148 reviews
I had a feeling that the title was propaganda to get me into the seats. After all, Wonder Woman was one of 2017's best pictures, so I figure the title of this movie (as well as the well done poster) was a way to get butts into the seats. Not that I want my money back, cause it was an excellent movie. It was lots of fun and it made me chuckle a lot of times, but if your here because you want to learn more about Wonder Woman, the movie is not designed like that specifically.
What I knew about William Marston before was that he created Wonder Woman (right!), the same guy who created Wonder Woman created the lie detector test (But the movie does point out how much his wife contributed to this) and that the original Wonder Woman comics was filled with images of bonding and S&M (Which according to the movie visualized Marston's theories on human behavior) . What I did not know is that this guy was in a three way relationship with his wife and one of his students. This part of the movie seems to take center stage above anything else.
Once again ,I'm not complaining, cause it made for one of the most interesting love stories I've ever seen. Not really into romance movies, and you can make an argument that it's not, but what stands out for me in this film is a story about three people trying to be in a loving relationship with one another in a world that's still not really ready for what is going on here. So, it was a romance film done differently, under a mask of the drama and the biography( How very Superhero-like of them).
http://cinemagardens.com/?p=1732
What I knew about William Marston before was that he created Wonder Woman (right!), the same guy who created Wonder Woman created the lie detector test (But the movie does point out how much his wife contributed to this) and that the original Wonder Woman comics was filled with images of bonding and S&M (Which according to the movie visualized Marston's theories on human behavior) . What I did not know is that this guy was in a three way relationship with his wife and one of his students. This part of the movie seems to take center stage above anything else.
Once again ,I'm not complaining, cause it made for one of the most interesting love stories I've ever seen. Not really into romance movies, and you can make an argument that it's not, but what stands out for me in this film is a story about three people trying to be in a loving relationship with one another in a world that's still not really ready for what is going on here. So, it was a romance film done differently, under a mask of the drama and the biography( How very Superhero-like of them).
http://cinemagardens.com/?p=1732
- subxerogravity
- Oct 16, 2017
- Permalink
Grateful to have caught an early screening of this movie in NYC, in which the cast made a brief appearance at the movie theater. The first thing I want to say is that this is a movie I will watch more than once.
Professor Marston and the Wonder Women is a film about ideas. It explores polyamory ("the philosophy or state of being in love or romantically involved with more than one person at the same time") and touches on explorations of dominance/submission and role-play, along the lines of BDSM.
Having read Jill Lepore's excellent book, The Secret History of Wonder Woman, I knew a great deal about this story before going into the theater. As Lepore writes, "Wonder Woman's debt is to the fictional feminist utopia and the struggle for women's rights. Her origins lie in William Moulton Marston's past, and in the lives of the women he loved; they created Wonder Woman, too." It's this dynamic that sets the stage for this story, and the preview trailer for this film made it look erotic too. But those expecting to see a film along the lines of Henry & June may be disappointed.
I enjoyed this movie, but wished the romantic elements were explored more fully, particularly between the two women. The editing seemed at times overly efficient, too much in a hurry, far more concerned with propelling the narrative forward than in creating a relaxed, intimate atmosphere where the characters could indulge in the situation and be in the moment. I wish there were more "real time" scenes of foreplay, actually. Not sex, foreplay - as in flirting. Because I couldn't see the bond these people shared, and this was a movie about how these people connected.
My favorite character, by far, was Olive Byrne as played by Bella Heathcote, who is vulnerable and beautiful in the film. A real Gwendoline, to use fetish parlance. Least favorite would be Marston's wife as played by Rebecca Hall, who's an accomplished actress but seemed too uptight - and, worse, too contemporary - in this role. It always amazes me that costume and set design for period pieces like this are thoroughly researched and accurately reproduced, while almost no research goes into reproducing language use and speech patterns of the day (1925 - 1947). Did people actually use the f-word as much as Rebecca Hall uses it in this film? I think not. It made her character more grating than she needed to be. This is a fault of the script, and the f-word was used as a crutch far too often.
Marston was played adequately by the rugged-looking Luke Evans, who bears no resemblance to the overweight, dreamy-eyed real-life William Moulton Marston, but this was a concession to female audience members I suppose.
In real life, it's unknown how Marston developed an interest in BDSM. In the film, it's through Marston's encounter with the mythical pioneer of fetish history, Charles Guyette (the "G-string King"), a real historical figure. What I know of Guyette I learned through reading Charles Guyette: Godfather of American Fetish Art by Richard Perez Seves. As suavely played by JJ Field, he serves as mentor to Marston. Again, this is a bit of shorthand. Guyette is not mentioned in Lepore's history, but the audience is quickly introduced to this fetish underworld, which serves as a strong influence in the creation of Wonder Woman. No mention of Guyette being French in the Seves's book; in fact, he was born and raised in Massachusetts, according to Seves, but the people making this film may not have known this at the time as this brief book is more recent.
Overall, I'll wrap up this review by saying that despite these flaws, this is a film worth viewing. Maybe my own high expectations for it were impossible to meet. I enjoyed many scenes, with my favorite relying on the lie detector machine used in the first half of the movie; I truly loved those scenes. Again, I loved Bella Heathcote as Olive Byrne in this. So, in spite of all my nitpicking, I still give this movie a strong 7 out of 10. The ideas explored in this film make it worth watching. Maybe there's a director's cut of this film out there with additional scenes between the actors. One can only hope. But I would still see this movie again, as is, and certainly plan to.
Professor Marston and the Wonder Women is a film about ideas. It explores polyamory ("the philosophy or state of being in love or romantically involved with more than one person at the same time") and touches on explorations of dominance/submission and role-play, along the lines of BDSM.
Having read Jill Lepore's excellent book, The Secret History of Wonder Woman, I knew a great deal about this story before going into the theater. As Lepore writes, "Wonder Woman's debt is to the fictional feminist utopia and the struggle for women's rights. Her origins lie in William Moulton Marston's past, and in the lives of the women he loved; they created Wonder Woman, too." It's this dynamic that sets the stage for this story, and the preview trailer for this film made it look erotic too. But those expecting to see a film along the lines of Henry & June may be disappointed.
