My Week with Marilyn

In the early summer of 1956, 23 year-old Colin Clark (Eddie Redmayne), just down from Oxford and determined to make his way in the film business, worked as a lowly assistant on the set of ‘The Prince and the Showgirl’. The film that famously united Sir Laurence Olivier (Kenneth Branagh) and Marilyn Monroe (Michelle Williams), who was also on honeymoon with her new husband, the playwright Arthur Miller (Dougray Scott).

Nearly 40 years on, his diary account The Prince, the Showgirl and Me was published, but one week was missing and this was published some years later as My Week with Marilyn – this is the story of that week. When Arthur Miller leaves England, the coast is clear for Colin to introduce Marilyn to some of the pleasures of British life; an idyllic week in which he escorted a Monroe desperate to get away from her retinue of Hollywood hangers-on and the pressures of work.

Dove Review

Michelle Williams does an amazing job in this film, portraying the bombshell Marilyn Monroe, and the movie showcases her experience in making a film with Sir Lawrence Olivier, played excellently by Kenneth Branagh. Olivier runs the gamut of emotions, from frustration due to Monroe’s constant lateness to the set, to admiration for when she nails a scene. “The Prince and the Showgirl” is the film they collaborate on. Colin Clark (Eddie Redmayne) is the young man who has just entered the world of filmmaking and soon finds that he is becoming a pal and sounding board to the famous actress. He is the one who spends a week with her and it is through his eyes the story is told. Michelle Williams brilliantly captures the spirit and even mannerisms of the late thespian. It is said in the film her gift is her joy.

Despite showcasing Marilyn Monroe’s weaknesses, doubts, and at-times brilliant ability, the film contains strong content in the language, sex and nudity departments and we must sadly withhold our Dove “Family-Approved” Seal from the movie.

Dove Rating Details

Faith

None

Integrity

A few characters throw things around in frustration and anger.

Sex

A woman is unfaithful to her husband and flirts with and kisses other men; it's stated that an actor wants to seduce the already married Monroe.

Language

Chr*st-5; J/JC-3; G/OMG-3; Oh Lord-1; F-7; A-2; Bloody-3; D-2; H-3; S-1; Crap-1; Slang for breasts-1

Violence

A few characters throw things around in frustration and anger.

Drugs

Smoking in many scenes; drinking in several scenes and talk of drinking; a character takes pills to keep herself going and is obviously under the pill's influence in a couple of scenes.

Nudity

Brief nudity in two scenes as a female character steps into a scene and although it is fuzzy she is nude from behind; a female character walks into the water to skinny dip and we see her nude from behind; partially nude breast seen; cleavage; shirtless men.

Other

Tense scenes between people on the movie set; a character battles depression.

More Information

Film Information

Genre

Drama

Runtime

Rating

N/A

Reviewer

Edwin L. Carpenter

Actors

Eddie Redmayne, Julia Ormond, Kenneth Branagh ..., Michelle Williams

Writers

Adrian Hodges

Directors

Simon Curtis

Producers

David Parfitt

Studios

The Weinstein Company LLC