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As the 2012 Oscar nominated movies continue to come out on DVD, we've been slowly ticking them off our list. My Week with Marilyn (2011) was nominated for two: Best Actress (Michelle Williams as Marilyn Monroe) and Best Supporting Actor (Kenneth Branagh as Sir Laurence Olivier). Performances by other cast members were notable as well, namely Eddie Redmayne as Colin Clark and Judi Dench as Dame Sybil.
The movie captures the (true) story of the filming of the movie The Prince and the Showgirl (1957) in London. Colin Clark (played by Eddie Redmayne) is a "third" on the set, basically a go-fer, and is able to develop a bit of a relationship with Marilyn. Clark's real-life book, The Prince, the Showgirl, and Me was the inspiration for the film.
Just for comparison's sake, here's a side-by-side of a promo shot for the 1957 film and Michelle's Marilyn for this movie, 54 years later.
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| images found on imdb.com |
While Michelle Williams didn't initially look like Marilyn, she definitely made us believers by the end of the movie. The dynamics between Sir Laurence and Marilyn on set were fascinating, as he was an established actor grasping for movie fame and she desperately wanted to be a good actor, even though she'd already reached the height of stardom for her prior movie roles. At one point, Sir Laurence, exasperated, proclaims, "Trying to teach Marilyn to act is like teaching Urdu to a badger!" Her demeanor was childlike and she seemed distracted and terrified to be on set, which surprised me.
Movie Rating
Plot: 4.25
Cinematography: 4
Acting: 4
Average: 4.1
Dinner was a bit of a stretch this week as far as relevance goes, but being the nerd I am, wordplay always works! These were deliciously decadent and the aioli just may have stolen the show—if for nothing more, bookmark this recipe for the sauce alone, which would be amazing on any seafood or as a dipping sauce for asparagus fries?
Serves 4
Slightly adapted from this recipe
INGREDIENTS
For the crab cakes:
1 lb. Maryland lump crab meat
1/2 cup fine dry bread crumbs
4 scallions, white and green part, thinly sliced
2 TB chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tsp Old Bay seasoning
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, or to taste
1/2 tsp sriracha, or to taste
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup olive oil
1 lemon, cut into wedges
For the lemon aioli:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 TB heavy cream
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 TB prepared horseradish
1 minced garlic clove (we omitted)
1/2–1 tsp dried thyme
DIRECTIONS
Pick over crab meat to remove any cartilage or shell. Place in a large bowl and add bread crumbs, scallions, parsley, Old Bay, Worcestershire, and sriracha. Toss with a fork to combine. Fold in mayonnaise. Taste, adding more seasonings as desired. Add the beaten egg and blend just until the mixture holds together. Gently shape into 4 large, round crab cakes. Can be prepared ahead, refrigerate between sheets of waxed paper up to 2 hours.
Meanwhile, make the aioli by stirring together the 1/2 cup of mayonnaise, heavy cream, lemon zest and juice, horseradish, garlic, and thyme in a small bowl.
To cook, combine butter and oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. When fat is hot and combined, gently slide crab cakes into the pan and fry 4 minutes on each side, until the outside is crisp and browned.
Serve hot with lemon aioli and fresh lemon wedges, adding a side salad to complete the meal.
Dinner Rating
Movie Relevance: 3.5
Presentation: 4
Taste: 4
Average: 3.8
The movie features champagne, whiskey, and a mention of how good Arthur Miller's (Marilyn's husband at the time) dad's matzo ball soup is.
