My Week With Marilyn
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''My Week with Marilyn'' is a 2011
biographical A biography, or simply bio, is a detailed description of a person's life. It involves more than just basic facts like education, work, relationships, and death; it portrays a person's experience of these life events. Unlike a profile or curric ...
drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. The drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular ...
directed by Simon Curtis and written by Adrian Hodges. It stars
Michelle Williams Michelle Williams or Michele Williams may refer to: * Michelle Ann Williams (born circa 1965), American public health scholar * Michelle Williams (singer) (born 1979), American singer, previously a member of Destiny's Child * Michelle Williams (actr ...
,
Kenneth Branagh Sir Kenneth Charles Branagh ( ; born 10 December 1960) is a British actor and filmmaker. Born in Belfast and raised primarily in Reading, Berkshire, Branagh trained at RADA in London and served as its president from 2015 to 2024. List of award ...
,
Eddie Redmayne Edward John David Redmayne OBE (; born 6 January 1982) is an English actor. His accolades include an Academy Award, a Tony Award, a British Academy Film Award, a Golden Globe Award, and two Olivier Awards. Redmayne began his professional ac ...
, Dominic Cooper, Julia Ormond,
Emma Watson Emma Charlotte Duerre Watson (born 15 April 1990) is an English actress. Known for her roles in both Blockbuster (entertainment), blockbusters and independent films, she has received List of awards and nominations received by Emma Watson, ...
, and
Judi Dench Dame Judith Olivia Dench (born 9 December 1934) is an English actress. Widely considered one of Britain's greatest actors, she is noted for her versatility, having appeared in films and television, as well as for her numerous roles on the stage ...
. Based on two books by Colin Clark, it depicts the making of the 1957 film '' The Prince and the Showgirl'', which starred
Marilyn Monroe Marilyn Monroe ( ; born Norma Jeane Mortenson; June 1, 1926 August 4, 1962) was an American actress and model. Known for playing comic "Blonde stereotype#Blonde bombshell, blonde bombshell" characters, she became one of the most popular sex ...
(Williams) and
Laurence Olivier Laurence Kerr Olivier, Baron Olivier ( ; 22 May 1907 – 11 July 1989) was an English actor and director. He and his contemporaries Ralph Richardson and John Gielgud made up a trio of male actors who dominated the British stage of the m ...
(Branagh). The film concerns the week during the shooting of the film when Monroe was escorted around London by Clark (Redmayne), after her husband
Arthur Miller Arthur Asher Miller (October 17, 1915 – February 10, 2005) was an American playwright, essayist and screenwriter in the 20th-century American theater. Among his most popular plays are '' All My Sons'' (1947), '' Death of a Salesman'' (1 ...
( Dougray Scott) had returned to the United States. Principal photography began on 4 October 2010, at
Pinewood Studios Pinewood Studios is a British film and television studio located in the village of Iver Heath, England. It is approximately west of central London. The studio has been the base for many productions over the years from large-scale films to t ...
. Filming took place at
Saltwood Castle Saltwood Castle is a castle in Saltwood village, one mile (2 km) north of Hythe, Kent, England. Of 11th century origin, the castle was expanded in the 13th and 14th centuries. After the Norman Conquest, the castle was appropriated by the A ...
, White Waltham Airfield, and on locations in and around London. Curtis also used the same studio in which Monroe had shot ''The Prince and the Showgirl'' in 1956. ''My Week with Marilyn'' had its world premiere at the
New York Film Festival The New York Film Festival (NYFF) is a film festival held every fall in New York City, presented by Film at Lincoln Center. Founded in 1963 by Richard Roud and Amos Vogel with the support of Lincoln Center president William Schuman, NYFF i ...
on 9 October 2011, and was shown at the Mill Valley Film Festival two days later. The film was released on 23 November 2011, in the United States, and on 25 November in the United Kingdom. The film received generally positive reviews and grossed $35 million worldwide. Williams and Branagh were nominated for the
Academy Awards The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence in ...
for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actor respectively.


Plot

Following his graduation from
Christ Church, Oxford Christ Church (, the temple or house, ''wikt:aedes, ædes'', of Christ, and thus sometimes known as "The House") is a Colleges of the University of Oxford, constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. Founded in 1546 by Henry V ...
, in 1956, aspiring filmmaker Colin Clark travels to London to gain a job on Laurence Olivier's next production. Production manager Hugh Perceval tells Colin that there are no jobs available, but he decides to wait for Olivier, whom he once met at a party. Olivier and his wife, Vivien Leigh, eventually arrive and Vivien encourages Olivier to give Colin a job on his upcoming film '' The Prince and the Showgirl'', starring Marilyn Monroe. Colin's first task is to find a suitable residence for Marilyn and her husband, Arthur Miller, the leading playwright, while they are in England. The press discover the house, but Colin reveals he secured a second house just in case, impressing Olivier and Marilyn's publicist, Arthur P. Jacobs. The paparazzi find out about Marilyn's arrival at Heathrow and they gather around the aircraft when it lands. Marilyn brings Arthur, her business partner, Milton H. Greene, and her acting coach, Paula Strasberg, with her. Marilyn is initially uncomfortable around the many photographers but relaxes at the press conference. Olivier becomes frustrated when Marilyn is late for a read-through. She insists Paula sit with her, and when she has trouble with her lines, Paula reads them for her. The crew and the other actors, including Sybil Thorndike, are in awe of Marilyn. Colin meets Lucy, a wardrobe assistant to whom he is attracted, and they go on a date. Marilyn starts arriving later to the set and often forgets her lines, angering Olivier. However, Sybil praises Marilyn and defends her when Olivier tries to get her to apologise for delaying the shoot. Marilyn struggles to understand her character and leaves the set when Olivier insults her. Colin asks Olivier to be more sympathetic towards Marilyn before he goes to Parkside House to check on her. He hears an argument and finds a tearful Marilyn sitting on the stairs with Arthur's notebook, which contains the plot of a new play in which Arthur seems to mock her. Arthur later returns to the United States. Vivien comes to the set and watches some of Marilyn's scenes, then argues with her husband. She breaks down, saying that Marilyn lights up the screen and that she wishes Olivier could see himself when he watches her. Olivier tries unsuccessfully to reassure his wife. Marilyn does not show up to the set following Arthur's departure and she asks Colin to come to Parkside, where they have a talk. The crew becomes captivated by Marilyn when she dances for a scene, during which Milton pulls Colin aside to tell him that Marilyn breaks hearts and that she will break his too. Lucy also notices Colin's growing infatuation with Marilyn and breaks up with him. Colin and Marilyn spend the day together and are given a tour of the library of Windsor Castle by Owen Morshead. Colin also shows Marilyn around Eton College, and they go skinny dipping in the River Thames. Marilyn kisses Colin and they are found by Roger Smith, Marilyn's bodyguard. Colin is called to Parkside one night as Marilyn has locked herself in her room. Colin enters her room and Marilyn invites him to lie next to her on the bed. The following night, Marilyn wakes up in pain and claims she is having a miscarriage. A doctor tends to her. Marilyn tells Colin that Arthur is coming back and that she wants to try being a good wife to him, so she and Colin should forget everything that happened between them. She later returns to the set to complete the film. Olivier praises Marilyn but reveals she has killed his desire to direct again. Lucy asks Colin if Marilyn broke his heart and he replies that she did "a little", to which she replies that he needed it. Marilyn comes to a local pub, where Colin is staying, and thanks him for helping her. She kisses him goodbye and Roger drives her to the airport.


