Professor Marston & the Wonder Women

Annapurna Pictures | Release Date: October 13, 2017

6.2	USER SCORE Generally favorable reviews based on 78 Ratings

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GinaKOct 16, 2017

A beautifully acted, wonderfully scripted, and cleverly directed film that seems to be another of the movies that get a lot of “reds” on Metacritic (usually without explanatory reviews) that lower the audience rating of a film and seem toA beautifully acted, wonderfully scripted, and cleverly directed film that seems to be another of the movies that get a lot of “reds” on Metacritic (usually without explanatory reviews) that lower the audience rating of a film and seem to appear simply because some members of the audience object to a film’s supposed subject matter (true or not). Since I am old enough to remember the way things were during the women’s liberation movement in the early 1960s, I thought this film did a great job of explaining how things used to be, although I was surprised to find filmmakers even today with the guts to make a movie that deals so openly with what may be uncomfortable things in the Wonder Woman comics (although I don’t think carried over in the Wonder Woman movie, which I remember as just a lot of fun).… Expand

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

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GreatMartinOct 13, 2017

“Professor Marston and the Wonder Women” is a smart, quiet, beautiful, exciting and, in many ways, educational in a good way.

I never heard of William Marston before seeing this movie and I learned that not only did he and his wife Elizabeth“Professor Marston and the Wonder Women” is a smart, quiet, beautiful, exciting and, in many ways, educational in a good way.

I never heard of William Marston before seeing this movie and I learned that not only did he and his wife Elizabeth discover the early prototype of the lie detector but they also created the systolic blood pressure test. She was a graduate of Harvard, his equal in every way. Professor Marston was not only a psychiatrist but he would eventually become the comic book writer and originator of Wonder Woman. Marston, along with research by Elizabeth, come up with the theory of DISC that stated all human behavior can be either dominance, inducement, submission or compliance, either each by themselves or variations, combinations of all 4.

Actually with all this that is not what the film is really about but about a student in in the class he teaches at Radcliffe where his wife is an observer. As soon as he sees a new student, Olive Bryne, whose aunt is Margaret Sanger and her mother left her in a convent school to devote her life fighting for women’s suffrage, becomes infatuated with her. She becomes the husband and wife’s graduate assistant with Elizabeth and William falling in love with her and she falling in love with them.

To say any more than that they start a life together would give away too much of the film. They are all strong, independent thinkers who look at all aspects of their relationship to make a success of the life they want to lead under the eyes of the society of the 1930s and 1940s let alone for years after. In today’s world they would be just as vilified if found out.

The film opens with children and their parents burning copies of Wonder Woman comics and then segues into Marston being interrogated by psychologist Josette Frank of the Child Study Association of America not only about his living conditions but about all the perversion in the Wonder Women series from B & D, S & M, homosexuality between women to use of ropes, leather and other accruements of the sexual world.

“Professor Marston and the Wonder Women” is rated R for strong sexual content including language and brief graphic images. If you are expecting a porno film, sorry but this is not it. The brief images last about 2-3 minutes showing William, Elizabeth and Olive experiencing the sexual aspect of their love with very little nudity and not any frontal nudity. Yes, there is a scene in a Greenwich Village specialty shop that delves into various possibilities of how people can experience love and or sex.

The Director-screenwriter Angela Robinson does superb work in both categories and certainly deserves recognition when award time rolls around.

Talking about awards Rebecca Hall, as Elizabeth Marston, can give a look or say a word that would stop anyone in their tracks and gives a not to be forgotten performance. Bella Heathcote, as the young, sparkling, bright, blond student equals Hall’s performance in a different way. Luke Evans, as Professor Marston, has to work hard to keep up with the women and he does. All 3 give indelible performances.

In supporting roles Connie Britton as Josette Frank, JJFeild as the owner of the specialty shop along with Oliver Platt as Marston’s editor hold their own in a movie filled with excellent performances all around.

Angela Robinson’s screenplay covers a lot of territory including many unconventional subjects without demeaning the characters, the story or the audience.

“Professor Marston and the Wonder Women” is a must see movie which, in many ways, is as relevant today as it was at the time the picture takes place.… Expand

4 of 7 users found this helpful43

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ProteusOct 16, 2017

Two girls and a guy all fall in love with each other. They manage to pull it off. Over decades.The X rated story would be fun to see. Yes people would like more details about the sex they were having. And the real dynamics of this long termTwo girls and a guy all fall in love with each other. They manage to pull it off. Over decades.The X rated story would be fun to see. Yes people would like more details about the sex they were having. And the real dynamics of this long term threesome.… Expand

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

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JLuis_001Jan 17, 2018

Consider it a perfect accompaniment to last year's success of Wonder Woman and you should really watch it because it is a good film in which their actors deliver a solid job and an engaging drama. Bit slow in some passanges but nothing critical.

