My Week With Marilyn

Sir Laurence Olivier wanted to be a movie star and Marilyn Monroe wanted to be an actress. One represented the finest in British theatrical tradition and the other, a new kind of actor; raw, emotional and in the moment. Marilyn Monroe, a student of Lee Strassberg, was a Method actor and had none of the discipline and training of a theatrical actor. But when she got it right on film, there was no looking away. Marilyn Monroe on the screen was mesmerizing.

The movie My Week With Marilyn takes place just before Marilyn Monroe (Michelle Williams) had her big break out role in the film Some Like it Hot. Traveling with her new husband, celebrated playwright Arthur Miller, she is summoned to England to star opposite Sir Laurence Olivier (Kenneth Branagh) in The Prince and the Showgirl. The original stage production starred Olivier’s wife Vivien Leigh. But Vivien had grown too old for the role and Olivier wanted someone younger. He saw something in Marilyn while meeting her in the states and wanted very much to work with her. But all his experience, confidence and meticulous training was no match for Marilyn and her entourage.

When Olivier wasn’t being a bully or berating her for her lack of professional discipline, he was wallowing in jealousy over her natural instincts and her command of visual arts. Marilyn knew how to work the camera and she created “Marilyn” as her alter ego and screen persona. But underneath her bombshell image, Marilyn was a woman full of insecurity, fear and doubt. She was mess, but when she got it right she was perfection.

There have been many actresses who have played Marilyn Monroe for after all these years we still find her fascinating. But Michelle Williams’ portrayal is truly illuminating. There have been other women who have looked more like Marilyn, or sounded more like Marilyn, there have even been better mimics of her on-screen persona, but Michelle captures her essence and I don’t recall anyone doing a better job of balancing all the elements. Playing Marilyn is like playing someone with a multiple personality disorder. There are so many sides to the woman and Michelle captures her fear, insecurity and sense of rebellion. She also shows the anguish of a artist who wants to be taken seriously while at the same time being totally incapable of handling her interpersonal relationships. At one moment she can pose, flirt and manipulate the press and then shrink in terror at the enthusiasm of her fans. Watching Michelle Williams makes you wonder, was Marilyn a user or was she the one being used? Was she the most selfish person in the world, or a truly needy person seeking validation. Michelle Williams’ Marilyn is complex, multilayered and charismatic. Miss Williams has dug deep here and given us a memorable performance. I don’t ever recall a Marilyn that has effected me so deeply.

As the title My Week With Marilyn suggests, there is another character in this film. The my in the title refers to Colin Clark portrayed by Eddie Redmayne. This film is a true story based on the diaries of Colin Clark. Colin Clark was a young British film enthusiast who landed his first job in the industry as Sir Laurence Olivier’s third assistant director, which is basically a “go-for”. In his role he showed initiative, drive and tenacity, but he was also a keen observer. It is this quality that attracted Marilyn Monroe. As an assistant he saw all sides and Marilyn was counting on him for his insights and honesty. When Arthur Miller (Dougray Scott) tires of Marilyn’s media circus and returns to the states prematurely, Marilyn latches onto Colin like a life-preserver. Jealousies erupt and Colin’s duties and motives are questioned, but as someone able to see all sides, Colin becomes a real friend, even if it costs him his relationship with a young costumer played by Emma Watson.

Kenneth Branagh plays Olivier as a man trying to regain his youth and achieve the status and recognition that he feels he deserves. Also in the film is Judi Dench as Dame Sybil Thorndike. She is gracious and supportive of Marilyn even when Marilyn’s poor behavior effects her directly.She reminds Olivier that their way is on the wane and that this new breed of actor is the future. She is wise in many ways and Marilyn appreciates her understanding and support.

There have been many movies featuring Marilyn Monroe reflecting different times and parts of her life. But what I liked the most about this film is that it zeros in on that time right before she makes it big. The Prince and the Showgirl was not a huge hit but it set Marilyn up for her next film which made her a big star. At this juncture we see the actress before she comes into her own, while she is still trying to figure things out and Michelle Williams provides us with that glimpse. She shows us a woman on the verge of greatness; both Marilyn’s and her own.

Rating: First Run An actress on the verge of greatness