Save the date: Saturday, October 19 (just after Thanksgiving Monday)
Doors open at 5:30 PM (back door). This is a potluck, so please bring something to share! Dinner will be at 6:30 PM, and the movie will start around 7:20 PM.
Movie: My Week with Marilyn
During the Season of Creation in the church, this remarkable movie offers an inside look at the creativity of filmmaking. Based on a true story, published in 2002, it reveals the generally unknown account of Sir Laurence Olivier and Marilyn Monroe working together for a week on a movie. In the 1950s, when Olivier wasn’t doing well in Hollywood, he decided to make a blockbuster using The Prince and the Showgirl, a light British comedy, to shine a spotlight on himself as both director and star. Monroe, having just emerged as a superstar, was cast to play the showgirl, circa 1912.
Marilyn arrives with her entourage, including her second husband, playwright Arthur Miller, and acting coach Paula Strasberg (played by Zoe Wanamaker), and is constantly hounded by paparazzi. The film shows Monroe at a vulnerable point in her life, with her persona starting to unravel, often requiring support from her coach and Dame Sybil Thorndyke (played by Dame Judi Dench) in dealing with Olivier. Monroe forms a close relationship with her driver, a student who becomes her confidante and protector. He eventually wrote the memoir on which the movie is based.
This film swept the 2012 awards season, winning over a dozen accolades at major festivals. It also featured a stellar British cast, including Kenneth Branagh as Sir Laurence Olivier, Judi Dench, and Emily Watson (of Harry Potter fame) as Eddie's love interest. Michelle Williams delivered a mesmerizing performance as Marilyn, a departure from her usual tough teenage roles, while Eddie Redmayne played the driver. The film received nominations for Best Picture, Best Director (Kenneth Branagh), and acting awards for Branagh, Redmayne, and Williams (with Williams winning at the Golden Globes). The cast also included actors in the roles of Vivien Leigh (Olivier’s wife, who was emotionally fragile herself) and Arthur Miller.
Hope to see you there!
Gary B.