The central story follows Marston and his wife’s unconventional relationship with Olive Byrne. Byrne started as a teaching assistant for the Marstons and became the third person in their marriage. The film explores the themes that became key in the Wonder Woman comics – empowered women, truth and the trio’s penchant for a bit of bondage. Oliver Pratt, who plays Max Gaines, an American comic book pioneer, is grossly underused and the most dynamic presence in the whole production, and the usually wonderful Connie Britton adds to the lazy female character roster as the schoolmarmish Director of the Child Study Association of America. Tonally, it’s off. There are moments in the film that seem a bit like a Movies4Men film that you would feel a bit awkward about watching with your nan. What they are trying to make titillating comes off as a bit creepy as Evans spends a lot of time lurking in doorways waiting to be invited to join in with his wife and mistress. Furthermore, the film hits you on the head with metaphors and then completely spells them out for you – the hospital bed constraints are like bondage ropes, and this is spelt out with a bondage montage. There’s not enough trust in the audience. If it’s toss up is between the cinema trip and the book, I would definitely recommend the book, which is multi faceted, fascinating and about far more than just these people’s untraditional relationship. But maybe it’s just not salacious enough to sell tickets. Professor Marston And The Wonder Women is in cinemas now.
