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Cast: Michelle Williams, Kenneth Branagh, Eddie Redmayne, Dominic Cooper, Zoë Wanamaker, Julia Ormond, Emma Watson, Judi Dench
During Marilyn Monroe’s (Michelle Williams) first trip to London to film The Prince and the Showgirl with Sir Laurence Olivier (Kenneth Branagh), she befriends Colin Clark (Eddie Redmayne), an ambitious 23-year-old Third Assistant Director on the set. As their relationship progresses, Colin’s focus shifts from making his way in the film business to rescuing her from the pressures of celebrity life. When Monroe’s new husband, playwright Arthur Miller, makes a brief trip to Paris, Clark takes the opportunity to introduce her to the world outside of Hollywood fame. Based on the true story by Colin Clark, this memoir describes a magical week in which Monroe opens herself up to a stranger and finds in him a confidant and an ally.
An aspiring young filmmaker spent a short time in 1956 on the set of a Laurence Olivier and Marilyn Monroe film as an assistant director. He became close to Marilyn as many men had, and ended up a key figure in the production. Marilyn Monroe was notoriously difficult to work with in Hollywood and that is well-dramatized here. The first only tells a very small story, a week to be exact of the actresses life but it manages to show her in all her beauty and her downfalls as well. The story is engaging but I would of loved to had seen a film that was dedicated to showing her whole life but as it is this was pretty enjoyable.
Michelle Williams gives an excellent performance as Marilyn, but if the film covered more of Marilyn's life it would of given Michelle more material to work off of which I'm sure she would of then won the Oscar but as it stands the film limits her range by keeping the film's timeline to only a week. Eddie Redmayne was terrific as Colin Clark and the rest of the supporting cast were amazing as well. Everything about the production was top-notch, Director, Simon Curtis did a terrific with the story and cast.
The title alone tells you what you're in for so it's no secret but like I said before I wish they would of done a full biopic instead but the film is still both interesting and entertaining to watch. The film does a great job showing not only the beauty of Marilyn but her fragile state as well. I highly recommend it to fan's of the star or drama lovers in general. I think the film could of been so much better had they gone a different route but like I said this is still one of the better films from the Oscar season.
Available on DVD and Blu-ray/DVD Combo-Pack, both come with Special Features that include:
The Untold Story of An American Icon
Feature Commentary With Director Simon Curtis
Released by Anchor Bay Entertainment
*** 1/2 Out Of *****