I enjoyed this movie, but wished the romantic elements were explored more fully, particularly between the two women. The editing seemed at times overly efficient, too much in a hurry, far more concerned with propelling the narrative forward than in creating a relaxed, intimate atmosphere where the characters could indulge in the situation and be in the moment. I wish there were more "real time" scenes of foreplay, actually. Not sex, foreplay - as in flirting. Because I couldn't see the bond these people shared, and this was a movie about how these people connected.
My favorite character, by far, was Olive Byrne as played by Bella Heathcote, who is vulnerable and beautiful in the film. A real Gwendoline, to use fetish parlance. Least favorite would be Marston's wife as played by Rebecca Hall, who's an accomplished actress but seemed too uptight - and, worse, too contemporary - in this role. It always amazes me that costume and set design for period pieces like this are thoroughly researched and accurately reproduced, while almost no research goes into reproducing language use and speech patterns of the day (1925 - 1947). Did people actually use the f-word as much as Rebecca Hall uses it in this film? I think not. It made her character more grating than she needed to be. This is a fault of the script, and the f-word was used as a crutch far too often.
Marston was played adequately by the rugged-looking Luke Evans, who bears no resemblance to the overweight, dreamy-eyed real-life William Moulton Marston, but this was a concession to female audience members I suppose.
In real life, it's unknown how Marston developed an interest in BDSM. In the film, it's through Marston's encounter with the mythical pioneer of fetish history, Charles Guyette (the "G-string King"), a real historical figure. What I know of Guyette I learned through reading Charles Guyette: Godfather of American Fetish Art by Richard Perez Seves. As suavely played by JJ Field, he serves as mentor to Marston. Again, this is a bit of shorthand. Guyette is not mentioned in Lepore's history, but the audience is quickly introduced to this fetish underworld, which serves as a strong influence in the creation of Wonder Woman. No mention of Guyette being French in the Seves's book; in fact, he was born and raised in Massachusetts, according to Seves, but the people making this film may not have known this at the time as this brief book is more recent.
Overall, I'll wrap up this review by saying that despite these flaws, this is a film worth viewing. Maybe my own high expectations for it were impossible to meet. I enjoyed many scenes, with my favorite relying on the lie detector machine used in the first half of the movie; I truly loved those scenes. Again, I loved Bella Heathcote as Olive Byrne in this. So, in spite of all my nitpicking, I still give this movie a strong 7 out of 10. The ideas explored in this film make it worth watching. Maybe there's a director's cut of this film out there with additional scenes between the actors. One can only hope. But I would still see this movie again, as is, and certainly plan to.
- Antonovich84
- Oct 10, 2017
- Permalink
Short and Simple Review by WubsTheFadger
The film shows the story of how Wonder Woman became to be. It is a story that should seem mundane, but Angela Robinson makes it exciting and real. The story is full of extremely sexual dialogue, moments, and visuals. The film is a great character study and also has a good amount of humor spattered throughout.
The acting is the best part of the film. Rebecca Hall, Luke Evans, and Bella Heathcote all perform phenomenally. Rebecca Hall delivers probably the best performance of her career as a narcissistic woman who is also brilliant.
The pacing is mostly good. The runtime is also a little overlong.
Pros: Exciting and real story, great character study, some good humor, amazing acting by Rebecca Hall, good overall acting, and a good ending
Cons: Some slow pacing and an overlong runtime
Overall Rating:.7.3
The film shows the story of how Wonder Woman became to be. It is a story that should seem mundane, but Angela Robinson makes it exciting and real. The story is full of extremely sexual dialogue, moments, and visuals. The film is a great character study and also has a good amount of humor spattered throughout.
The acting is the best part of the film. Rebecca Hall, Luke Evans, and Bella Heathcote all perform phenomenally. Rebecca Hall delivers probably the best performance of her career as a narcissistic woman who is also brilliant.
The pacing is mostly good. The runtime is also a little overlong.
Pros: Exciting and real story, great character study, some good humor, amazing acting by Rebecca Hall, good overall acting, and a good ending
Cons: Some slow pacing and an overlong runtime
Overall Rating:.7.3
- WubsTheFadger
- Apr 14, 2018
- Permalink
- harry_tk_yung
- Jul 30, 2018
- Permalink
OK I'm not going to say a whole lot but I'm short: I really like this one.
Even if, by design, it looks like an unexceptional biopic by each fricken frame, the characters and dialogue more than make up for it. The story is centered around William Moulton Marston who - and I'm not kidding here - is 1. The inventor of the lie detector, 2. a radical progressive feminist that thinks women are the superior race with proof in the form of his psychological research 3. One of which include bondage (seriously) 4. Manages to have 2 wives who loved and lived together and 5. Used all his fixations and progressive ideals to invent Wonder Woman.
I mean hell! You could tell me if this guy could turn water into wine and I would believe you. The film knows how bonkers this guy is, but presents him matter-of-factly rather than with scorn or praise. Much like my closest film comparison THE PEOPLE VS LARRY FLINT, it's the type of eccentric, perverse mindset that doesn't allow you to like the man but understand and appreciate how he changed the world with his ideals.
However, the film is mostly concerned with the three-way (sorry) love story at the center. The wife gets all the most complexity as she struggles with her bisexuality, her suppressed opportunities based on her gender, and the everyday family lifestyle that rejects her. It gets deep as well as heartbreaking.
Olive turns out to be the partner of the two, and easily gets more of an arc. At first very shy and uncertain of her status in life, the film progresses her to the free-spirited bisexuality that the movie treats as a hopeful triumph. The best moment is when she dawns the Wonder Woman costume in order to perform S&M ( Just bare with me, guys) and it's presented as a sign of self-discovery rather than gratuitous sleaze. I'm not sure if people like her would connect to this, but I would say it's a lot more hopeful and cathartic than anything BATTLE OF THE SEXES could ever wish to offer.
