Bright, intelligent, passionate and free, Eleanor is Karl Marx's youngest daughter. Among the first women to link the themes of feminism and socialism, she takes part in the workers' battles and fights for women's rights.

 

Miss Marx opens with a terrific volley of flashing opening credits and a thundering punk rock soundtrack quite unlike any biopic in recent memory. But instead of being some revolutionary fare, Miss Marx descends into your typical period drama with quite a lot of opium consumption for added measure. 

 

Besides a cleverly constructed scene between Eleanor appearing to confront her lover Edward when in fact they are reciting lines from a play Miss Marx descends into heavy exposition which is not nearly as rousing as its opening sequence. 

 

The real star attraction here is Romola Garai, not unaccustomed to period roles from Emma to the Crimson Petal and the White, gives a solid and very human performance as Eleanor Marx, bringing the political and personal worlds of Marx beautifully to life.