Cast

*
Michelle Williams Michelle Williams or Michele Williams may refer to: * Michelle Ann Williams (born circa 1965), American public health scholar * Michelle Williams (singer) (born 1979), American singer, previously a member of Destiny's Child * Michelle Williams (actr ...
as
Marilyn Monroe Marilyn Monroe ( ; born Norma Jeane Mortenson; June 1, 1926 August 4, 1962) was an American actress and model. Known for playing comic "Blonde stereotype#Blonde bombshell, blonde bombshell" characters, she became one of the most popular sex ...
*
Kenneth Branagh Sir Kenneth Charles Branagh ( ; born 10 December 1960) is a British actor and filmmaker. Born in Belfast and raised primarily in Reading, Berkshire, Branagh trained at RADA in London and served as its president from 2015 to 2024. List of award ...
as
Laurence Olivier Laurence Kerr Olivier, Baron Olivier ( ; 22 May 1907 – 11 July 1989) was an English actor and director. He and his contemporaries Ralph Richardson and John Gielgud made up a trio of male actors who dominated the British stage of the m ...
*
Eddie Redmayne Edward John David Redmayne OBE (; born 6 January 1982) is an English actor. His accolades include an Academy Award, a Tony Award, a British Academy Film Award, a Golden Globe Award, and two Olivier Awards. Redmayne began his professional ac ...
as Colin Clark *
Emma Watson Emma Charlotte Duerre Watson (born 15 April 1990) is an English actress. Known for her roles in both Blockbuster (entertainment), blockbusters and independent films, she has received List of awards and nominations received by Emma Watson, ...
as Lucy Armstrong *
Judi Dench Dame Judith Olivia Dench (born 9 December 1934) is an English actress. Widely considered one of Britain's greatest actors, she is noted for her versatility, having appeared in films and television, as well as for her numerous roles on the stage ...
as
Sybil Thorndike Dame Agnes Sybil Thorndike, Lady Casson (24 October 18829 June 1976) was an English actress whose stage career lasted from 1904 to 1969. Trained in her youth as a concert pianist, Thorndike turned to the stage when a medical problem with her h ...
* Dominic Cooper as Milton H. Greene * Philip Jackson as Roger Smith *
Derek Jacobi Sir Derek George Jacobi (; born 22 October 1938) is an English actor. Known for his roles on stage and screen as well as for his work at the Royal National Theatre, he has received numerous accolades including a Tony Award, a BAFTA Award, two ...
as
Owen Morshead Sir Owen Frederick Morshead, (28 September 1893 – 1 June 1977) was a British Army officer and librarian, who served as Royal Librarian from 1926 to 1958. Early life Morshead was born in Tavistock, Devon, the son of Reginald Morshead and Ell ...
*
Toby Jones Toby Edward Heslewood Jones''Births, Marriages & Deaths Index of England & Wales, 1916–2005.''; at ancestry.com (born 7 September 1966) is an English actor. He is known for his extensive character actor roles on stage and screen. From 1989 ...
as Arthur P. Jacobs * Michael Kitchen as Hugh Perceval * Julia Ormond as
Vivien Leigh Vivien Leigh ( ; born Vivian Mary Hartley; 5 November 1913 – 8 July 1967), styled as Lady Olivier after 1947, was a British actress. After completing her drama school education, Leigh appeared in small roles in four films in 1935 and progress ...
*
Simon Russell Beale Sir Simon Russell Beale (born 12 January 1961) is an English actor. He has been described by ''The Independent'' as "the greatest stage actor of his generation". He has received various accolades, including two BAFTA Awards, three Olivier Awar ...
as Cotes-Preedy * Dougray Scott as
Arthur Miller Arthur Asher Miller (October 17, 1915 – February 10, 2005) was an American playwright, essayist and screenwriter in the 20th-century American theater. Among his most popular plays are '' All My Sons'' (1947), '' Death of a Salesman'' (1 ...
*
Zoë Wanamaker Zoë Wanamaker (born 13 May 1949) is an American-born British actress who has worked extensively with the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theatre. Wanamaker was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2001 by Qu ...
as Paula Strasberg


