Last night I witnessed an incredible performance by Michelle Williams in My Week with Marilyn. Not only has the look been captured (great makeup, hair and costume), but she managed to convey the delicate balance of sex appeal and vulnerability of the late Marilyn Monroe.
Set during the filming of The Prince and the Showgirl in 1957, I felt that this film could have taken greater advantage of the natural beauty of its British countryside surroundings in its cinematography. There were no sweeping vistas and the opportunity to show the grandeur of the settings was missed.
On the plus side, I was pleasantly surprised to see the complexity of Michelle Williams’ performance, but would have liked to see more of the strong and confident Marilyn than was shown in a brief moment in the film.
For me, Kenneth Branagh was extremely adequate as Laurence Olivier, managing to show us the smoldering passion he had for Marilyn, mixed with the contempt and rage (and quite possibly jealousy) he felt for her. Touches of the effeminate Olivier rounded out the performance.
I was, however, a bit dissapointed in Julia Ormond as Olivier’s wife, Vivien Leigh (Gone with the Wind, A Streetcar Named Desire). While she showed us strong and confident Lady Olivier, the character almost felt reduced to a casual reference to the director’s wife instead of the incredible beauty and talent that was Vivien Leigh.
In an all-to-brief appearance, Dame Judi Dench brought dignity and grace to the film as the considerate and sympathetic Dame Sybil Thorndike. Zoë Wanamaker was great as Marilyn’s devoted acting coach, Paula Strasberg. It was also fun to see Hermione Granger Emma Watson who managed more kissing scenes in this film than in 8 Harry Potter films combined!
Certainly not least, Eddie Redmayne was thoroughly charming as the ambitious but lovestruck Colin Clark, the young man who spent a week with a famous film star and fell hopelessly in love with her.
Overall, My Week with Marilyn is a wonderful glimpse into a very short period of time into the life of an icon.
I think we might even be hearing Michelle Williams’ name called out on Oscar night in February!
