Professor Marston & the Wonder Women is a movie that reiterates the events that lead to the inception of one of the most beloved superheroes of modern-day, Wonder Women. It is directed by Angela Robinson and was released in 2017. The story revolves around Olive Byrne, Elizabeth Marston and Dr. William Moulton Marston, with the latter being praised for being a psychologist and an inventor. The film goes back to the early 20th century, where Dr. William Moulton Marston and Elizabeth Moulton begin a triumvirate relationship with Olive Byrne, which was wildly unconventional for the time.
Elizabeth and William Marston, together, created the DISC theory alongside the first lie detector test prototype, which immensely contributed to their evolving relationship with Olive. Instead of thinking of their relationship through the lens of jealousy, they focused on power, love, submission and balance. Professor Marston & the Wonder Women emphasizes the struggles and emotions the trio endured together, and how Olive’s bond with William evolved into the essence of Wonder Woman’s character. The story seems to bridge the gap between female empowerment and captivating imagery.
The trio’s unusual way of life earns them public hatred and puts their professions at risk, pushing them to wrestle with the concepts of love, selfhood, and liberty. In the end, however, the huge mark that they left onto popular culture is unquestionable, although their personal loss in the process is mostly unrecorded by history.
Cast & Crew
Luke Evans as Dr. William Moulton Marston: Evans is an outstanding performer who fully embodies the character of the conspicuous psychologist Luke Evans who is also a rational thinker, possessing an extraordinarily deep sense of intrigue and moral sophistication.
Rebecca Hall as Elizabeth Marston: Hall is able to fervently portray the Elizabeth Marston character which is multilayered and multi difficult character. Marston’s character possesses humor, a need to submit, and a high amount of testosterone, as a woman wanting to be recognized in a world dominated by men.
Bella Heathcote as Olive Byrne: Heathcote contributes a quiet yet strong interpretation of words and action as actuality, emphasizing the mixture of innocence, strength and the process of self-discovery that determines the purpose of Olive’s life and subsequent actions during the movie.
Angela Robinson (Director and Writer): Without a doubt, Robinson creates a film that is visually beautiful and engaging that depicts the sheer romance of the protagonist’s love and the reason why that love is exacerbated by society’s perception.
Themes and Analysis
Non-Conformity and Self-Discovery:
The movie exalts in the Marstons’ rejection to conform to societal expectations and considers their love as an act of radical self assertion. Robinson integrates their personal life to the narrative to explain how their loving bond was the foundation of the Wonder Woman’s creation, which they are also a significant part of.
Empowerment and Feminism:
The movie enhances the idea of feminism that forms the base of the Wonder Woman mythology. The character of Diana Prince is greatly influenced by the actual existing Elizabeth and Olive who are strong, driven, ambitious, and emotionally well rounded.
The Tri-Essay of Desire and Control:
Marston and the Wonder Women delve into the world of dominance, submission, and power dynamics within relationship through Marston’s psychological analyses. They depict roman bondage and practices which are sexual in nature to showcase their philosophy around trust and vulnerability but the emphasis is not on exploitation rather it deepens the conversation of honesty and integrity.
Freedom vs. Judgment:
The protagonists’ fight against social stigma and academic defiance is a case of broader boundaries between liberty and moral base of the peoples’ society. Their tale continues this theme in a very beautiful way, reminding us about the great Everglades contortions that have freedom seekers in love and creativity transformed in.
The Visual Style and the Cinematography
The cinematographer Bryce Fortner focused on couple’s more personal side, so he used soft and warm lighting as well as a less intense color scheme in shots depicting more intimate or family moments. It is indeed true that the lighting is stark and almost chilly during scenes of public exposure or conflict which serve to highlight the external societal challenges faced by the trio throughout the movie. Wearing period-appropriate clothes further captivated the audience to the plot during the 1920s-1940s thus making the story even more believable.
Review from critics:
The film Professor Marston and the Wonder Women was received well by critics owing to it’s daring screenplay as well as the diverse roles of actors within the film. Critics were impressed with Angela Robinson’s overall perspective on the film, whether romantic, political or even intellectual. All three actors Luke Evans, Rebecca Hall, and Bella Heathcote were praised for their interactions as well as for the portrayal of deep emotions, especially Hall for her role as Elizabeth who stands out among the nominated actresses.
On IMDb, the film has a high rating with people praising it for the perspective of feminism and portrayal of a queer relationship in the film. Other critics have pointed out that the second half of the film focused more on the character development of the Marstons and will slow the pacing down.
Audience Reception
There is always a strong audience for films that feature strong and independent females and Wonder Woman is such a character. Audiences appreciated the film for its focus on Wonder Woman’s feminist roots while also focusing on the depiction of unconventional relationships. Several viewers commended the film for portraying the fascinating history behind a beloved figure but others thought that the film was too mature with BDSM and other elements. However, the other side praised the filmmakers for being respectful and sensitive to such themes.
Conclusion
If you look at the film industry’s contribution to American Culture, Professor Marston and the Wonder Women (2017) helps viewers understand how the biopic is ‘emotionally enriching and thought provoking’ regarding the sheer creativity, love, and courage to embrace one’s true self. The enthusiasm with which Angela Robinson, Luke Evans, Bella Heathcote and Rebecca Hall with great compassion brought the fantastic true story of the Marstons to viewers will never be forgotten.
The unveiling of the deep secrets from where Wonder Woman was born of love accompanied with a sweet imagination serves not only well at history lessons but gives praise to radical love which is sufficed with imagination. This film should appeal to all those who love Wonder Woman, biopics and those fans who appreciate people who dare to be different from the others.
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