Production


Development

''My Week with Marilyn'' is based on Colin Clark's ''The Prince, The Showgirl and Me'' (1995) and ''My Week with Marilyn'' (2000); two diary accounts, which document his time on the set of the 1957 film ''The Prince and the Showgirl'' and the time he spent with Monroe. After reading the two books in 2004, Simon Curtis approached producer David Parfitt about making a film based upon them. Parfitt said everyone liked the idea, but because Monroe is so familiar and iconic to people, they wondered what was left to say. Adrian Hodges, who wrote the screenplay, told David Gritten of ''
The Daily Telegraph ''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a British daily broadsheet conservative newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed in the United Kingdom and internationally. It was found ...
'': "If you'd said to me one day I'd write a film about her, I'd have been amazed, because I wouldn't have known where to start." Gritten reported the saving grace for Hodges was that Clark's books were written about Monroe at a specific time. Curtis and Parfitt pitched the project to
BBC Films BBC Film (formerly BBC Films) is the feature film-making arm of the BBC. It was founded on 18 June 1990, and has produced or co-produced some of the most successful British films of recent years, including ''Truly, Madly, Deeply (film), Truly, ...
and the
UK Film Council The UK Film Council (UKFC) was a non-departmental public body set up in 2000 to develop and promote the film industry in the UK. It was constituted as a private company limited by guarantee, owned by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and ...
and they put up the money for development. They then had to wait for eighteen months while Parfitt negotiated the rights to the books with Clark's estate. The producer and director had to wait a further six months for Hodges' screenplay. Once it was ready, a search for finance and a cast began. Curtis went to
Harvey Weinstein Harvey Weinstein (, ; born March 19, 1952) is an American film producer and convicted sex offender. In 1979, Weinstein and his brother, Bob Weinstein, co-founded the entertainment company Miramax, which produced several successful independent ...
and told him about his idea for making a film based on Clark's books. Weinstein told Michael Hogan of ''
The Huffington Post ''HuffPost'' (''The Huffington Post'' until 2017, itself often abbreviated as ''HPo'') is an American progressive news website, with localized and international editions. The site offers news, satire, blogs, and original content, and covers p ...
'' that he had read the books for fun, but had not then considered them for adaptation into a film. He read Hodges' script, which he described as "quite good", charming and fun. Weinstein chose to finance ''My Week with Marilyn'' as he was keen to work with Michelle Williams again, following '' Blue Valentine''. The film is produced by Trademark Films and is also financed by LipSync Productions. ''My Week with Marilyn'' marked Curtis' feature film debut.


Casting

Michelle Williams was the only actress that producers met with during the casting process and Curtis said she was the only actress he had sought for the role. She committed to ''My Week with Marilyn'' two years before production began. Williams told Adam Green of '' Vogue'' that the notion of portraying Monroe was daunting, but as she finished reading the script, she knew she wanted the role. She then spent six months reading biographies, diaries, letters, poems, and notes about and from Monroe. She also looked at photographs, watched her films, and listened to recordings. Williams had to gain weight for the role, and she worked with a choreographer to help perfect Monroe's walking. In September, it was announced that
Eddie Redmayne Edward John David Redmayne OBE (; born 6 January 1982) is an English actor. His accolades include an Academy Award, a Tony Award, a British Academy Film Award, a Golden Globe Award, and two Olivier Awards. Redmayne began his professional ac ...
had been cast as Clark. Parfitt commented that finding an actor for the role had been difficult. He said "It's a devilishly tricky part to find the right person for because Colin went to Eton, studied at Oxford and flew for the RAF." That same month, it was also announced that
Emma Watson Emma Charlotte Duerre Watson (born 15 April 1990) is an English actress. Known for her roles in both Blockbuster (entertainment), blockbusters and independent films, she has received List of awards and nominations received by Emma Watson, ...
had been cast in the small role of wardrobe assistant, Lucy. Watson was scheduled to spend only a few days on set shooting her scenes to prevent her studies at
Brown University Brown University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. It is the List of colonial colleges, seventh-oldest institution of higher education in the US, founded in 1764 as the ' ...
from being interrupted.
Kenneth Branagh Sir Kenneth Charles Branagh ( ; born 10 December 1960) is a British actor and filmmaker. Born in Belfast and raised primarily in Reading, Berkshire, Branagh trained at RADA in London and served as its president from 2015 to 2024. List of award ...
began talks with producers for the role of Laurence Olivier in July 2010 after
Ralph Fiennes Ralph Nathaniel Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes (; born 22 December 1962) is an English actor, film producer, and director. He has received List of awards and nominations received by Ralph Fiennes, various accolades, including a British Academy Film ...
had to drop out to direct his adaptation of ''
Coriolanus ''Coriolanus'' ( or ) is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1605 and 1608. The play is based on the life of the legendary Roman leader Gnaeus Marcius Coriolanus. Shakespeare worked on it during the same ...
''. Branagh was later cast in the role. Dominic Cooper was given the role of Milton H. Greene, a photographer and Monroe's business partner. Of Greene, Cooper said, "He was quite an old man, but they had a very close relationship. I think Marilyn felt very supported by him in the beginning. But ultimately he became her agent and business partner, which is rather a lot." Cooper filmed his scenes in between his work on '' Captain America: The First Avenger''.
Catherine Zeta-Jones Catherine Zeta-Jones (; born 25 September 1969) is a Welsh actress. Recognised for her versatility, she has received various accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, and a Tony Award. In 2010, she was appointed Comm ...
was offered the role of actress
Vivien Leigh Vivien Leigh ( ; born Vivian Mary Hartley; 5 November 1913 – 8 July 1967), styled as Lady Olivier after 1947, was a British actress. After completing her drama school education, Leigh appeared in small roles in four films in 1935 and progress ...
. But Zeta-Jones turned down the role as she did not want to spend more than a week away from her husband
Michael Douglas Michael Kirk Douglas (born September 25, 1944) is an American actor and film producer. He has received numerous accolades, including two Academy Awards, five Golden Globe Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, the Cecil B. DeMille Award, and the ...
, who was being treated for throat cancer at the time. Curtis and the producers began auditioning other actresses and they ultimately cast Julia Ormond in the role. Ormond's casting was announced at the same time as Dougray Scott's, who portrays
Arthur Miller Arthur Asher Miller (October 17, 1915 – February 10, 2005) was an American playwright, essayist and screenwriter in the 20th-century American theater. Among his most popular plays are '' All My Sons'' (1947), '' Death of a Salesman'' (1 ...
.
Derek Jacobi Sir Derek George Jacobi (; born 22 October 1938) is an English actor. Known for his roles on stage and screen as well as for his work at the Royal National Theatre, he has received numerous accolades including a Tony Award, a BAFTA Award, two ...
was cast as Sir Owen Morshead, the royal librarian at Windsor Castle, Philip Jackson plays Monroe's private detective and
Judi Dench Dame Judith Olivia Dench (born 9 December 1934) is an English actress. Widely considered one of Britain's greatest actors, she is noted for her versatility, having appeared in films and television, as well as for her numerous roles on the stage ...
plays
Sybil Thorndike Dame Agnes Sybil Thorndike, Lady Casson (24 October 18829 June 1976) was an English actress whose stage career lasted from 1904 to 1969. Trained in her youth as a concert pianist, Thorndike turned to the stage when a medical problem with her h ...
.
Zoë Wanamaker Zoë Wanamaker (born 13 May 1949) is an American-born British actress who has worked extensively with the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theatre. Wanamaker was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2001 by Qu ...
is Paula Strasberg, Monroe's acting consultant and Richard Clifford was cast as
Richard Wattis Richard Cameron Wattis (25 February 1912 – 1 February 1975) was an English actor, co-starring in many popular British comedies of the 1950s and 1960s. Early life Richard Cameron Wattis was born on 25 February 1912 in Wednesbury, Staffords ...
. The film's cast also includes
Toby Jones Toby Edward Heslewood Jones''Births, Marriages & Deaths Index of England & Wales, 1916–2005.''; at ancestry.com (born 7 September 1966) is an English actor. He is known for his extensive character actor roles on stage and screen. From 1989 ...
, Geraldine Somerville,
Simon Russell Beale Sir Simon Russell Beale (born 12 January 1961) is an English actor. He has been described by ''The Independent'' as "the greatest stage actor of his generation". He has received various accolades, including two BAFTA Awards, three Olivier Awar ...
and Michael Kitchen. It was announced on 8 October 2010, that casting for the film had been completed.