Angela Robinson directs this with the type of directing chops you expect from a run-of-the-mill miniseries rather than a movie. But much like Patty Jenkins work with WONDER WOMAN, her limited chops is unmatched by the utter love and conviction to the subject matter. It's the type of film where the imperfections make the film more real and self-confident.
Professor Marston & The Wonder Women is a damn good time and the rare biopic you rarely see anymore. Classy, funny, sexy, delightful, brilliantly acted, and overall passionate, you have to see this!
Even if, by design, it looks like an unexceptional biopic by each fricken frame, the characters and dialogue more than make up for it. The story is centered around William Moulton Marston who - and I'm not kidding here - is 1. The inventor of the lie detector, 2. a radical progressive feminist that thinks women are the superior race with proof in the form of his psychological research 3. One of which include bondage (seriously) 4. Manages to have 2 wives who loved and lived together and 5. Used all his fixations and progressive ideals to invent Wonder Woman.
I mean hell! You could tell me if this guy could turn water into wine and I would believe you. The film knows how bonkers this guy is, but presents him matter-of-factly rather than with scorn or praise. Much like my closest film comparison THE PEOPLE VS LARRY FLINT, it's the type of eccentric, perverse mindset that doesn't allow you to like the man but understand and appreciate how he changed the world with his ideals.
However, the film is mostly concerned with the three-way (sorry) love story at the center. The wife gets all the most complexity as she struggles with her bisexuality, her suppressed opportunities based on her gender, and the everyday family lifestyle that rejects her. It gets deep as well as heartbreaking.
Olive turns out to be the partner of the two, and easily gets more of an arc. At first very shy and uncertain of her status in life, the film progresses her to the free-spirited bisexuality that the movie treats as a hopeful triumph. The best moment is when she dawns the Wonder Woman costume in order to perform S&M ( Just bare with me, guys) and it's presented as a sign of self-discovery rather than gratuitous sleaze. I'm not sure if people like her would connect to this, but I would say it's a lot more hopeful and cathartic than anything BATTLE OF THE SEXES could ever wish to offer.
Angela Robinson directs this with the type of directing chops you expect from a run-of-the-mill miniseries rather than a movie. But much like Patty Jenkins work with WONDER WOMAN, her limited chops is unmatched by the utter love and conviction to the subject matter. It's the type of film where the imperfections make the film more real and self-confident.
Professor Marston & The Wonder Women is a damn good time and the rare biopic you rarely see anymore. Classy, funny, sexy, delightful, brilliantly acted, and overall passionate, you have to see this!
- CinePendejo
- Oct 22, 2017
- Permalink
After watching the movie my reaction was very positive. I liked the leads, liked the story and the production design was also very good. I only thought that their relationship was a bit too perfect and simple as I think in reality these kind of relationships are much more complex and nuanced which I think is really hard to translate to the screen. And then I started reading about their lives. And then I realized that almost everything I liked in the movie is totally innaccurate or just plain false. And then I started not liking this movie and all the decisions taken. In the movie's defense I think this is a very hard story to tell as very little is known about the girls relationship, but giving it the Hollywood treatment is not the way to go for me. So we end up with a movie that I enjoyed watching but hated reading about it afterwards, like almost all biopics... Maybe I should just stop reading after these kind of movies? I wonder...
Fantastic film. But not as sexual as the advertisements promised. In fact, apart from the curse words, this film should be rated PG-13 at best. I found it surprisingly chaste.
The first thing you should know is that this film is NOT based on the book, The Secret History of Wonder Woman. It is based on original research by the director/writer of the movie, who did a great job interpreting the story her own way. It's a story about what happens when you defy convention! And the good that can come of it.
Is it factual? Mostly, yes. Kinkiness and BDSM is in the book as well (just read it), not to mention the early comics of Wonder Woman. Anyone denying the lesbian/BDSM content of the real story and the BDSM content of the comic ... is in denial. Sadly, the granddaughter of William Moulton Marston has campaigned to destroy the film, enlisting the support of conservatives and anti-gay people (of which there are many) to spread the word about how the movie is "fake." But what's fake? It's a fictional retelling, not a documentary, based on a true story. Fake is the show, Fargo, which claims to be based on actual events, but is completely made up. But no one seems to make a big deal about that. Why? No BDSM or lesbian content in it -- so it's perfectly fine? I think certain people need to acknowledge their own prejudice.
Anway, I thought the actors were solid. The director did a great job telling an unconventional story. This is a movie for adults, obviously. I could see this film as a theater piece -- a Broadway play -- actually -- particularly those dress-up scenes with the Frenchman, Charles Guyette, the "G-String King." Very theatrical indeed.
The first thing you should know is that this film is NOT based on the book, The Secret History of Wonder Woman. It is based on original research by the director/writer of the movie, who did a great job interpreting the story her own way. It's a story about what happens when you defy convention! And the good that can come of it.
Is it factual? Mostly, yes. Kinkiness and BDSM is in the book as well (just read it), not to mention the early comics of Wonder Woman. Anyone denying the lesbian/BDSM content of the real story and the BDSM content of the comic ... is in denial. Sadly, the granddaughter of William Moulton Marston has campaigned to destroy the film, enlisting the support of conservatives and anti-gay people (of which there are many) to spread the word about how the movie is "fake." But what's fake? It's a fictional retelling, not a documentary, based on a true story. Fake is the show, Fargo, which claims to be based on actual events, but is completely made up. But no one seems to make a big deal about that. Why? No BDSM or lesbian content in it -- so it's perfectly fine? I think certain people need to acknowledge their own prejudice.
Anway, I thought the actors were solid. The director did a great job telling an unconventional story. This is a movie for adults, obviously. I could see this film as a theater piece -- a Broadway play -- actually -- particularly those dress-up scenes with the Frenchman, Charles Guyette, the "G-String King." Very theatrical indeed.
- leemadisonauthor
- Oct 18, 2017
- Permalink
- classicsoncall
- Oct 1, 2018
- Permalink
I loved this film. I regret not watching it years ago but my personal film library which draws from all film genres requires choice, and believe me this biography about the unique relationship of the three main characters is all about choice.
