Rebecca Hall, Luke Evans and Bella Heathcote (L-R) star in “Professor Marston and the Wonder Women” (Photo Credit: Claire Folger/Annapurna Films).
Freaking in the 1940s
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Who would have ever thought that the freakiness of the 1940s could compare to the freakiness of the 21st century?
When many think of the 1930s and 1940s, many think of old school, moral and biblical marriages, not families that would have fit in perfectly on “The Jerry Springer Show” in the late 1990s.
Well, many people probably have not heard of “Professor Marston and the Wonder Women” because the Marston family challenged traditional sexual and familial norms and created an iconic brand in the process.
That dynamic is captured exquisitely in the film “Professor Marston and the Wonder Women,” a film that is equally brilliant, complex, unorthodox and as stated earlier extremely freaky.
In the film “Professor Marston and the Wonder Women,” the ingenious Dr. William Moulton Marston (Luke Evans, “The Fate of the Furious”) and his equally ingenious wife Elizabeth Marston (Rebecca Hall, “The Dinner”) are completely ahead of their time.
William sees his wife as an equal partner in the workforce and at the home.
However, his progressive views do not stop Rebecca from being discriminated against as a college professor.
While Rebecca has the qualifications to have a doctorate from Harvard University and to be a distinguished professor, women are technically not allowed at Harvard, instead having to attend its sister school Radcliffe.
And if women are not allowed to earn degrees from Harvard, they are most certainly not allowed to teach at Harvard.
Instead, Rebecca is reduced to a mere spectator in her husband’s psychology courses even if all of his students are women too.
The Marstons are on their way to making significant advances with their discoveries like the invention of the lie detector test, but when they hire student Olive Byrne (Bella Heathcote, “50 Shades Darker”) as their new assistant their careers and reputations are put in jeopardy.
While Rebecca knows William is infatuated with the young and beautiful Olive, she falsely believes that Olive is only interested in William romantically.
Olive is actually madly in love with Rebecca and also William, and the feelings are actually mutual for the Marstons.
However, when the romantic feelings turn into a three-way relationship and unconventional household, the Marstons are fired from Harvard.
Looking for ways to survive, William creates a legacy based on his life that still lives on today, even if society tried to quiet the creator of said legacy.
Everything about “Professor Marston and the Wonder Women” is simply magnificent.
The storyline is actually diverse enough to satisfy the fractured movie fans of the world.
Comic book fans will be fascinated about the development of the “Wonder Woman” franchise.
Fans of the movies that advocate free love will absolutely love the film.
Fans of true acting talent will marvel at the performances of Evans, Hall and Heathcote.
And history buffs will find fascination in the story of “Professor Marston and the Wonder Women.”
However, like all Hollywood adaptations, “Professor Marston and the Wonder Women” is made to appear sexier than it really was in actuality.
But the sexy film is so satisfying, and honestly freaky, that any sensationalism will be overlooked because the film is so compelling.
REGAL RATINGS
FOUR CROWNS=EXCELLENT
THREE CROWNS=GOOD
TWO CROWNS=AVERAGE
ONE CROWN=POOR
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