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Professor Marston and The Wonder Women                                  review by Drusilla Blakey

With all the hype of the latest Wonder Woman it comes as no surprise that there is yet another film focusing on the character being released. This time though instead of just being a bad rip off flick, Professor Marston & the Wonder Women takes a different approach focusing on the characters origin starring Luke Evans, Rebecca Hall, Bella Heathcote, and Connie Britton, but does it bring this engaging history to life successfully or will it fail to live up to the legacy it inspired?

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Professor Marston & the Wonder Women follows the incredible true story of what inspired Harvard psychologist Dr. William Moulton Marston to create the iconic Wonder Woman character in the 1940's. While Marston's feminist superhero was criticized by censors for her 'sexual perversity', he was keeping a secret that could have destroyed him. Marston’s muses for the Wonder Woman character were his wife Elizabeth Marston and their lover Olive Byrne, two empowered women who defied convention: working with Marston on human behavior research -- while building a hidden life with him that rivaled the greatest of superhero disguises. As a huge fan of Wonder Woman, I was immediately drawn to this movie to find out more about the character’s creator, Professor William Marston.  I had no idea that there was such an amazing and dramatic story behind the creation of one of the world’s favorite super heroes.

 

It’s interesting to note that both William and Elizabeth Marston were brilliant psychologists and professors.  I was surprised to find out that they created several things and theories that are still in use today.  Oddly enough, my company uses his personality profiling theory as part of our standard business practice. It’s based on this personality theory that he was inspired to write Wonder Woman, to be able to share his ideas with the masses.  The idea of a woman super hero was not unheard of in the 1940s.  However, to that point in time, the women heroes had not found a core audience and always quickly disappeared.  Marston’s idea was to create a new kind of woman hero that was a dominant force to be reckoned with. 

 

The interesting part of the story is that his inspiration for Wonder Woman came from his wife who was a dark-haired beauty.  She was intelligent, strong willed and passionate about education and her research.  And, the other person who the character is based on was their lover, Olive Byrne who was also a beautiful woman, that was kind, submissive and what people would classify as ‘more of a lady’ during that time period.  In Marston’s mind, the two of them together made for the perfect woman and hence, Wonder Woman was brought to life.

 

The cast gave amazing performances that were touching, moving and inspiring.  I laughed, I cried, I was angry about closed minded people; I was even talking to the screen!  Additionally, this is such a great story of love that I hope will inspire others.  All people do not live conventional lives, and amazing things can come from unconventional people with big ideas!

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This release not only includes the film, but also deleted scenes, a motion comic and featurettes that take you behind the making the film. Witness the birth of one of the most iconic characters in history when Professor Marston and the Wonder Women his available now on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.

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