It strikes me as very odd that some IMDB reviewers refer to this film as soft porn, flawed, squalid, lurid, obnoxious, and/or inaccurate to describe it. I personally am a monogamous heterosexual male, and I enjoyed every minute of this biographical based film about the unique living relationship between two scholars, Professor William Moulton Marston (Luke Evans), his wife who also holds a M.A. in Psychology, Elizabeth Holloway Marston, (Rebecca Hall) and their third wheel in this unorthodox relationship a beautiful undergraduate student named Olive Byrne (Bella Heathcote).
The film weaves its story of this unique ménage à trois which was both written and directed by Angela Robinson so wonderful that I felt I was actually living in the period of the 1920's through the 1940's with the cast. The cinematography of this period piece was beautiful in its lustre, design, and dressage. Ahhhh but what really wove this love story with all its controversy was the warm and loving musical score which literally speaks to the audience like no words could ever have been able to capture.
The cast was fantastic, the cinematography so inviting and I just loved the musical score which held my attention throughout the film. This film from the opening scene to the closing credits held my attention and brought me into the 1920's - 1940's period seamlessly and as I took my first breath the movie was suddenly over. This is pure escapism that is dramatic in nature, with a great three way romance, and a bit of a history lesson for the uninformed.
It's simply perfect! I give it a perfect 10 out of 10 IMDB rating. I will be watching this film a few more times and a special thank you to writer/director Angela Robinson for sharing her story and vision with us all.
It strikes me as very odd that some IMDB reviewers refer to this film as soft porn, flawed, squalid, lurid, obnoxious, and/or inaccurate to describe it. I personally am a monogamous heterosexual male, and I enjoyed every minute of this biographical based film about the unique living relationship between two scholars, Professor William Moulton Marston (Luke Evans), his wife who also holds a M.A. in Psychology, Elizabeth Holloway Marston, (Rebecca Hall) and their third wheel in this unorthodox relationship a beautiful undergraduate student named Olive Byrne (Bella Heathcote).
The film weaves its story of this unique ménage à trois which was both written and directed by Angela Robinson so wonderful that I felt I was actually living in the period of the 1920's through the 1940's with the cast. The cinematography of this period piece was beautiful in its lustre, design, and dressage. Ahhhh but what really wove this love story with all its controversy was the warm and loving musical score which literally speaks to the audience like no words could ever have been able to capture.
The cast was fantastic, the cinematography so inviting and I just loved the musical score which held my attention throughout the film. This film from the opening scene to the closing credits held my attention and brought me into the 1920's - 1940's period seamlessly and as I took my first breath the movie was suddenly over. This is pure escapism that is dramatic in nature, with a great three way romance, and a bit of a history lesson for the uninformed.
It's simply perfect! I give it a perfect 10 out of 10 IMDB rating. I will be watching this film a few more times and a special thank you to writer/director Angela Robinson for sharing her story and vision with us all.
- Ed-Shullivan
- Jan 20, 2021
- Permalink
First, I must confess that I am little acquainted with the Wonder Woman comic books. I loved the Wonder Woman series with Lynda Carter and I absolutely loved and am obsessed with the movie starring Gal Gadot. I watched this movie at once because I was curious about the background of the comic book author and because it stars two actors I really admire, Luke Evans and Rebecca Hall. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this movie. The pacing was right, I felt, for the story. I loved how the story was about him but the main focus was always, rightly so, on the two amazing and powerful women who shaped Wonder Woman as much as they influence and shaped the man who created the character from what he saw as the best of both women. The nudity/love scenes in this movie were not graphic and were done, again, my opinion, tastefully and with reverence to the story. I highly recommend this movie to everyone. I loved Wonder Woman before, I now understand why.
With some exception, Hollywood pretty much makes two distinct kinds of biopics. The first kind are the ones that almost seem obligatory – your Gandhi's (1982), your Lincoln's (2012) and the upcoming Darkest Hour (2017); movies about historical giants who did truly incredible things with their lives, incredible things that should be projected (and even embellished) on the silver screen for the world to see. Then there are the ones about the others – your oddballs, your misfits – the characters that history books often ignore but are nevertheless important in the way our world is shaped.
Professor Marston is certainly one of the latter folk. Outside of DC comic devotees and the odd discredited crime scene investigator swearing by the validity of the lie detector, William Moulton Marston is not a name people know. But believe me when I say that after watching this movie, you'll want to read up on him and his equally fascinating partners Elizabeth Marston and Olive Byrne. For not only is he the originator of Wonder Woman, the most famous female comic-book hero ever, he's quietly the most fascinating academics to steer the sexual proclivities of modern society since Albert Kinsey.
He, Elizabeth and Olive I should say. The film starts with the three of them bouncing around the psychology department of Tuft University working on research and fine-tuning William's (Evans) latest invention. Olive (Heathcote), the Marston's graduate assistant becomes enamored with the two of them, binding the three in a love triangle that turns into a healthy polyamorous relationship. It being the puritanical state of Massachusetts in the 1920's however, the three couldn't be insulated by the academic bubble for too long before The Marstons are quickly forced out and move to New York City. From there, they hide their double lives with Olive assuming the role of homemaker and "widow" while William and Elizabeth (Hall) find work where they can as "the couple".
As the narrative slowly ebbs towards the inevitable formation of the first Wonder Woman comic-book, the film occasionally diverts from its primary story and uses a red-baiting comic-book committee as connective tissue to William's complicated past. We've seen this kind of framing before. In fact, apart from the decade's long love story involving three people in a committed and loving relationship, we've seen all of this before which may be the point. Instead of treating the subject matter as salacious or radically divergent, it treats it as another day in dramatic romance-land. Even when the trio develops an interest in the virtually criminalized BDSM subculture, there's a normalcy there that could potentially bore the one couple in the movie theater looking for their unicorn.
