My Week With Marilyn(Wienstien Company)
I caught the Marilyn Monroe/Laurence Olivier starrer “The Prince And The Showgirl” on television late one night the week before seeing “My Week With Marilyn” from director Simon Curtis starring Michelle Williams. It was fortuitous for me that I watched it before Curtis and Williams got hold of the icon. In fact it helped to have an artistic compass that would in effect establish parameters and particulars that might or might not add up to the sum parts of the original blonde bombshell and all her affectations.
It’s good news to report that Michelle Williams slinks and slides into the role of Monroe with lubricated ease. A wink here and a toss of that blonde hair there and Williams can probably be assured of an Oscar nomination from the Academy come February. Unfortunately director Curtis’ stodgy use of the camera and retro set pieces prevents the film from flowing freely into true eye-pleasing glory. Williams eats up the props and actors like a true actress should. “My Week With Marilyn” succeeds solely because of Williams and her ability to breathe some human spirit into the ghost of the blonde goddess. From that angle the film will certainly have them applauding well beyond the screening rooms and film festivals.
Supporting players are another thing here entirely. It’s not exactly a wax museum recreation of Hollywood’s bygone era. Kenneth Branagh’s Olivier is noteworthy for its flowery and energetic speech patterns and humorous riffs. Julia Ormond as Vivien Leigh is off by a long-shot and Dougray Scott as Arthur Miller is some casting director’s idea of wishful thinking. Judi Dench manages to keep the supporting roster credible with her performance while Zoe Wannamaker’s interesting take on Paula Strausberg perks things up. But the memoir on which the film is based (authored by Colin Clark and played by Eddie Redsmayne in the movie) establishes a soft but colorful profile instead of the bombastic biogaraphy that one might have thought befitting Marilyn.
“My Week With Marilyn” is a trifle of a film blessed with Michelle Williams’ remarkably nuanced take on Marilyn Monroe thereby making it one of the most ambitious screen entries of the year and possibly one of the best dramatic turns I’ve seen in years.