sarah Palin: You Betcha! (2011), Battle for Haditha (2007), Kurt and Courtney (1998) Heidi Fleiss: Hollywood Madam (1995) and Soldier Girls (1981).

Broomfield begins Marianne & Leonard - Words of Love to when and where the love of Leonard Cohen and Marianne Islen began - on the idyllic Greek island of Hydra in 1960 as part of a bohemian community of foreign artists, writers, and musicians. The film follows their relationship from the early days on Hydra, a humble time of ‘free love’ and open marriage, to how their love evolved when Leonard became a successful musician. It was on Hydra in 1968 that director Nick Broomfield, then aged 20, first met Marianne Ihlen. Marianne introduced him to Leonard Cohen’s music and also encouraged Nick to make his first film and was an enormous influence on him.

Marianne and Leonard's was a love story that would continue for the rest of their lives. Along the way, Broomfield brings to light the tragedy that befell those that could not survive the beauty of Hydra, the highs and lows of Cohen’s career, and the inspirational power that Marianne possessed. Marianne and Leonard died three months apart.

With Marianne & Leonard, Broomfield continues his already strong body of work with a more personal touch.

Documentary Filmmaker, Nick Broomfield addresses the audience during a Q & A following the screening of his latest work, Leonard and Marianne: Words of Love at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival on January 27th, 2019 inside the MARC Theatre in Park City, Utah. (Photo credit: Larry Gleeson/HollywoodGlee)

In the Q & A following the film's screening, Broomfield credits Marianne's nurturing soul and gentle encouragement as the catalyst behind his advent into documentary filmmaking. Seemingly, Leonard and Marianne touched something deeply personal inside Broomfield. Following the Q & A, I thanked Mr. Broomfield for his work and quickly inquired what his next project would be. Broomfield cooly replied he was doing something even more personal - a project about his father. Stay tuned as Broomfield is at the top of his game and I look forward to seeing more from this highly original and very authentic filmmaker. Warmly recommended.… Expand

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DawdlingPoet

Nov 27, 2021

This documentary features a rather no-nonsense, apathetic style of narration. Its somewhat traditional in style, with lots of photos of the Greek scenery, where most of the time covered in this film centered on. It has a wistful, nostalgic sense to itself - of course it does, its lookingThis documentary features a rather no-nonsense, apathetic style of narration. Its somewhat traditional in style, with lots of photos of the Greek scenery, where most of the time covered in this film centered on. It has a wistful, nostalgic sense to itself - of course it does, its looking back at around 1960. I admit I'm not especially familiar with Leonard Cohen, so the story was new to me but I watched it, as I saw it recommended elsewhere and the idea of seeing a documentary set in Greece at that time appealed to me. Its a somewhat calm and sedate watch, which may mean that you'd find it boring but personally, I quite liked the sort of hazy, wistful sense the floaty music in the background emphasised. I watched it at night and I wouldn't say it was the sort of film that I had to be constantly concentrating on the whole time, in order to (if roughly) follow it, so thats a definite plus. I did feel it slightly lost its way, so to speak, in the 2nd half, in as much as the timeline became a little unclear but for what it is, its not a bad watch - its a reasonable one, although of course to get the most from it then it helps if your familiar with Leonard Cohen's music etc. I would recommend this, to anyone who finds the subject matter intriguing. Its not exactly a greatly engrossing watch for the duration but its certainly interesting enough and is an ok watch.… Expand

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