I have just watched the film ‘My Week with Marilyn’ which is adapted from diaries and a book written by Colin Clarke the 3rd Unit Director on the film ‘The Prince and the Showgirl’ who as a young man of 24 was lucky enough to befriend Marilyn and become quite close to her during that time in England in 1956.
I have featured The Prince and the Showgirl before on this blog – in fact one of the first posts I ever did. I am also pleased at least that Marilyn did come over to England and spent hopefully some happy time here. We would certainly have made her welcome – of that I am quite sure.
Marilyn is a great star of this or any other era.
She had come over to make what would be her only film outside the USA along with her husband playwright Arthur Miller. In My Week with Marilyn Michelle Williams plays Marilyn quite brilliantly with Kenneth Branagh giving a good but slightly camp portrayal as Sir Laurence Olivier. I thought one telling line of dialogue came from Colin Clarke when talking to Marilyn who had been upset by Sir Laurence’s treatment of her. He says something like ‘ The trouble is that he is a great actor who wants to be a film star – and you are a great film star who wants to be an actor’
Above – Marilyn at her dazzling best – on screen.
I would ask any one reading this blog to view the film – if you haven’t already as it gives a wonderful insight into the fragility and naïvity of Marilyn and yet shows us also her incredible screen prescence and as my daughter pointed out maybe the ability either wittingly or not to manipulate people – and men in particular. In the film Olivier philosophically points out that any of them could practise their art until they were near perfect but even then they wouldn’t get 10 per cent of what she had – referring to her dazzling screen persona.
Marilyn in The Prince and the Showgirl at Pinewood
See this Link to the film Trailer of My Week With Marilyn 2011 film
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeHDZODFKNw&feature=player_detailpage
The Prince and the Showgirl was Olivier’s first and last attempt at directing a film for an American movie star. If Marilyn was ill-equipped to handle Olivier’s rigid stage-influenced directorial style, then Olivier himself was equally as inexperienced at interpreting popular material and handling screen stars of this calibre.
The challenge of maintaining some semblance of a working relationship between Marilyn and Olivier fell on the shoulders of Milton Greene, while Arthur Miller assumed the duties of caretaker and manager for his unstable wife. Arthur Miller was often placed in the awkward position of having to explain or defend Marilyn’s behaviour.
It was difficult for those living through the ordeal to have sympathy for Marilyn at the time – particularly after an episode in which she kept the elderly Dame Sybil Thorndike waiting on the set in full costume for hours.
Dame Sybil Thorndike steadfastly refused to criticise Marilyn though. Instead she insisted “We need her desperately. She’s the only one of us who really knows how to act in front of the camera.”
Watch the Trailer to The Prince and the Showgirl – Link Below:-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWa9lm7sILs&feature=player_detailpage
After filming had been completed Marilyn apologised to the entire cast and crew for her behaviour which was certainly not all her fault. She was in a foreign country after all where she had not been before – although a country that warmed to her in every way, and she suffered a miscarriage around this time also – so she was in a particularly frail and vulnerable state.
On screen though she was Marilyn Monroe – and when she appears she displays a magnetism and a screen prescence that very few come anywhere near.
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You found a way to stay grounded and inspiring together and striking that balance is a skill I genuinely admire. You have a gift for noticing the small overlooked truth and gently lifting it into the light for all of us to see. Whatever inspires writing this genuine please protect it with everything you have because it produces work that helps people.
You clearly wrote this to help the people reading rather than to collect praise and that humble purpose shows throughout. Your honesty about the moments that fell apart is what turns this from a polished pitch into a story I can believe. Please keep writing for a very long time because honest hopeful voices like yours are exactly what this loud internet needs.
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You clearly wrote this to lift the people reading rather than to gather applause and that humble intent shows throughout. You never leaned on hollow buzzwords and that plain grounded voice is exactly why I believe every word you set down. Here is to so many more pieces just like this one and to the beautiful momentum you are so plainly building already.
It is honestly rare to encounter a post this warm and this genuinely useful sitting together in one patient reading. Each thought settled so naturally onto the one before it that by the final line the whole picture clicked into place. Thank you once more for showing that small honest steps eventually gather into the exact changes we all quietly hope for.
Thanks for sharing this interesting article. The content provides a fascinating look into Marilyn Monroe’s remarkable career, personality, and the making of The Prince and the Showgirl. I enjoyed reading the insights about her talent, charm, and the unique perspective behind this memorable film.
thanks for sharing It is fascinating to see how the challenges faced during the making of a film can tell a story even more compelling than the film itself. Despite numerous hurdles, Marilyn’s vulnerable yet impactful screen presence demonstrates why her stardom remains so memorable to this day. It was truly a pleasure to read this perspective.
What a fascinating thought! The idea of Olivier aspiring to be a star while Marilyn desired to be an actor—that really resonated with me. Their gentle nature and commanding screen presence continue to captivate people even decades later.
The contrast between the acting styles of Sir Laurence Olivier and Marilyn Monroe is precisely what makes this film so fascinating. The distinction between stage and screen acting is clearly evident. The way Dame Sybil Thorndike praised Marilyn’s camera presence reveals that she was not merely a star, but a superb artist in front of the lens. Displaying such charisma and perfection on screen, despite personal challenges, is truly memorable.thanku share this article.
The story behind “My Week with Marilyn” reveals a more personal side of a global icon. It is heartwarming to learn about Marilyn’s experiences, relationships, and the welcoming atmosphere she found during her stay in England.
fascinating review of Marilyn Monroe’s work. The article beautifully captures her talent, charisma, and the challenges behind “The Prince and the Showgirl.” It offers a thoughtful look at her life, career, and unforgettable presence on screen.
What I find interesting about this story is the tension between Marilyn’s public image and the difficulties she was dealing with behind the scenes. It’s easy to judge her behaviour on a film set when we only see the finished movie, but the circumstances around the production seem much more complicated. Dame Sybil Thorndike’s defence of Marilyn is especially telling, because she recognised something that strict directing couldn’t teach. That kind of natural screen presence is rare, and maybe thats why Marilyn still feels so unique decades later.