Director: Susanna Nicchiarelli
Starring: Romola Garai, Patrick Kennedy, John Gordon Sinclair, Felicity Montagu, Karina Fernandez, Emma Cunniffe, Philip Groning
Distributor: Pivot Films
Runtime: 107 mins. Reviewed in Mar 2022
Reviewer: Fr Peter Malone msc

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Rating notes: Mature themes and drug use

Miss Marx is Eleanor Marx, daughter of the writer of Das Kapital, Karl Marx. Endorsing her father’s social theory, campaigning for rights, this is also a portrait of herself, her relationships, family, happiness and disappointments.

Who is Miss Marx? She is Eleanor, the youngest daughter of the writer of Das Kapital, Karl Marx. The question occurs: do we know much about Karl Marx himself, his background in Germany, his emigration to England, his marriage, family and writings? (There is an interesting film with August Diehl, The Young Karl Marx, 2017, directed by the Haitian Raoul Peck, this film career focused on social justice issues.) And we know even less about Eleanor, a significant woman socialist and campaigner in the late 19th century Britain.

Here, therefore, is an opportunity to learn something of the Marx family, and specifically Eleanor.

The film has been written and directed by the Italian director, Susanna Nicchiarelli (who has gone on to make Chiara, the story of St Clare of Assisi, who left her wealthy family to become a nun after hearing St Francis preach). Nicchiarelli has assembled an international cast, principally British, with Garai in the central role, a strong screen presence, commanding when she appears.

The film opens with the funeral of Karl Marx, Eleanor speaking of her father and his memory. There are a number of flashbacks throughout the film, some genial memories of Marx himself, but the revelation of some secrets. The screenplay fills in a lot of family background.

At the time of the funeral, 1883, Eleanor met the playwright Edward Aveling (Kennedy) and fell in love with him. Previously married with his wife refusing to divorce him, Eleanor decided for them to live as husband and wife. Garai’s performance conveys the intense love she had for Edward – whereas, the audience watching him throughout the years, comes to dislike him intensely. He is self-centred, exploiting his wife, she, despite loving him, declares that he has no moral sense. He is a charming, self-preoccupied, cad.

So, while the film, in six chapters highlights special times from 1883 to 1898 in Eleanor’s life, providing a portrait of Eleanor and her personality, strength of mind and strength of will, it also offers an opportunity to see the influence of Karl Marx’s thinking, theoretical socialism and idealistic hopes for society, as well as the practical applications. Eleanor visits working sites, meets strikers, protests injustice, visits the US and continues campaigns there, and supports the suffragettes and the women’s movement.

There is a vigorous singing of the Internationale during the film – during the final credits.

For audiences who have not knowing anything about Eleanor Marx’s life, best not to do any research before seeing the film to let his have its ultimate dramatic impact. But, after watching the film, she is well worth researching to discover a strong-minded and strong-willed 19th century British woman.