What makes Professor Marston ultimately work is director/writer Angela Robinson decision to make the tension largely external. It's never a question of whether all their goings-on will work but if the world will openly allow it. That concern is personified in Rebecca Hall's inner struggle that has the duel burden of her trying to be a smart, capable, 20th century working girl while also being madly in love with two people. One of whom is a woman.
As the brash, irascible Elizabeth, actress Rebecca Hall is an absolute revelation. She bursts onto the screen, all but announces she's smarter than everyone else in the room and easily proves it with her wit and pragmatism. While Heathcote displays the mirage of idyllic feminine beauty, it is Elizabeth's radical feminism that makes the punchy title worth the watch. Seriously though, if Hall doesn't get an Oscar nom by years' end I may have to boycott (#hall&Oscars).
Less successful is Luke Evans who, while certainly displaying the outward charm of a 1920's lad-about-town just has a knack for putting too fine a point on things. Every time we return to Connie Britton and her committee of comic-book hating cronies, Evans lectures like he's explaining particle physics to a freshman undergrad. Perhaps, given Marston's private life, Robinson may have figured the only way out of being questioned by a HUAC analog would be to be so soporific that they'd just move on to Superman or something.
All in all, Professor Marston and the Wonder Women may not be reverential enough to induce comic-book fans to check it out. The film spans decades ultimately treating the creation of Wonder Woman as an afterthought. Yet for those looking for a decently paced, boiler-plate great biopic it may just be the right ticket for you. Additionally because it smuggles in a few liberalizing tidbits about love and modern feminism (Luke Evans's goofy grin notwithstanding), Professor Marston may even be worth a detour to a theater ballsy enough to play it.
Professor Marston is certainly one of the latter folk. Outside of DC comic devotees and the odd discredited crime scene investigator swearing by the validity of the lie detector, William Moulton Marston is not a name people know. But believe me when I say that after watching this movie, you'll want to read up on him and his equally fascinating partners Elizabeth Marston and Olive Byrne. For not only is he the originator of Wonder Woman, the most famous female comic-book hero ever, he's quietly the most fascinating academics to steer the sexual proclivities of modern society since Albert Kinsey.
He, Elizabeth and Olive I should say. The film starts with the three of them bouncing around the psychology department of Tuft University working on research and fine-tuning William's (Evans) latest invention. Olive (Heathcote), the Marston's graduate assistant becomes enamored with the two of them, binding the three in a love triangle that turns into a healthy polyamorous relationship. It being the puritanical state of Massachusetts in the 1920's however, the three couldn't be insulated by the academic bubble for too long before The Marstons are quickly forced out and move to New York City. From there, they hide their double lives with Olive assuming the role of homemaker and "widow" while William and Elizabeth (Hall) find work where they can as "the couple".
As the narrative slowly ebbs towards the inevitable formation of the first Wonder Woman comic-book, the film occasionally diverts from its primary story and uses a red-baiting comic-book committee as connective tissue to William's complicated past. We've seen this kind of framing before. In fact, apart from the decade's long love story involving three people in a committed and loving relationship, we've seen all of this before which may be the point. Instead of treating the subject matter as salacious or radically divergent, it treats it as another day in dramatic romance-land. Even when the trio develops an interest in the virtually criminalized BDSM subculture, there's a normalcy there that could potentially bore the one couple in the movie theater looking for their unicorn.
What makes Professor Marston ultimately work is director/writer Angela Robinson decision to make the tension largely external. It's never a question of whether all their goings-on will work but if the world will openly allow it. That concern is personified in Rebecca Hall's inner struggle that has the duel burden of her trying to be a smart, capable, 20th century working girl while also being madly in love with two people. One of whom is a woman.
As the brash, irascible Elizabeth, actress Rebecca Hall is an absolute revelation. She bursts onto the screen, all but announces she's smarter than everyone else in the room and easily proves it with her wit and pragmatism. While Heathcote displays the mirage of idyllic feminine beauty, it is Elizabeth's radical feminism that makes the punchy title worth the watch. Seriously though, if Hall doesn't get an Oscar nom by years' end I may have to boycott (#hall&Oscars).
Less successful is Luke Evans who, while certainly displaying the outward charm of a 1920's lad-about-town just has a knack for putting too fine a point on things. Every time we return to Connie Britton and her committee of comic-book hating cronies, Evans lectures like he's explaining particle physics to a freshman undergrad. Perhaps, given Marston's private life, Robinson may have figured the only way out of being questioned by a HUAC analog would be to be so soporific that they'd just move on to Superman or something.
All in all, Professor Marston and the Wonder Women may not be reverential enough to induce comic-book fans to check it out. The film spans decades ultimately treating the creation of Wonder Woman as an afterthought. Yet for those looking for a decently paced, boiler-plate great biopic it may just be the right ticket for you. Additionally because it smuggles in a few liberalizing tidbits about love and modern feminism (Luke Evans's goofy grin notwithstanding), Professor Marston may even be worth a detour to a theater ballsy enough to play it.
- bkrauser-81-311064
- Oct 14, 2017
- Permalink
Unconventional film based upon the creator of Wonder Woman. The story tries to explain the inspiration behind the super hero.
The story follows a Harvard psychologist (Luke Evans) and his wife (Rebecca Hall) as they meet a pretty young student and incorporate her into their lives. Contains strong sexual themes.
I don't think it's a great film, it's a strange and unusual story and I struggled to relate to it. The film is well made though but I wouldn't really recommend it.
More for fans of titillation than super hero fans.
The story follows a Harvard psychologist (Luke Evans) and his wife (Rebecca Hall) as they meet a pretty young student and incorporate her into their lives. Contains strong sexual themes.
I don't think it's a great film, it's a strange and unusual story and I struggled to relate to it. The film is well made though but I wouldn't really recommend it.
More for fans of titillation than super hero fans.
This film is a shallow and inaccurate depiction of someone's fantasy. It has little to do with Dr. Marston's life and the creation of Wonder Women. For a well researched history of this topic see Jill Lepore's work, The Secret History of Wonder Women.