Filming

Principal photography Principal photography is the phase of producing a film or television show in which the bulk of shooting takes place, as distinct from the phases of pre-production and post-production. Personnel Besides the main film personnel, such as the ...
on ''My Week with Marilyn'' commenced on 19 September 2010. Dench filmed her scenes during that month as she had to go to India to start working on ''
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel ''The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel'' is a 2011 British comedy-drama film directed by John Madden. The screenplay, written by Ol Parker, is based on the 2004 novel ''These Foolish Things'' by novelist Deborah Moggach, and features an ensemble c ...
''. Filming took place at
Pinewood Studios Pinewood Studios is a British film and television studio located in the village of Iver Heath, England. It is approximately west of central London. The studio has been the base for many productions over the years from large-scale films to t ...
in
Buckinghamshire Buckinghamshire (, abbreviated ''Bucks'') is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England and one of the home counties. It is bordered by Northamptonshire to the north, Bedfordshire to the north-east, Hertfordshir ...
from 4 October 2010. Three days later, White Waltham Airfield was turned into a 1950s
London Heathrow Airport Heathrow Airport , also colloquially known as London Heathrow Airport and named ''London Airport'' until 1966, is the primary and largest international airport serving London, the capital and most populous city of England and the United Kingd ...
to recreate the moment when Monroe arrived in England to begin production on ''The Prince and the Showgirl''. Curtis used the studio in which Monroe shot ''The Prince and the Showgirl'' in 1956 to film scenes for ''My Week with Marilyn''. Williams was given the same dressing room Monroe had used at the time of her shoot. Filming also took place on locations in and around London. One such location included Parkside House in the village of
Englefield Green Englefield Green is a large village in the Borough of Runnymede, Surrey, England, approximately west of central London. It is home to Runnymede Meadow, The Commonwealth Air Forces Memorial, The Savill Garden,and Royal Holloway, University of L ...
, where Monroe and Miller lived during their stay in Britain. The film's production designer, Donal Woods, toured the house with Curtis prior to filming and noticed the exterior looked much as it did when Monroe posed for some publicity shots there fifty years ago. ''British Cinematographer'' reported the production had filmed scenes at
Saltwood Castle Saltwood Castle is a castle in Saltwood village, one mile (2 km) north of Hythe, Kent, England. Of 11th century origin, the castle was expanded in the 13th and 14th centuries. After the Norman Conquest, the castle was appropriated by the A ...
, near Folkestone, where Clark grew up as a young boy. The film was also shot at
Eton College Eton College ( ) is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school providing boarding school, boarding education for boys aged 13–18, in the small town of Eton, Berkshire, Eton, in Berkshire, in the United Kingdom. It has educated Prime Mini ...
, which Clark attended, and outside
Windsor Castle Windsor Castle is a List of British royal residences, royal residence at Windsor, Berkshire, Windsor in the English county of Berkshire, about west of central London. It is strongly associated with the Kingdom of England, English and succee ...
for a few hours during one Saturday morning. Cinematographer Ben Smithard said the creative and visual references in ''My Week with Marilyn'' came from stills of American photographer and painter, Saul Leiter. Smithard told ''British Cinematographer'' that a significant amount of time was spent in pre-production. He said "On an historic film like this, you need to do as much prep as you can get. It's like a history lesson, and you can learn about a point in time." The cinematographer framed ''My Week with Marilyn'' in the standard
anamorphic format Anamorphic format is a cinematography technique that captures widescreen images using recording media with narrower native Aspect ratio (image), aspect ratios. Originally developed for 35 mm movie film, 35 mm film to create widescreen pres ...
as it is "very good for personal stories" and suited the film. He added that it is easy to frame two actors, but the format is not so good for architectural features. Principal photography on ''My Week with Marilyn'' lasted seven weeks and wrapped in November 2010. Post-production lasted from 28 November 2010 to 31 August 2011.


