marilyn monroe

while she may be the most intriguing star the whole world has seen, i don’t really know much about marilyn monroe’s filmography and career. all i know is that she was (and still is) a major sex symbol who got involved with the kennedys and is the central figure in one famed urban legend – that the kennedy brothers got something to do with her untimely death and the alleged cover up thereafter. which is why i enjoyed watching my week with marilyn. this movie, largely based on colin clark’s two books, the prince, the showgirl and me and my week with marilyn, tackled the brief relationship between colin clark, played by eddie redmayne and marilyn monroe, played by michelle williams. 

the movie started a bit slow but as soon as williams’ marilyn entered the frame, she literally captured what they called the “monroe magic”. to me, this one is one of the best films of 2011. it was an intimate look at monroe as one of the biggest contradictions of all time – one of the most famous actresses of all time, if not the most famous, yet confined to her own dreary plight as unloved, underappreciated and ultra insecure of her capabilities. due to her insecurities, monroe was always late in shootings, required round-the-clock guardianship, to which colin clark was assigned by olivier. when her husband at that time, arthur miller, left for the US, clark soon found himself completely bewitched by marilyn. they spent a whole day together, touring the windsor castle, eton college and skinny dipping in river thames. finally, marilyn returns to complete the film, with olivier praising her. at the end of the film, i thought that colin realized that whatever brief love affair he had with marilyn was just needed to get the film done and it will not bring about deeper relationship.

marilyn monroe: people always see marilyn monroe. as soon as they realize i'm not her, they run.

colin clark: here's what i remember most: her embrace. her belief in me. and the joy she gave. that was her gift. when i think of her now, i think of that time when a dream came true. and my only talent was not to close my eyes.

dame sybil thorndike: first love is such sweet despair, colin.

sir laurence olivier: it's like teaching urdu to a badger.

michelle williams did not put a caricature out of monroe but essayed the dysfunctional star in her most vulnerable days. how she needed to be reminded that “she was great” by her acting coach paula strasberg in order to get a scene done or how she froze in fear of such more established actors as laurence olivier (played superbly by kenneth branagh) and sybil thorndike (played by the always exceptional judi dench) were all portrayed very well. williams utterly deserved her oscar nomination and would be worthy winner of the statuette had meryl streep was not included in the mix. eddie redmayne was also effective in his portrayal of a young, wide-eyed guy who got entangled in monroe’s grand little games but was able to snap out of it and return to the real world. the movie may be a minor film for some critics, but to me it was an authentic and charming depiction of what have transpired during that week. it was captivating and left me wanting to see more of what could haves and what ifs.