Wikipedia says, "In an interview with Mark Walters, William Moulton Marston's granddaughter Christie Marston stated that the film is historically inaccurate. She said that the creators of the film did not contact her family and that the "depiction of the family and Wonder Woman's origins are made up". She also posted a statement on Twitter saying that "the film is not a true story. It is based on someone's imagination not in any way related to my family." In another interview with Rob Salkowitz for Forbes, Marston argues against two aspects of the film. The first lies in the depiction of the Elizabeth and Olive: "The relationship between Gram, Elizabeth Marston, and Dots, Olive Byrne, is wrong; they were as sisters, not lovers." The second part revolves around the depiction of the origin of Wonder Woman, which has "William Moulton Marston presenting an idea for a female hero, and Elizabeth nay saying the idea, declaring that nobody would ever publish it." Christie Marston states instead that when her grandfather was asked by his publisher to create a comic character, he "went home and discussed it with my grandmother. She said to go ahead and do it, but that it had to be a woman." Marston further elaborates on Elizabeth and Olive by stating that she spent a lot of time with her open-minded grandmother who never gave indication to her of a relationship with Olive. She also states that Elizabeth and Olive continued to share the responsibilities for bringing up the four children in the household after Marston's death because it was economically viable for both women. Christie Marston repeated and elaborated upon these statements in an op-ed for the Hollywood Reporter.
It is appalling to me that someone would capitalize on the revolutionary work done by Dr. Marston and misrepresent it so badly.
Wikipedia says, "In an interview with Mark Walters, William Moulton Marston's granddaughter Christie Marston stated that the film is historically inaccurate. She said that the creators of the film did not contact her family and that the "depiction of the family and Wonder Woman's origins are made up". She also posted a statement on Twitter saying that "the film is not a true story. It is based on someone's imagination not in any way related to my family." In another interview with Rob Salkowitz for Forbes, Marston argues against two aspects of the film. The first lies in the depiction of the Elizabeth and Olive: "The relationship between Gram, Elizabeth Marston, and Dots, Olive Byrne, is wrong; they were as sisters, not lovers." The second part revolves around the depiction of the origin of Wonder Woman, which has "William Moulton Marston presenting an idea for a female hero, and Elizabeth nay saying the idea, declaring that nobody would ever publish it." Christie Marston states instead that when her grandfather was asked by his publisher to create a comic character, he "went home and discussed it with my grandmother. She said to go ahead and do it, but that it had to be a woman." Marston further elaborates on Elizabeth and Olive by stating that she spent a lot of time with her open-minded grandmother who never gave indication to her of a relationship with Olive. She also states that Elizabeth and Olive continued to share the responsibilities for bringing up the four children in the household after Marston's death because it was economically viable for both women. Christie Marston repeated and elaborated upon these statements in an op-ed for the Hollywood Reporter.
It is appalling to me that someone would capitalize on the revolutionary work done by Dr. Marston and misrepresent it so badly.
- tonyhunstiger
- Oct 21, 2017
- Permalink
Yesterday I saw the movie Proff. Marston and Wonder Women. I am from India and I never read any comics of Wonder Women, but I saw recently released film Wonder Women directed by Patty Jenkins, character played by Gal Gadot then I became aware of Wonder Women.
After few months, I saw this Proff. Marston and Wonder Women, thinking that a new film of Gal Gadot. But to may dismay, this film came out something else, a biography of Proff. Marston who created the comics of Wonder Women.
But after watching this film, I am really thankful to the director Angela Robinson for bringing out the story of Proff. Marston with such a deep understanding of his personal life and roles played by his wife Elizabeth and partner Olive in the creation of Wonder Women.
The film made a profound impact on me, I tried to find out why is it so, then I realized that the director made the use of DISC Theory that Proff. Marston used in all his life and applied it to his comics character of Wonder Women. Really hats off to the director for this.
I am really amazed by the meticulously crafted screenplay that not only captured the deep psyche of all the characters but also of the audience who do not want to miss a single scene or dialogue. Such a profound work! The script is so alive and written with emotion that we can feel the real characters playing the role.
The actors of the film are really praise worthy, whether it is Luke Evans, Rebecca Hall or Bella and others. They actually lived the script on the screen.
Nonetheless, the film's editor Jefferey Werner is the real hero of this film who brought the whole narrative to its life. He is an impeccable craftsman who has deep understanding of the film structure and montage theory. It requires some special skills to understand these complex characters and bringing their story to life without boring the audience.
I liked the camera work of cinematographer Bryce Fortner, there are no camera gimmicks but just simple and effective framing, no unnecessary emotive angles. The director and cinematographer gave all the freedom to the actors to portray deepest emotion that brings out a great dynamics to the screen. I really admire the scene where Bella wears the Amazonian dress; no special lighting but simple chiaroscuro that brings out all the mood and emotion.
The music by Tom Howe and background score is so effective that it keeps us rooted to our emotional journey. And one of the plus point of this film is its Make up, Costume and Art Direction. These areas are very well managed by the respective departments.
I am really moved by the story and life of Proff. Martson the creator of Wonder Woman. Once again my thanks to Angela Robinson for creating such a beautiful film. I wonder why this film is not nominated for Oscers?
After few months, I saw this Proff. Marston and Wonder Women, thinking that a new film of Gal Gadot. But to may dismay, this film came out something else, a biography of Proff. Marston who created the comics of Wonder Women.
But after watching this film, I am really thankful to the director Angela Robinson for bringing out the story of Proff. Marston with such a deep understanding of his personal life and roles played by his wife Elizabeth and partner Olive in the creation of Wonder Women.
The film made a profound impact on me, I tried to find out why is it so, then I realized that the director made the use of DISC Theory that Proff. Marston used in all his life and applied it to his comics character of Wonder Women. Really hats off to the director for this.
I am really amazed by the meticulously crafted screenplay that not only captured the deep psyche of all the characters but also of the audience who do not want to miss a single scene or dialogue. Such a profound work! The script is so alive and written with emotion that we can feel the real characters playing the role.
The actors of the film are really praise worthy, whether it is Luke Evans, Rebecca Hall or Bella and others. They actually lived the script on the screen.