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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OnlyAGreatOnlyOct 14, 2017

Professor Marston & The Wonder Women is interesting. Unlike Wonder Woman. It is not entertaining. But it's Good. Professor marston & The Wonder Woman reminds me of Wonder Woman.

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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tom9999Feb 5, 2018

Bad reviews are clearly from religious people who are offended by the subject matter and the real origin of wonder woman. It's a steamy story for sure and obviously some can't handle it. Just like the professor and the women was looked downBad reviews are clearly from religious people who are offended by the subject matter and the real origin of wonder woman. It's a steamy story for sure and obviously some can't handle it. Just like the professor and the women was looked down upon back in the day. But for open minded people, this is a great movie… Expand

1 of 5 users found this helpful14

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justinhowAug 24, 2018

The amazing story behind the comic book character Wonder Women which is beautifully and sensitively portrayed by the 3 main actors. If you are in any way a Wonder Women fan this is a MUST see film.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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ComandanteCobraApr 8, 2018

Good Movie, different from what i was expecting. It's about the life of W.Women creator, his Wife and his Live in Partner. Most of the screen time is about the life of the three protagonists and how the society reacts to their'sGood Movie, different from what i was expecting. It's about the life of W.Women creator, his Wife and his Live in Partner. Most of the screen time is about the life of the three protagonists and how the society reacts to their's unconventional private life choices, Holloway and Moulton psycological discoveries and their's improving of the Lie-detector, their's polyamorous relationship and sexual fantasies. All of this topics contribuited to the birth and development of the comic book character. Good acting, lots of sub-plots, the part about their's sexual tendecies is described with good taste and without prejudices.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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alejandro970Jun 23, 2023

The film, rather than referring to the superhero genre, is a glimpse of the efforts to impose revolutionary ideas in a prim and pious society, loaded with prejudices. Action-hungry moviegoers might be disappointed, but that doesn't stop themThe film, rather than referring to the superhero genre, is a glimpse of the efforts to impose revolutionary ideas in a prim and pious society, loaded with prejudices. Action-hungry moviegoers might be disappointed, but that doesn't stop them from finding the flavor.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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BroyaxApr 11, 2019

Enfin un bon film sur les super-héros mais surtout sur la toute première super-héroïne… Peut-être parce qu’il ne s’agit pas d’un film bien formaté et bien lisse (et bien con) comme toutes les productions DC et Marvel, et peut-être (etEnfin un bon film sur les super-héros mais surtout sur la toute première super-héroïne… Peut-être parce qu’il ne s’agit pas d’un film bien formaté et bien lisse (et bien con) comme toutes les productions DC et Marvel, et peut-être (et sûrement) parce qu’il n’est vraiment… mais vraiment pas politiquement correct !

Cela dit, on pourra reprocher au film un côté encore assez lisse tout de même dans cette partie (fine) à trois, ce triolisme et cette sauterie pleine de bonne humeur ; tout cela reste très régulièrement rempli d’une guimauve certaine… avec la petite musique typique des biographies de ce genre, d’ailleurs (pleurnicharde et grandiloquente à la fois).

En tout cas, cette histoire du créateur de Wonder Woman (et de ses ‘wonder women’ à lui, on frise la polygamie !) dépasse la fiction et il faut voir les planches de l’époque que nous montre le film pour y croire, des planches censurées depuis 1947, car évidemment des fessées, de la soumission et du bondage, ça fait un peu désordre dans des publications destinées, faut-il le rappeler, à nos chères têtes blondes…

Quoi qu’il en soit, un film tout à fait féministe et l’histoire d’un homme, premier de cordée, qui aura fait beaucoup pour la cause des femmes, car Wonder Woman est désormais une icône, pas encore tombée sous la coupe des wokistes et de ce fait, forte, charismatique mais toujours sensuelle et féminine !

L’acteur et les actrices sont excellents, du reste, et la mise en scène est assurément soignée. Et malgré ses allures parfois pompeuses (ou emphatiques je veux dire…) le film est de temps en temps assez drôle dans sa délicate perversité… Un gazon non pas maudit en somme mais béni (malgré quelques longueurs…), quoiqu’indéniablement pervers et précurseur de l’autre cause (à part celle du SM bien sûr), la cause LB bien évidemment.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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