My Week with Marilyn (Simon Curtis) - 2011

Michelle Williams delivers an amazing performance as Marilyn Monroe (1926-1962) during the making of a movie (The Prince and the Showgirl) in England in 1956.  Those of us who lived through the Monroe era can see the physical differences but it does not matter and does not distract from this excellent movie.  There never has and never will be another movie star like Marilyn Monroe.  Editor Curtis does an excellent jobof illustrating the positive and negative aspects of her career.  Kenneth Branagh (as Sir Laurence Olivier) echoes the exasperation of every director who had to deal with Marilyn's shortcomings.  Mr. Colin Clark (1932-2002) is to be commended for maintaining a diary during the time that he spent with Marilyn and the movie production crew.  For me, this was a welcome time-machine trip to a simpler time.  [JAM 12/8/2011]