Costumes and make-up

The costume designer for ''My Week with Marilyn'' was Jill Taylor. Taylor, who previously worked on ''
Sliding Doors ''Sliding Doors'' is a 1998 romantic comedy-drama film written and directed by Peter Howitt and starring Gwyneth Paltrow while also featuring John Hannah, John Lynch, and Jeanne Tripplehorn. The film alternates between two storylines, showi ...
'' (1998) and '' Match Point'' (2005), created the costumes for the film in six weeks and she dressed the entire cast. She sourced many of the items from vintage shops, auction houses and markets. Speaking to Estella Shardlow of Vintage Seekers, Taylor said "I trawled through loads and loads of antiques fairs and vintage shops to see if we could find original vintage pieces that would suffice for the film. We were pretty successful but we also had to reproduce a lot from original photographs – for example, we had to do the scene where she lands in this country, which is well-documented on newsreel." Taylor told Shardlow it was difficult to find fabrics that looked as "lush" as they did in the fifties and she had some challenging costumes to make, including a dress from ''The Prince and the Showgirl'' for Dench's character, Sybil Thorndike. The designer also said she had to make some adaptations to a suit worn by Ormond, as she is a completely different body shape to her character, Vivien Leigh. During research for Watson's character, Lucy, Taylor found an original photograph of the cast and crew of ''The Prince and the Showgirl''. One of the girls in the picture was wearing a tartan dress, so Taylor went out and found Watson an original tartan dress to wear. She said she and her team had fun with Watson's character, as she is a young and fashion-conscious girl. The designer said "Given the American influence to England in the 50s, her style is quite
Sandra Dee Sandra Dee (born Alexandra Zuck; April 23, 1942 – February 20, 2005) was an American actress. Dee began her career as a child model, working first in commercials and then film in her teenage years. Best known for her portrayal of ingénues ...
and girlie." Taylor told Sarah Smith of ''
InStyle ''InStyle'' is an American monthly women's fashion magazine founded in 1994. It was published in the United States by Dotdash Meredith, and started originally as a brand extension of ''People (magazine), People'' before carving out its own ide ...
'' that she worked from many photographs of Monroe, particularly ones taken on her honeymoon with Miller. Taylor said she drew upon a certain picture of the actress wearing a man's shirt and a pencil skirt and she made the outfit for the film. Taylor added "There was also one scene when ichelle as Marilynis in a car and she's got a black chiffon headscarf and there was a coat I did for her that was actually in the Sotheby's catalogue. We reproduced that coat, which was like an oatmeal silk coat with a black velvet collar, and we made it into a jacket for Michelle, rather than a coat." Taylor also worked with Williams during the design process and she explained the actress would bring picture references for her. Taylor would do sketches for Williams as they talked and the designer said "it was a collaboration about what she thought she would like to wear and what I thought." The designer told Smith she was very pleased with how successful the white dress she had made for Williams during ''The Prince and the Showgirl'' scenes turned out. Taylor used a fitting photograph of Monroe with ''The Prince and the Showgirl'' costume designer to help her make the garment. She explained that the dress was quite intricate to make and there were no doubles, so Williams had to wear the same dress for eleven days. Taylor worried that something would happen to the dress and was relieved when the shoot was over. When asked if Williams had a favourite outfit, Taylor said the actress particularly enjoyed wearing a black dress and the skirt and shirt combination. The hair and make-up designer for the film was Jenny Shircore. She told Joe Nazzaro of ''Make-Up Artist Magazine'' that the biggest challenge for her was transforming Williams into Monroe. Shircore said Williams' features are quite different from Monroe's, but she did not want to use prosthetics to shape her face as the emotion Williams was conveying in her performance had to come through the make-up. Shircore explained "There are times in the film when she's actually wearing very little make-up but we still kept tiny aspects of Marilyn, such as the eyebrows, the shading and the shape of the lips, so we would keep three or four major points that helped us towards Marilyn. Some of it was quite difficult, because Michelle's eyes are completely different. Marilyn had very distinctive eyelids, so we had to try and form that shape on Michelle's eyes by the use of light and shade." The make-up artist said most of the scenes in the film see the actors from ''The Prince and the Showgirl'' in their film make-up, so Shircore had to copy the original scene for ''My Week with Marilyn'' and get it right. She also revealed a few minor prosthetics were used on some cast members to help recreate the characters. Shircore told Nazzaro "I'm not going to give them away, but they are things that make a difference and they're all beautifully conceived, produced and worn by the actors."


Music

The film's original score was composed by American composer Conrad Pope. French composer
Alexandre Desplat Alexandre Michel Gérard Desplat (; born 23 August 1961) is a French film composer and conductor. He has received numerous accolades, including two Academy Awards, three BAFTA Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, and two Grammy Awards. Desplat was m ...
wrote a piece titled "Marilyn's Theme", which Pope adapted into his score. Pianist
Lang Lang Lang Lang (; born 14 June 1982) is a Chinese pianist who has performed with major orchestras around the world and appeared at many leading concert halls. Active since the 1990s, he was the first Chinese pianist to be engaged by the Berlin Phi ...
is a featured performer on several of Pope and Desplat's compositions. Williams also features on the soundtrack singing "I Found a Dream", " That Old Black Magic" and a medley of "When Love Goes Wrong, Nothing Goes Right" and "
Heat Wave A heat wave or heatwave, sometimes described as extreme heat, is a period of abnormally hot weather generally considered to be at least ''five consecutive days''. A heat wave is usually measured relative to the usual climate in the area and ...
". Other songs include " Autumn Leaves" and " Memories Are Made of This". The soundtrack was released digitally on 8 November 2011.


