[This review was originally written in October 2017 and is now being published that my internship is over. For an explanation of this, visit my Fall 2017 Important Update post.]
Professor Marston and the Wonder Women tells the true story of the coupled psychologists William Moulton Marston and Elizabeth Marston as they become involved in an unconventional romance with their instructional assistant Olive Byrne. The film then tells how the polygamous relationship inspired the creation of the one of the most iconic female comic book characters ever created, Wonder Woman, and the forgotten controversies surrounding her existence.
Wonder Woman had a big year in 2017 as it marked her 76th anniversary and the release of her first feature film that blew the lid off the box office and garnered nearly unanimous praise from critics, Wonder Woman. It seems like the release of a film outlining the story behind her inception couldn't have possibly come at a better time. I'll admit the scoop on Wonder Woman's creation was the drastic draw for myself, as I'm sure it will be for most people who watch the film, but viewers approaching Professor Marston and the Wonder Women should be cautious of the fact that the film is more about the circumstance surrounding the creator than the creation of the comic itself.
Written and directed by Angela Robinson, Professor Marston and the Wonder Women centers on an unordinary romance, but refuses to treat it as such. I think that for the purposes of this film, it makes sense for Robinson to avoid ostracizing the trio because the character's predicament is normal from their own point-of-view. While this sort of relationship would still be deemed peculiar today, it was firmly frowned upon then. Despite not agreeing with the concept of polygamy myself, I can't deny that the film's exploration of it was fascinating.
Luke Evans, Rebecca Hall, and Bella Heathcote each are able authenticate the idea three different people could love each other equally. You buy into their love because they do too. While Evans' portrayal of William Moulton Marston is quite charming, Heathcote and Hall are the ones who run away with the movie. Heathcote imbues Olive with both shyness and strength so that it's understandable how multiple people could be easily infatuated with her. Hall, on the other hand, is afforded an opportunity to express some exceptional acting chops as Elizabeth, and she delivers.
Professor Marston and the Wonder Women works well for what it is (even if that means it's a conventional bio-pic), but the film isn't quite as bulletproof as Wonder Woman's bracelets. The first two acts steam full speed ahead with the romance angle, but everything derails in the uneven third act. Once the film gets to the comic book's origin, the pacing gets all out of whack as some segments feel rushed and others are unnecessarily drawn out. The runtime itself is approximately an hour and forty-eight minutes, but it admittedly felt much longer than that because of superfluous material. One other thing that bothered me was how the actors didn't appear to age at all in the twelve years presented by the film. I understand aging makeup is tricky and all, but it's like as if no one even bothered.
One thing that can't be ignored anytime a film's "based on a true story" is just how accurate the adaptation is contrasted to the real events. Usually it's difficult to tell, but it's always a fair assumption that certain moments were dramatized for the purposes of invigorating the story. Well, it turns out that's the case here as Professor Marston and the Wonder Women's accuracy has fallen under question by William Marston's granddaughter and other family members. Apparently, the family wasn't consulted in the making of the film, a conscious choice on Robinson's behalf so she could explore the story through her own eyes. That decision just seems incredibly odd to me, because you think there'd be a lot of insight to gain from involving the family along the way. Plus, it'd spare you the trouble of hearing any of the family member's outcries against the film later on.
Professor Marston and the Wonder Women is certainly an interesting watch, in-spite of its unsure accuracy, but my greatest takeaway from Professor Marston and the Wonder Women was the realization that Wonder Woman has long since evolved past Marston's conceived notions to become a more fitting feminist icon for today.
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