Film Review: Professor Marston and the Wonder Women (2017)

Ever wonder?

Professor Marston and the Wonder Women (15)

Starring: Luke Evans, Rebecca Hall, Bella Heathcote

Director: Angela Robinson

The Plot: The story of how Professor William Marston (Evans) created the iconic superhero Wonder Woman, told through a series of flashbacks as he faces the wrath of the Child Study Association of America for the comics depiction of bondage and lesbianism. In 1928, Marston and his wife Elizabeth (Hall) are teaching a psychology course and hire young student Olive Byrne (Heathcote) to assist them; the three gradually fall in love and form a polyamorous relationship, living together and later exploring bondage and submission. While their relationship ostracises them from society, Marston would take the physical and mental characteristics he admired from the two women he loved and use them to form his most famous creation.

Review: It's rather apt that this film arrives in 2017, following the phenomenal success of Patty Jenkins' blockbuster Wonder Woman earlier this year. Interest in the character is at a high, and the Wonder Woman currently seen on the big screen and in pages of DC Comics today is very different from the original version that Marston created in the 40's. This is a very interesting story that's erotic without crossing over into smut, and offers an intriguing look at an unorthodox relationship.

I think it's fair to say that, even in todays society where we've made great strides in the acceptance of LGTB issues, gender identities etc, the concept of being polyamorous is still something that's if not taboo then certainly very unusual and outside of the norm. It makes the story in this film all the more interesting when you consider that it takes place in 1920's-1940's America, at a time where society was deeply conservative (Prohibition was still in effect), so the idea of a man living with two women and sharing a loving relationship would have been outrageous. The depiction of the time period is excellent, with careful attention to detail paid to the sets, costumes, props etc, and it allows the story that plays out to be all the more believable.

While this is the story about the creation of the Wonder Woman character, it's the relationship between the Marstons and Byrne that takes centre stage and is the most compelling thread for the audience to follow. While it's interesting to see the recognisable elements of Wonder Woman (Olive's bracelets that become Diana's bulletproof versions, the burlesque costume that becomes her outfit, the rope used in their bondage sessions that would become the Lasso of Truth) it's their story that's the most interesting here: the gradual build and acceptance to their mutual love and attraction (and the problems faced along the way) is engaging and, more importantly, completely believable. The whole thing is very erotically charged, and the two love scenes presented are effective without being titillating.

Given that the story revolves around these three characters, strong performances are needed in order for it to work and I'm pleased to report that all three leads do an excellent job here. As Marston, Luke Evans has perhaps the easiest job as his character has the least transformative arc: right from the beginning he's absolutely convinced of his beliefs and the possibility of loving more than one person, so he has no qualms whatsoever about the relationship they form, and his struggles come more from trying to get the world to see his views. As his wife Elizabeth, Rebecca Hall has what I think is the strongest performance here: her character is a strong and intelligent woman, the dominant of their group, but she struggles to admit that she is also capable of loving another person and has the most concerns about their situation. Heathcote, as Olive, is wonderful: this is a much younger woman who has been raised to believe there's only one right "path" for her to follow, and is amazed when she discovers her attraction to both the Marstons and the possibility it presents. She and Elizabeth have the more defining story arcs as they adapt to the relationship in different ways, but all three actors put in great performances here and work well together. The most important part was that it was believable - Marston himself never comes off as creepy, while Elizabeth and Olive are both suitably scared and fascinated by the relationship.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
An interesting depiction of an unorthodox relationship that also happens to explain how the superhero Wonder Woman was created. Compelling, erotic and with strong performances from the three leads, this is an excellent film that shines a light not only on the most famous female superhero of all time, but on the concept of love that created her. Highly recommended.