Review: MY WEEK WITH MARILYN
If Michelle Williams gave two shits about the Oscars one could suspect that her decision to play the immortal blonde bombshell Marilyn Monroe, in a biopic released at the end of November was fuelled by nothing more than an attempt to snag that elusive third nom. As it is, Williams is one of America’s finest acting exploits from the last decade and has far too much intelligence and talent to worry about such trivial indulgences as the Academy Awards. She’s an artist. And true artists don’t give a hoot about the Oscars. Unless you’re Kate Winslet, in which case you need at least one nomination a year or you’ll simply stop breathing and die. In fact I’m rooting for Williams to get a nod from the Academy. Not only because her performance as Monroe is sublime stuff but at this early stage in the race she seems the only one who can challenge the imperious force of Meryl Streep’s Maggie Thatcher in The Iron Lady. If Academy Award nominated actors were supermarket chains Meryl Streep would be Wal Mart. Sucking all life that strays into her path. This woman needs to be stopped before she tears the very fabric of time and space apart.
Getting back to My Week with Marilyn, it is an adaptation of the bestselling memoir The Prince, The Showgirl and Me by Colin Clark and is told from his perspective of a third assistant director on the set of Laurence Olivier’s The Prince and the Showgirl. He is played by rising star Eddie Redmayne. It is a disastrous production as Olivier (Kenneth Branagh) is constantly angered at Marilyn Monroe’s unprofessionalism as is studio executive Milton Greene (Dominic Cooper). Dougray Scott pops up as Arthur Miller as does Emma Watson as a perky seamstress.
The film takes on a coming of age story as we see Eddie Redmayne’s Clark rise from spoiled Eton schoolboy to lowly film industry assistant and finally to Marilyn Monroe’s gigolo lover (is is possible Redmayne is just playing himself in this film?) The Monroe that we are shown is light-years away from the giggling temptress of Some Like it Hot. Instead what we have is a damaged and shy woman who is filled with doubt and insecurity and who needs the constant guidance of her acting coach Paula Strasberg (Zoe Wanamaker). The relationship that develops between Clark and Monroe is fascinating because of how unusual the whole thing is. She exploits Clark as a life raft against the constant tide of press journalists and flashing bulbs. When Monroe and Miller go window shopping in London it only takes a manner of seconds before she is fighting for her life alongside hordes of crazy fans.
My Week with Marilyn is a superb piece of ensemble acting. Williams is a perfect Monroe: she can do the heavy drama stuff standing on her head but also displays fine comedic timing which was Monroe’s true gift. Branagh is also delightful as the rather prissy Olivier and Dougray Scott makes a lasting impression as Arthur Miller in only a handful of scenes. The period details shine through as the filmmakers create a sumptuous if slightly ludicrous vision of England in the late 50s: vast country estates populated by beautiful movie stars where the sun is also shining through the speckled oak trees.
As a drama My Week with Marilyn may be a tad on the light side and it does drag on for longer than need be but I’m sure come Oscar time it will reap a small portion of the glory.
