YNMS: Professor Marston & The Wonder Women

by Nathaniel R

Well, the timing couldn't be better. The producers behind Professor Marston and the Wonder Women must be pinching themselves that Wonder Woman has been such an inarguable smash hit.  It might -- though the public is stubborn about trying new movies out that aren't CGI based or sequels -- generate some box office interest in this biopic about the man who created the fictional Amazon princess. Luke Evans plays the Professor and the women (yes, plural) in his life are Bella Heathcote and Rebecca Hall.

Trailer and Yes No Maybe So™ breakdown after the jump...

YES

• Intriguing and mostly underused cast. Especially Rebecca Hall and Connie Britton both of whom we can never get enough of.
• Timely despite being a period piece.
• Potential is there for a really revelatory piece about creation, gender politics, and even comic book escapism but... will they make use of all those intersecting goldmines?

NO

• If the movie is scripted as pointedly as the trailer -- SPEAK YOUR THEMES TO ME. HAWT -- than it will probably be a dud.
• Not yet sold on Luke Evans as a leading man... though the studios keep trying to sell him. 
• Though threesomes and open marriages are underexplored onscreen, will the titillation factor here get in the way of the Wonder?
• The music in this trailer is trying WAY TOO HARD to generate drama. Calm down, sound-board guys.

MAYBE SO

• The below the line people are mostly unsung talents to date but it does have the costume designer of The Reader, Donna Maloney
• Bella Heathcote was kind-of amazing in The Neon Demon but got lost in Dark Shadows so the jury is still out.
• You hear "untold story" so much when it comes to movies and usually it's something we've heard before. But if this story is treated seriously it might really be something.
• Wait -- did people really use to burn Wonder Woman comics? Historians do tell us!
• We want to root for lgbt directors and female directors but Angela Robinson's previous films haven't exactly been the kind that inspire missionary zeal to share them. She previously made Herbie Fully Loaded and D.E.B.S.  It's possible there's a lot more to her but she hasn't had many opportunities to show it. This is our hope and prayer because we like the concept. More biopics should explore lesser known creatives. (Robinson has spent the last 12 years doing director gigs on various TV series) 

Are you a Yes No or Maybe So?

Comments

[V.]

I''m on the yes because I've read The Secret History of Wonder Woman by Jill Lepore and it's a fascinating origin (it's a must read). Even if the trailer makes the movie look not very subtle with it's themes.

[Volvagia]

Unsubtle can still be FASCINATING. Based on this? I'm a yes, and anyone saying this wouldn't be in the Oscar conversation? Yeah, no. This is going to be fairly big.

[thevoid99]

I'm going with a maybe.

[kris]

not particularly interested as biopics no longer intrigue me and Im not keen on Luke Evans for some reason. Marston was an interesting man though, so any film about him will probably have some cool bits to it.

[Ana]

Two words: REBECCA HALL. I'm totally in! Her performance in Christine was criminally undervalued and underseen. Please, at least give her another golden globe nod! 🙏

[Volvagia]

Now, speaking of Prestigewood, are you close to the updates?

[Doug]

Looks like a tv movie :(
But seems like Rebecca Hall is having fun...

PS: Please do YNMS of The Shape of Water: I love it!