The world premiere of this film was the Centerpiece of the New York Film Festival, it's also one of the best films they've screened.
Based upon the memoirs of Colin Clarke about his time working on the film The Prince and the Showgirl with Marilyn Monroe and Laurence Olivier. The film charts Clarke's effort to break into film and how that morphs into a brief close friendship with Marilyn Monroe.
The film is a comedy of manners mixed with a touching personal drama. Its a wonderful film that is damn near close to being a truly great film (I reserve the right to fully decide until after I see it a couple more times.) The few flaws in the film are Kenneth Branaugh's ever shifting accent as Olivier and the nagging feeling that this film should have been a bit a longer...
But I'm nitpicking (as is my norm). Trust me, whatever reservations you have will be wiped away in the final two scenes which will have a tear in your eyes.(What can I say I'm a sucker for cleverly used Shakespeare).
Everyone is going to talk about Michelle Williams as Monroe. Yes, she's great. There I said it, and so will everyone else.
What everyone will not be talking about, and they should, is Emma Watson. Watson is going to be genuinely huge as an actress. She is going to become one of the great actresses of her age.
You think I'm nuts, don't you. She has a couple of scenes as a wardrobe girl that Colin Clarke fancies. Its a nothing role...
...it should have been but its not. Watson sells it. Watson doesn't just sell it she makes you wonder why Clarke wouldn't chase her. She walks on stage and you sit up and go "Hello who is this..." and then you realize..."hey that's Emma Watson". She has the screen presence that had me wondering what she would have done as Marilyn since she really holds the screen.
Seriously it's a small role but you remember it and it makes a real impression to the point when Monroe comments on her late in the film that Clarke should date her you know she's right.
I'm over selling things to a certain degree, but she is that good.
I'm sorry I'm not going on about the film in greater detail, but everyone else is going to do that. Its a damn fine film that won't be unseen for long...so it doesn't need my help. Since you're going to see it anyway I might as well point out something you she be seeing in a film you're going to see anyway.
Go see this film when it opens. You'll laugh, you'll smile and you'll be touched.
One of the best at the New York Film Festival.
SO FAR I can't say if Emma will be a huge Actress and I think noone really can say it right now, it's to early
ReplyDeleteWhile I don't have a working crystal ball, I do think, that assuming the there are no unexpected twists and turns, Emma has a great shot it. She has the screen presence and the ability and so long as she keeps getting good roles I think she will be a well respected one...and yes even a very popular one. She really is that good and that special.
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