Nonetheless, the film's editor Jefferey Werner is the real hero of this film who brought the whole narrative to its life. He is an impeccable craftsman who has deep understanding of the film structure and montage theory. It requires some special skills to understand these complex characters and bringing their story to life without boring the audience.
I liked the camera work of cinematographer Bryce Fortner, there are no camera gimmicks but just simple and effective framing, no unnecessary emotive angles. The director and cinematographer gave all the freedom to the actors to portray deepest emotion that brings out a great dynamics to the screen. I really admire the scene where Bella wears the Amazonian dress; no special lighting but simple chiaroscuro that brings out all the mood and emotion.
The music by Tom Howe and background score is so effective that it keeps us rooted to our emotional journey. And one of the plus point of this film is its Make up, Costume and Art Direction. These areas are very well managed by the respective departments.
I am really moved by the story and life of Proff. Martson the creator of Wonder Woman. Once again my thanks to Angela Robinson for creating such a beautiful film. I wonder why this film is not nominated for Oscers?
- booon_tips
- Feb 26, 2018
- Permalink
I like this kind of stuff... Very often, I find the inspiration behind a work to be more interesting than the work, itself.
I'm not completely sold on the notion that discussion of hemlines, or the domestic status quo, can be waved away as being 'unimportant', though...
Their relationship with each other may have been unusual - and perhaps even trailblazing, for its time - but that shouldn't cloud the fact that, because the creator is male, Wonder Woman still remains at least in part an outlet for MALE desires... Feminists championing a character doesn't automatically make the character herself feminist... and if one professes to believe in 'truth', then it is important that this idea is discussed and debated perhaps more robustly than it is examined by the film!
I'm not completely sold on the notion that discussion of hemlines, or the domestic status quo, can be waved away as being 'unimportant', though...
Their relationship with each other may have been unusual - and perhaps even trailblazing, for its time - but that shouldn't cloud the fact that, because the creator is male, Wonder Woman still remains at least in part an outlet for MALE desires... Feminists championing a character doesn't automatically make the character herself feminist... and if one professes to believe in 'truth', then it is important that this idea is discussed and debated perhaps more robustly than it is examined by the film!
- Howlin Wolf
- Jul 7, 2018
- Permalink
The other side of the story very well told. Keeps you interested with sensual propositions the whole movie. Greatly achieved. Does'nt get too serious into the many problems that surely must have existed but keeps a confortable pace instead. Nice. Gets to the point intended.
I really enjoyed this movie. For me it was a love story and one of trying to be personally liberated in a constrained and judgemental world - but at the end of the day how love does not always fit within the lines society draws and how being adventurous enough to move outside those lines can have consequences but also beauty.
- damienlhudson
- Aug 25, 2018
- Permalink
This movie is a highly original love story that is surprisingly subtle given the unconventional nature of the relationship and family life of these three people. In their love for one another they laid the seeds for the best modern day fictional power woman known to us. But that is really not the core of this extremely well crafted film.
This wonder woman is not so much a force of feminism but ultimately something greater: a force of love and truth that conquers all. It includes all of love's concepts and translates them in an almost perfect visual language. The film casually marries all kinds of psychologically fascinating questions by showing us what love really means and does to us, even it is not the 'standard' family structure or missionary position. And it does so with surprising ease.
This leaves a film that is emotionally captivating from beginning to end. It has all these concepts and questions... but it just wraps them all firmly in that loving blanket. You really feel the affection between the main characters. You can almost touch it, that's how good the directing and performances are. It doesn't try to tell us what love is, it just shows us onscreen.
And the result is the extraordinary Wonder Woman, reminding us that nothing is ordinary about true love.
This wonder woman is not so much a force of feminism but ultimately something greater: a force of love and truth that conquers all. It includes all of love's concepts and translates them in an almost perfect visual language. The film casually marries all kinds of psychologically fascinating questions by showing us what love really means and does to us, even it is not the 'standard' family structure or missionary position. And it does so with surprising ease.
This leaves a film that is emotionally captivating from beginning to end. It has all these concepts and questions... but it just wraps them all firmly in that loving blanket. You really feel the affection between the main characters. You can almost touch it, that's how good the directing and performances are. It doesn't try to tell us what love is, it just shows us onscreen.
And the result is the extraordinary Wonder Woman, reminding us that nothing is ordinary about true love.
- rogier-86785
- Jun 12, 2018
- Permalink
Professor Marston was an interesting man. A professor of psychology, a noted feminist who lived with his wife and another woman together. He was responsible for an important element of the lie detector test and he created Wonder Woman all before dying at a relatively young age of 53.
This film depicts how the creation of Wonder Woman was linked between his polyamorous relationship from the late 1920s between his Manx born wife Elizabeth (Rebecca Hall) and their alluring research student Olive Byrne (Bella Heathcote) who was the daughter and niece of radical feminists but was actually raised by nuns.
Marston (Luke Evans) himself had ideas that would be deemed to be deviant for the times. He had an interest in bondage, domination, submissiveness as well as the living arrangements with the two women, elements that bled through the Wonder Woman comics.
The story is framed through an interrogation of Marston by Josette Frank of the Child Study Association of America who is appalled as to what is being shown in the comics and how this might relate to Marton's own lifestyle.
The framing device of the inquiry was clumsy. It did rather mirror the McCarthyism that will soon become all too real a few years later.
Heathcote brings the right blend to her character. Inquisitive, vulnerable, sexy and willing to open her mind to new experiences. Hall came across as too brittle and angry. I could never see Oliver falling for Elizabeth. Evans brings some smoldering Welsh temperament to his Marston, passions burning underneath just waiting to ignite.
The film was rather uneven, apart from the comic advisory board inquiry, the part where they are caught in their relationship by a neighbour and its aftermath was horribly done. Marston's own family have been critical of the events depicted in this film.
Director Angela Robinson is not as daring as she makes out to be. The film is rather vanilla than kinky, the narrative tends to get awkward too often.
