Marley is a 2012 documentary-biographical film directed by Kevin Macdonald documenting the life of Bob Marley.
The film initially began development in 2008, with a planned release date for Marley's 65th birthday on 6 February 2010. Martin Scorsese and Jonathan Demme were attached at different points but both would depart from the documentary, with Demme citing creative differences. The documentary was then put on hold until Macdonald signed on as director.
It was released on 20 April 2012, and received critical acclaim. The film was also released on demand on the same day, a "day and date" release. The film features archival footage and interviews.
The content spans the life and musical career of Bob Marley, mainly as seen through the eyes of those who knew him and contributed to the documentary, including Bunny Wailer, Rita Marley, Lee "Scratch" Perry and many others.
Although Marley was enthusiastic about music from a very young age, he had disappointing record sales as a solo artist with his first singles, âÂÂJudge Notâ and âÂÂOne Cup of CoffeeâÂÂ. He then decided to collaborate with Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer to create âÂÂThe Wailers.â This group later became known as âÂÂBob Marley and the Wailersâ and achieved international fame. The group made Bob Marley a household name and brought worldwide attention to Jamaican culture, Reggae music and the Rastafari movement.
Throughout the documentary, much of the content deals with Marley's struggle with racial identity and acceptance. Marley's widow, Rita Marley stated âÂÂthey saw Bob as an outcast, because he didnâÂÂt really belong to anyone. YouâÂÂre in-between. YouâÂÂre black and white; so youâÂÂre not even black.â Livingston also comments that Marley was harassed in school for being mixed race. On his race, Marley stated:
"I don't have prejudice against meself. My father was a white and my mother was black. Them call me half-caste or whatever. Me don't dip on nobody's side. Me don't dip on the black man's side nor the white man's side. Me dip on God's side, the one who create me and cause me to come from black and white."
Marley's journey to become a member of the Rastafari movement is documented in the film starting with his friendship with Rastafari preacher Mortimer Planno. Marley firmly states several times that he is a key part of the Rastafari movement: the belief that the Emperor of Ethiopia, Haile Selassie I, is the reincarnation of Christ. Rita Marley stated that she also converted to Rastafari upon the visit of Selassie I to Jamaica when she saw âÂÂmarks in his handsâÂÂ, similar to those Jesus bore when he was nailed to the cross.
Marley's love of Rastafari was brought out in lyrics of songs such as, âÂÂExodusâ and âÂÂJah LiveâÂÂ. Marley's inspiration for other songs is addressed in the documentary. Examples of this are âÂÂCorner StoneâÂÂ, which dealt with the rejection of Marley by white relatives on his father's side; âÂÂWorkâÂÂ, which dealt with Jamaica's political conflicts; and âÂÂZimbabweâÂÂ, which dealt with the Zimbabwean liberation movement.
Throughout Marley's life, he had a total of eleven children with seven women, despite being married from a young age. When asked if he was married, Marley responded:
"No. You see, I canâÂÂt deal with the Western ways of life. If I must live by a law, it must be the laws of His Majesty. If itâÂÂs not the laws of His Majesty, then I can make my own law."
Marley's most famous relationship was with Cindy Breakspeare (Miss World 1976). From this relationship, Breakspheare had Marley's son, Damian Marley. When asked about how she felt about Marley's relationships with other women, Rita Marley responded:
"I became his guardian angel. By that time, I was past the service of being a wife because of the importance of who I knew Bob is. I didnâÂÂt see it as a fun trip. We were on a mission. It was like an evangelist campaign to bring people closer to Jah."
Marley's death is uniquely depicted in the documentary. In 1977, Marley found out that he had a cancerous sore on his right big toe. It is believed that the sore on his toe was the result of a cancer that was already spreading in Marley's body. Contrary to those sources, Rita Marley is quoted in saying:
"Somebody stepped on it with their spiked boots and it started to get infested. But Bob would still play football the next day on it, and the next day."
The documentary also conducts interviews with Rastafari doctors, which shows Marley's strict adherence to the religion. Rastafari doctor, Carleton Fraser, states that âÂÂdoctors recommended amputation of the hip and removing the entire leg.â Chris Blackwell gives conflicting information and insists that they just needed to amputate Marley's big toe for him to survive. Later, when Marley started losing his hair in the course of chemotherapy treatment for his cancer, family members also state that Marley had much displeasure in cutting off his dreadlocks, an aspect of Rastafarism, which was unfortunately necessitated by the physical pain their heavy weight was causing him.
The film ends with Marley saying a quote that was the overall message in his music:
"I donâÂÂt really have any ambition, you know? I only have one thing IâÂÂd really like to see happen. IâÂÂd like to see mankind living together. Black, White, Chinese, everyone. ThatâÂÂs all."
During the credits, it shows people from many countries singing the performing âÂÂGet Up, Stand Upâ and âÂÂOne LoveâÂÂ.
Interviews conducted and featured include: Cedella Marley Booker, Rita Marley, Bunny Livingston, Ziggy Marley, Cindy Breakspeare, Aston Barrett, Constance Marley (half-sister), Peter Marley (second cousin), Chris Blackwell, Peter Tosh, Lee Jaffe, Donald Kinsey, Edward Seaga, Judy Mowatt and Junior Marvin.
The soundtrack to Marley was released four days prior to the film, on 16 April 2012. It contains 24 of the 66 tracks listed in the closing credits of the movie. The soundtrack's first single is "High Tide or Low Tide" which was released as a single on . The soundtrack's track list is arranged chronologically as it appears on the film. It's the first record to feature the recording of Bob Marley performing "Jamming" at the One Love Peace Concert, where Marley joined the hands of Michael Manley and Edward Seaga, members of the People's National Party and the Jamaican Labour Party respectively.
The tracks listed in the film's closing credits, in order, are:
As of 4 August 2012, the film has grossed $1,412,124 in North America.
However, the film did receive criticism, with Bunny Wailer saying that the Rastafari part of Marley's life was underplayed. Furthermore, its opening in Jamaica was soured after the colours of the Ethiopian flag were placed on the ground, causing Wailer and others to boycott the opening.