Release

The first trailer for the film was introduced by Harvey Weinstein during the
2011 Cannes Film Festival The 64th Cannes Film Festival took place from 11 to 22 May 2011. American actor Robert De Niro served as the president of the jury for the main competition. American filmmaker Terrence Malick won the Palme d'Or, the festival's top prize, for t ...
. It was officially released on 6 October 2011. ''My Week with Marilyn'' had its world premiere on 9 October 2011 at the 49th
New York Film Festival The New York Film Festival (NYFF) is a film festival held every fall in New York City, presented by Film at Lincoln Center. Founded in 1963 by Richard Roud and Amos Vogel with the support of Lincoln Center president William Schuman, NYFF i ...
. The film was shown at the Mill Valley Film Festival two days later and it was then added to the lineups of the
Hamptons International Film Festival The Hamptons International Film Festival (HIFF) is an international film festival founded in 1992, by Joyce Robinson. The festival has since taken place every year in East Hampton, New York. It is usually an annual five-day event in mid-October ...
and the 26th Annual Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival. ''My Week with Marilyn'' was the centerpiece presentation at the 47th
Chicago International Film Festival The Chicago International Film Festival is an annual film festival held every fall. Founded in 1964 by Michael Kutza, it is the longest-running competitive film festival in North America. Its logo is a stark, black and white close up of the comp ...
and it was shown at the Wooburn Festival in
High Wycombe High Wycombe, often referred to as Wycombe ( ), is a market town in Buckinghamshire, England. Lying in the valley of the River Wye, Buckinghamshire, River Wye surrounded by the Chiltern Hills, it is west-northwest of Charing Cross in London, ...
on 17 October. It was later screened at the
Philadelphia Film Festival The Philadelphia Film Festival is a film festival founded by the Philadelphia Film Society held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The annual festival is held at various theater venues throughout the Greater Philadelphia Area. Overview The annual ...
and
AFI Fest The American Film Institute (AFI) is an American nonprofit film organization that educates filmmakers and honors the heritage of the motion picture arts in the United States. AFI is supported by private funding and public membership fees. Lead ...
. ''My Week with Marilyn'' was shown out of competition at the
Rome Film Festival International Rome Film Fest is a film festival that takes place in Rome during the month of October. The name in Italian is Festa del Cinema di Roma. From 2022, the festival was officially recognized as a competitive festival by the Internation ...
and it closed the
Dubai International Film Festival The Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF, ) was the largest film festival in the Arab world, Arab region. With particular emphasis on showcasing Arab cinema, Arab, Asian cinema, Asian, and African cinema, it also helped to develop industry a ...
on 13 December. It was then shown at the Capri Hollywood International Film Festival in January 2012. ''My Week with Marilyn'' was released on 25 November in the United Kingdom. The film was originally scheduled to be released on 4 November in the United States, but shortly after its premiere at the New York Film Festival, The Weinstein Company moved the release date to 23 November. The film opened in a limited release in 73 markets and 244 theaters. During this time period, an exclusive 7-minute director's cut of the
Katy Perry Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson (born October 25, 1984), known professionally as Katy Perry, is an American singer, songwriter, and television personality. She is one of the List of best-selling music artists, best-selling music artists in hist ...
music video, "The One That Got Away", was shown with select advanced screenings of the film for one night only on 11 November. On 17 February 2012, Kristina Bustos of Digital Spy reported ''My Week with Marilyn'' would expand into 600 more theatres across the United States on 24 February.


Home media

''My Week with Marilyn'' was released on
DVD The DVD (common abbreviation for digital video disc or digital versatile disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any ki ...
and
Blu-ray Blu-ray (Blu-ray Disc or BD) is a digital optical disc data storage format designed to supersede the DVD format. It was invented and developed in 2005 and released worldwide on June 20, 2006, capable of storing several hours of high-defin ...
on 13 March 2012 in the United States and on 16 March in the United Kingdom. It was released in Australia on 21 June 2012. The film is distributed by The Weinstein Company and
Anchor Bay Entertainment The revived Anchor Bay Entertainment is an American independent film production and distribution company owned by Umbrelic Entertainment co-founders Thomas Zambeck and Brian Katz. Anchor Bay Entertainment markets and releases "new release genre ...
, while in South Africa, it was distributed by Ster-Kinekor Entertainment. Extras include a director's commentary and a featurette called "The Untold Story of an American Icon". ''My Week with Marilyn'' entered the UK DVD Top 40 at number six and the Blu-ray Top 40 at number nine. On its first week of release in the US, the film entered at number six on the DVD Sales Chart, selling an estimated 172,748 DVDs making $2,589,493.


Reception


Box office

''My Week with Marilyn'' earned £749,819 upon its opening weekend in the United Kingdom. The film opened to 397 cinemas and landed at number three in the UK box office top ten. The following week the film earned £483,239 and slipped three places in the box office chart. In its third week, ''My Week with Marilyn'' earned £192,834 and fell to number seven. In the first five days of its opening in limited release, ''My Week with Marilyn'' grossed $2.06 million in the United States. Ray Suber of
Box Office Mojo Box Office Mojo is an American website that tracks box-office revenue in a systematic, algorithmic way. The site was founded in 1998 by Brandon Gray, and was bought in 2008 by IMDb, which itself is owned by Amazon. History Brandon Gray ...
reported the film played at 123 locations on 23 and 24 November, before expanding to 244 cinemas for the
Thanksgiving Thanksgiving is a national holiday celebrated on various dates in October and November in the United States, Canada, Saint Lucia, Liberia, and unofficially in countries like Brazil and Germany. It is also observed in the Australian territory ...
three-day weekend, where it placed in the Top 12 with $1.75 million. Amy Kaufman of the ''Los Angeles Times'' said 71% of people who saw ''My Week with Marilyn'' during its opening few days in the US were over the age of 35. In January 2012, six weeks after it was released, ''My Week with Marilyn'' broke the $10 million mark in cinemas.


