“We are a fantasy but we have to live in reality. And in this world, in these lives, love does not matter.”
Professor Marston and the Wonder Women introduces us to Harvard psychologist and inventor Dr. William Moulton Marston (Luke Evans), his wife/academic partner Elizabeth (Rebecca Hall), and one of Dr. Marston’s students Olive Byrne (Bella Heathcote). After bringing in Olive as an assistant to help in their studies, most notably the precursor to the lie detector machine, the couple falls in love with Olive and welcome her into their lives as their mutual lover. Their polyamorous relationship challenges both society and themselves and inspires Dr. Marston to create the legendary superheroine, Wonder Woman.
Despite its title, this film is about taboos and shattering them with Wonder Woman’s history on the periphery. The two taboos covered are of educated women and their experiences in pre-1970s America and the sexual taboos that are still spoken about in hushed tones today. Elizabeth was relegated to being a secretary despite her brilliance and the trio was forced to lie about why they all lived together, just for being ahead of their time. The taboo led them to tough times and ostracization, both professionally and personally. Because of their lives, the trio was always at risk. This was shown most notable during a confrontation with their neighbors after one’s uninvited visit resulted in her witnessing all three having sex.
Even Elizabeth had her own taboos once presented with S&M and her feelings that submissiveness was at odds with her feminism. Elizabeth’s arc is interesting as it explores her capacity to humble herself and not always need to be in control. This part is what makes it a conventional love story as this is an essential component of love. Allowing this vulnerability to come into play.
The issue is when does it become disrespectful or gratuitous to use real life stories as springboards to explore things that weren’t present within those realities? The Marstons are a good vehicle to explore polyamory but does embellishing the extent of it in their relationship and glossing over the possible problematic nature of their relationship hurt things? I lean toward it being a problem here due to the Wild swing. There was still an interesting story to explore if they veered closer to the truth with Olive being a mistress and Elizabeth the resigned wife. Even if it did happen as shown on screen, is there a corrosiveness present due to the teacher-student dynamic?
I believe in taking films at face value, not judging them on what you think they should’ve been and what we were shown on screen was good. It’s an interesting look at how societal pressures and conventions can stifle who we are. And calls us to examine ourselves and ask just how capable we are of standing up to the outside world.
Image: Annapurna Pictures
