Miss Marx – Punk rock biopic of feminist & social activist Eleanor Marx

BY IKI MINOGUE

Set in 18th century Germany, the biopic Miss Marx tells the story of feminist and socialist activist Eleanor Marx.

The film begins with Miss Marx delivering the eulogy of her father, now known as the father of communism, Karl Marx. Not long has passed since Eleanor Marx buried both her mother and sister, and is now left with the custody of her young nephew – a responsibility  she eventually relinquishes in favour of a less traditional path. Eleanor embarks on a like of travelling, meeting like minded enlightened intellectuals and writing about the struggles of the working class. In a timeless sequence, Eleanor states that she does not know what it means to be free – growing up her father’s daughter she was taught what to think and who to be, and now she cannot go straight to being something else for someone else. Miss Marx conveys a sentiment relatable to the majority of women across the globe, even all these years later.

Writer-director Susan Nicharrelli delivers Eleanor’s brutal story through an appropriate punk rock lens. The film begins with death, has death sprinkled with throughout and ends with the untimely suicide of Eleanor. When there are breaks from the deaths of those in Eleanor’s socialist activist circle of friends, we are delivered the gruesome squalor of the working and living conditions of the working class of Europe during the 18th century.

The film also depicts the unfortunate marriage of Eleanor to playwright Edward Aveling, a courtship which is not an official marriage considering Aveling is already married but separated. This is a courtship which entails all the mishaps of a modern marriage, including infidelity and financial hardship. For a feminist and socialist revolutionary, Eleanor puts up with a whole lot of chauvinistic bullshit from her life partner, a storyline which Nicharrelli zooms in and contrasts with the rest of Eleanor’s life in a tasteful way. All of which contributes to making Miss Marx a universal and timeless experience.

Once we get past the first half of the film Eleanor is no longer dealing with familiar and marital issues and Miss Marx becomes a slow film to follow, albeit moving very fast at points. Eleanor’s political observations are delivered through fourth-wall breaking soliloquies, giving the film the air of a play.

The film has a wonderful score, and Ramola Garai depiction of Eleanor Marx is captivating, delivering the feminist storyline of the script in a timeless manner. Overall though the film shifts in mood so dramatically and jumps from personal to political with such little cohesion it is at times hard to follow.

★★★