Critical reception

''My Week with Marilyn'' received generally positive reviews from critics, with Williams' performance receiving acclaim. Review aggregator
Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review aggregator, review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee ...
reports that 82% of 187 critics have given the film a positive review, with a rating average of 7.10/10. According to the site's summary of the critical consensus, "Michelle Williams shines in ''My Week with Marilyn'', capturing the magnetism and vulnerability of Marilyn Monroe." On
Metacritic Metacritic is an American website that aggregates reviews of films, television shows, music albums, video games, and formerly books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created ...
, the film holds a score of 65 out of 100, based on 38 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Audiences surveyed by
CinemaScore CinemaScore is an American market research firm based in Las Vegas. It surveys film audiences to rate their viewing experiences with letter grades, reports the results, and forecasts box office receipts from the data. Background Ed Mintz, who ...
gave the film an average grade of "A−" on an A+ to F scale. David Rooney from ''
The Hollywood Reporter ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...
'' praised Williams' performance and said she nailed Monroe's vocal style. Rooney also praised Redmayne as Clark, saying his scenes with Williams were captivating. However, Rooney went on to say "Fault lies with both Hodges' workmanlike script and Curtis' failure to excavate much psychological depth." He added ''My Week with Marilyn'' is starchy and short on perspective, making it "superficial showbiz pageantry." Ronnie Scheib of '' Variety'' said ''My Week with Marilyn'' "flits uneasily between arch drawing-room comedy and foreshadowed tragedy" and is too stagily directed by Curtis, who lines up the characters with "no attention to spatial logic or rhythmic flow." Scheib added the film coasts on Williams' performance, while the story feels like it has been ripped from film fan magazines of the time. Rex Reed of ''
The New York Observer ''The New York Observer'' was a weekly newspaper established in 1987. In 2016, it ceased print publication and became the online-only newspaper ''Observer''. The media site focuses on culture, real estate, media, politics and the entertainment ...
'' called ''My Week with Marilyn'' "pure perfection." Adam Green of ''Vogue'' said the film does not quite reach "the high drama and urgency of a period piece like ''
The King's Speech ''The King's Speech'' is a 2010 historical drama film directed by Tom Hooper and written by David Seidler. Colin Firth plays the future King George VI who, to cope with a stammer, sees Lionel Logue, an Australian speech and language ther ...
''", but it does evoke a vanished era in filmmaking. Green added Williams is the main attraction and she brings Monroe to life "with heartbreaking delicacy and precision without resorting to impersonation or cliché." Regina Weinreich of ''The Huffington Post'' called ''My Week with Marilyn'' a "gem" and said the story "manages to convey so much of Marilyn, particularly her child-like vulnerability, her insecurity as an actress, her natural charm and talents. While we have seen Michelle Williams tap dance and heard her sing before -- she was superb in last year's '' Blue Valentine'' -- her moves and voice as Marilyn evoke the subject's understated, magnetic performances." Weinreich went on to praise the rest of the cast, including Redmayne, Branagh and Dench, saying they are "especially good." A writer for indieWire said ''My Week with Marilyn'' is like a "superficial Lifetime made for TV-movie." The writer went on to say the film is not terrible, but there is "very little meat on the bone." They added the film has a terrific cast who do their best with an average script. Robbie Collin, writing for ''
The Daily Telegraph ''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a British daily broadsheet conservative newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed in the United Kingdom and internationally. It was found ...
'' gave the film three out of five stars and said "Michelle Williams makes a mesmeric Monroe in ''My Week With Marilyn'', but the film falls disappointingly short on boop-boop-be-doo." The ''
Miami Herald The ''Miami Herald'' is an American daily newspaper owned by McClatchy, The McClatchy Company and headquartered in Miami-Dade County, Florida. Founded in 1903, it is the fifth-largest newspaper in Florida, serving Miami-Dade, Broward County, Fl ...
's'' Rene Rodriguez gave the film three out of four stars. He said "One of the chief pleasures of ''My Week with Marilyn'' — which should not be approached as anything other than fluffy entertainment — is watching Williams bring to life Monroe's inner demons and her movie-star allure with equal aplomb." ''
The New Yorker ''The New Yorker'' is an American magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. It was founded on February 21, 1925, by Harold Ross and his wife Jane Grant, a reporter for ''The New York T ...
's'' film critic David Denby also praised Williams' performance as Monroe, saying "In ''My Week with Marilyn'', Williams makes the star come alive. She has Monroe's walk, the easy, swivelling neck, the face that responds to everything like a flower swaying in the breeze. Most important, she has the sexual sweetness and the hurt, lost look that shifts, in a flash, into resistance and tears." The critic called the film "charming and touching" and said it is expertly made. Writing for ''
Time Time is the continuous progression of existence that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, and into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequ ...
'', Mary Pols called ''My Week with Marilyn'' "nothing more than a lively confection." Pols went on to say "Williams locates a central truth, the contradictory allure of this utterly impossible woman — mercurial, vain, foolish, but also intelligent in some very primal way and achingly vulnerable." Upon giving the film three and a half out of four stars, critic
Roger Ebert Roger Joseph Ebert ( ; June 18, 1942 – April 4, 2013) was an American Film criticism, film critic, film historian, journalist, essayist, screenwriter and author. He wrote for the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' from 1967 until his death in 2013. Eber ...
said "What matters is the performance by Michelle Williams. She evokes so many Marilyns, public and private, real and make-believe. We didn't know Monroe, but we believe she must have been something like this. We're probably looking at one of this year's Oscar nominees."
Manohla Dargis Manohla June Dargis ( ) is an American film critic. She is the chief film critic for ''The New York Times''. She is a five-time finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism. Career Before being a film critic for ''The New York Times'', Dargis ...
of ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' thought Branagh was miscast as Olivier, but she said he made up for that with "his crisp, at times clipped, enunciation and a physical performance that gives Olivier enough vitality so that when, early in, the character sweeps into his production office with his wife, Vivien Leigh (Julia Ormond, a wan placeholder for the original), he dazzles Clark and jolts this slow-stirring movie awake." Of Williams, the film critic said she "tries her best, and sometimes that's almost enough." Dargis said the main problem is with Hodges' script, which "offers a catalog of Monroe stereotypes." Stella Papamichael of
Digital Spy Digital Spy (DS) is a British-based entertainment, television and film website and brand and is the largest digital property at Hearst UK. Since its initial launch in 1999, Digital Spy has focused on entertainment news related to television pro ...
gave the film four out of five stars and she praised many of the cast's performances. Papamichael added "While you won't learn anything new about Marilyn Monroe, you can revel in the silky feel of nostalgia." ''
Empire An empire is a political unit made up of several territories, military outpost (military), outposts, and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a hegemony, dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the ...
'' magazine's Angie Errigo gave ''My Week with Marilyn'' three out of five stars and she said "At moments hilarious and others touching, it's a sweet, slight affair, more pretty pageant than pithy biographical drama. Expect awards nominations to stack up for Williams and Branagh." ''
The Wall Street Journal ''The Wall Street Journal'' (''WSJ''), also referred to simply as the ''Journal,'' is an American newspaper based in New York City. The newspaper provides extensive coverage of news, especially business and finance. It operates on a subscriptio ...
's'' film critic,
Joe Morgenstern Joe Morgenstern (born October 3, 1932) is an American writer and retired film critic. He wrote for ''Newsweek'' from 1965 to 1983, and then for ''The Wall Street Journal'' from 1995 to 2022. He won the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism in 2005. Morge ...
was negative about the film saying, "When bad movies happen to good people, the first place to look for an explanation is the basic idea. That certainly applies to ''My Week with Marilyn'', a dubious idea done in by Adrian Hodges's shallow script and Simon Curtis's clumsy direction." Nishi Tiwari of Rediff.com said Williams is "a fascinating watch", but there is nothing about Monroe in the film that we did not know already.