This film depicts how the creation of Wonder Woman was linked between his polyamorous relationship from the late 1920s between his Manx born wife Elizabeth (Rebecca Hall) and their alluring research student Olive Byrne (Bella Heathcote) who was the daughter and niece of radical feminists but was actually raised by nuns.
Marston (Luke Evans) himself had ideas that would be deemed to be deviant for the times. He had an interest in bondage, domination, submissiveness as well as the living arrangements with the two women, elements that bled through the Wonder Woman comics.
The story is framed through an interrogation of Marston by Josette Frank of the Child Study Association of America who is appalled as to what is being shown in the comics and how this might relate to Marton's own lifestyle.
The framing device of the inquiry was clumsy. It did rather mirror the McCarthyism that will soon become all too real a few years later.
Heathcote brings the right blend to her character. Inquisitive, vulnerable, sexy and willing to open her mind to new experiences. Hall came across as too brittle and angry. I could never see Oliver falling for Elizabeth. Evans brings some smoldering Welsh temperament to his Marston, passions burning underneath just waiting to ignite.
The film was rather uneven, apart from the comic advisory board inquiry, the part where they are caught in their relationship by a neighbour and its aftermath was horribly done. Marston's own family have been critical of the events depicted in this film.
Director Angela Robinson is not as daring as she makes out to be. The film is rather vanilla than kinky, the narrative tends to get awkward too often.
- Prismark10
- Jul 8, 2018
- Permalink
If we start comparing this with our normal lives, it will just blow our minds, it will even make us hate the sinning examples portrayed in the movie. We are the sum of our experiences though, and we all hate to be hated. From this point, i admire the protagonists courage because, we like it or not, we are pure sexual beings. With that in mind, i welcome and give a big thumbs up of approval to this wonderful movie, go and see it, it will change your heart and mind equally. 9* out of 10!
- chizdamasii
- Jan 13, 2018
- Permalink
- stevendbeard
- Oct 14, 2017
- Permalink
- JurijFedorov
- May 29, 2023
- Permalink
Even if they like it, like Joy Mangano liked the fictional movie about herself. None of the stuff in it actually happened to Joy. She was a huge hit right off the bat, so 3/4's of the movie has her struggling with added dramatic BS! In her very first appearance she sold more product than anybody in history! I also hated Cobb, which took all sorts of poetic license with Cobbs reputation, and was written by a guy Al Stump, who really, really was a back stabbing scoundrel, just go to a sports memorabilia show and start throwing his name around and prepare to get screamed at by the tens of thousands of people Al Stump screwed over with fake stuff! Here's the problem, they make a false, fake movie, idiots think it's gospel. Cobb was an Archie Bunker type, who lived in a time when black people couldn't drink out of the same fountains as white people! People know about his opinions because he was by far the biggest star baseball player when he lived, so he was interviewed constantly. The movie literally made it seem like he was the only person with racism in the 50's. And also made it seem a guy confined to a wheelchair was running around doing all sorts of crazy stuff 6 months before he died.
I'm very familiar with this particular movies subject matter. Early Wonder Women comic did indeed contain a lot of erotic bondage. The thing they're not mentioning is that a lot of other comics did too! Literally half the comics on the shelves each month had a woman tied up on the cover! They're taking the Wonder Women stuff and implanting their own wild fantasies about what it must all mean.
There's even scenes with this made up proto Comic Book Authority coming after them, that didn't happen until well after Marstons death. But having it around during his life made the story seem more real.
There is no, Zero proof, of any of this kinky stuff in Marstons life. Therefore the family should be able to sue the producers and the distributors into oblivion.
This kind of revisionist history is everywhere. I just watched a mini series about Howard Carters finding King Tuts tomb and wow, they made Carter 30 years younger, and having an affair with Lord Carnarvon's daughter! Ridiculous.
In this case the two women were lifelong best friends, that's pretty much it. They lived together after Marstons death to save money and try to raise 4 children.
And some scumbag decided to make a soft core porno out of these peoples lives. I hope the family wins Billions! Not only this travesty of justice, but the movie sucked ass! It's like watching A high school drama and all the understudies are performing.
Read through the reviews on Rotten Tomatoes and you'll see that a lot of the professional reviewers felt obligated to give it higher rating. Because they like the anything goes lifestyle.
I'm very familiar with this particular movies subject matter. Early Wonder Women comic did indeed contain a lot of erotic bondage. The thing they're not mentioning is that a lot of other comics did too! Literally half the comics on the shelves each month had a woman tied up on the cover! They're taking the Wonder Women stuff and implanting their own wild fantasies about what it must all mean.
There's even scenes with this made up proto Comic Book Authority coming after them, that didn't happen until well after Marstons death. But having it around during his life made the story seem more real.
There is no, Zero proof, of any of this kinky stuff in Marstons life. Therefore the family should be able to sue the producers and the distributors into oblivion.
This kind of revisionist history is everywhere. I just watched a mini series about Howard Carters finding King Tuts tomb and wow, they made Carter 30 years younger, and having an affair with Lord Carnarvon's daughter! Ridiculous.
In this case the two women were lifelong best friends, that's pretty much it. They lived together after Marstons death to save money and try to raise 4 children.
And some scumbag decided to make a soft core porno out of these peoples lives. I hope the family wins Billions! Not only this travesty of justice, but the movie sucked ass! It's like watching A high school drama and all the understudies are performing.
Read through the reviews on Rotten Tomatoes and you'll see that a lot of the professional reviewers felt obligated to give it higher rating. Because they like the anything goes lifestyle.
- intrepidami
- Oct 22, 2017
- Permalink
I saw it as a manifesto. About freedom, about intimate life, about fiction as fruit of deep roots in reality and about love. A provocative film about a provocative subject, having as precious gift the splendid performance of Rebecca Hall and being, in wise manner, more than a biographic film but a sort of map for interdictions, science theories used by not conformist tools and the fight for an idea not easy to accept or tolerate. A beautiful film, an useful manifesto.
- Kirpianuscus
- Dec 19, 2019
- Permalink