One film noticeably absent from the recent announcements for TIFF and Venice has been “My Week with Marilyn,” teased by Film Society Lincoln Center in a Tweet this morning as a “movie about movies. Based on a forgotten chapter from memoir about young asst aiming to break into biz.” Well, the New York Film Festival now has its centerpiece and another strong film added to the line-up for what will be a starry showing in the Big Apple this fall.
The film, directed by TV veteran Simon Curtis, stars Michelle Williams as Monroe, and follows her friendship with young Englishman Colin Clark while in the country shooting “The Prince and the Showgirl,” as well as her tempestuous relationship with director/co-star Laurence Olivier. Rising star Eddie Redmayne plays Clark, with Kenneth Branagh taking on the mantle of Olivier, and a solid supporting cast including Judi Dench as actress Sybil Thorndike, Julia Ormond as Olivier’s wife Vivien Leigh, Dougray Scott as Monroe’s husband Arthur Miller, with Derek Jacobi, Dominic Cooper and Emma Watson rounding things out.
“My Week with Marilyn” is actually based on a diary Clark kept during that time period that was only published in 2002, revealing the juicy behind-the-scenes look at the production of the Monroe/Olivier film. How this will factor into the awards race we’ll let the pundits sort out, but we’re suckers for movies about movies so we’re excited to see this one arrive.
Also coming to NYFF this fall are Masterworks presentations including William Wyler’s “Ben-Hur and ” Nicholas Ray’s experimental “We Can’t Go Home Again” as well as a celebration of the upcoming 100th anniversary of famed Japanese production house Nikkatsu Films. The festival runs from September 30th to October 16th and will open with Roman Polanski‘s “Carnage.”