Accolades

For her performances in ''My Week with Marilyn'', '' Meek's Cutoff'' and '' Take This Waltz'', Williams was given the Best Actress award at the 2011 Hollywood Film Festival. On 25 November 2011, it was announced Williams would receive the 2012 Desert Palm Achievement Actress Award from the
Palm Springs International Film Festival Palm Springs International Film Festival (sometimes stylized shortly as PSIFF) is a film festival held in Palm Springs, California. Originally promoted by Mayor Sonny Bono and then sponsored by Nortel,here for Table of Contents it started in 19 ...
in recognition of her performance in ''My Week with Marilyn''. Four days later, Williams was nominated for Best Female Lead at the
Independent Spirit Awards The Independent Spirit Awards, originally known as the FINDIE or Friends of Independents Awards, and later as the Film Independent Spirit Awards, are awards presented annually in Santa Monica, California, to independent filmmakers. Founded in ...
and Best Actress at the
New York Film Critics Circle Awards The New York Film Critics Circle (NYFCC) is an American film critic organization founded in 1935 by Wanda Hale from the New York ''Daily News''. Its membership includes over 30 film critics from New York–based daily and weekly newspapers, ma ...
. Williams and Branagh were nominated for Best Actress in a Drama Motion Picture and Best Supporting Actor respectively at the
Satellite Awards The Satellite Awards are annual awards given by the International Press Academy that are commonly noted in entertainment industry journals and blogs. The awards were originally known as the Golden Satellite Awards. The award ceremonies take place ...
. Williams was named Best Actress by the
Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association The Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association (WAFCA) is a group of film criticism, film critics based in Washington, D.C., and founded in 2002. WAFCA is composed of over 65 D.C.-based film critics from internet, printing, print, radio, and te ...
. Branagh earned a nomination for Best Supporting Actor. On 11 December, Williams won the
Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actress The Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best (Lead) Actress is one of the annual film awards given by the Boston Society of Film Critics. Winners 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s Multiple winners 2 wins * Holly Hunter (1987, 1993) * H ...
. She also won the Best Actress award from the
Detroit Film Critics Society The Detroit Film Critics Society is a film criticism, film critic organization based in Detroit, Michigan, United States. It was founded in 2007, and comprises a group of over twenty film critics. To become a member, the critic must have reviewed a ...
, while Branagh garnered a nomination for Best Supporting Actor. The
Broadcast Film Critics Association The Critics Choice Association (CCA), formerly the Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA) is an association of television, radio and online critics. Their membership includes critics who review film and television. Founded in 1995, it is the l ...
nominated Williams and Branagh for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actor respectively. Taylor and Shircore each received a nomination for Best Costume Design and Best Make-up. Williams, Branagh and the film gathered nominations for Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor and Best Film from the Phoenix Film Critics Society. On 1 January 2012, the cast was awarded the Capri Ensemble Cast Award from the Capri, Hollywood International Film Festival. Williams won the Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical award at the 69th Golden Globe Awards. While the film and Branagh each received a nomination. ''My Week with Marilyn'' garnered seven nominations at the
65th British Academy Film Awards The 65th British Academy Film Awards, more commonly known as the BAFTAs, were held on 12 February 2012 at the Royal Opera House in London, honouring the best national and foreign films of 2011 in film, 2011. Presented by the British Academy of F ...
. Williams received a nomination for Best Actress at the
84th Academy Awards The 84th Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored the best films of 2011 in the United States and took place on February 26, 2012, at the Hollywood and Highland Center Theatre in H ...
, while Branagh earned a nomination for Best Supporting Actor.


References


External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:My Week With Marilyn 2010s English-language films 2010s American films 2010s British films 2010s biographical films 2011 films 2011 drama films 2011 biographical drama films 2011 directorial debut films American biographical drama films British biographical drama films Biographical films about actors Biographical films about singers Biographical films about writers Films based on multiple works Films directed by Simon Curtis Films produced by Harvey Weinstein Films produced by David Parfitt Films about Marilyn Monroe Films about filmmaking Films about actors Films set in the 1950s Cultural depictions of Marilyn Monroe BBC Film films The Weinstein Company films Films featuring a Best Musical or Comedy Actress Golden Globe winning performance English-language biographical drama films