Professor Marston and the Wonder Women (4 Stars)

First of all, many thanks to my wonderful friend Cath West for recommending this film to me. I might otherwise never have gone to the cinema to see it.

Professor William Marston was the man who invented the super-hero Wonder Woman and wrote her stories for the first six years, using the pen name Charles Moulton. She wasn't the first female super-hero, but she was the first who was successful. This was attributed to two factors. She was a powerful woman, not just a damsel in distress. The early comics contained many scenes that portrayed, or at least hinted at bondage and sado-masochism practises.

Professor Marston was a Psychology professor at Harvard University. He also lectured at Radcliffe College, which was attended by only female students. Gender segregation was common at university level  in America before World War Two. His wife Elizabeth assisted him in his lectures, although she wasn't allowed to teach because she had only completed an M.A.

William was attracted to one of his students, Olivia Byrne. At first his wife was jealous of her, but then it became obvious that Olivia loved William and Elizabeth equally, so Olivia moved in with them. This was a true polyamorous relationship, something rarely practised in the 1920's. I'm not opposed to polyamory, but I object to the misuse of the term. In most cases it's used as a euphemism for being slutty. If a man has sexual desires for more than one woman, which is biologically a completely natural state of affairs, he calls himself polyamorous as an excuse. It's more common for women who have desires for several men to call themselves polyamorous. True polyamory has to be completely open, without deceit, and it has to be reciprocal among all parties. The latter condition is obvious, if you consider the consequences. Let's assume a married woman takes another man home, claiming to be polyamorous, but her husband doesn't approve. This isn't polyamory, it's selfishness. By ignoring her husband's wishes she's showing that she doesn't really love him.

In the case of William, Elizabeth and Olivia, they all loved another and slept in one bed. It wasn't just a matter of sexual desire. They all had deep feelings for one another. Elizabeth and Olivia each had two children, fathered by William. Elizabeth went to work while Olivia stayed at home to look after the children.

William invented the first lie detector, but that wasn't enough to protect him from the prejudices of his day. The university fired him because of his immoral life style. Those were dark days indeed.

The family moves to New York and William becomes a writer. His interest in feminism -- he claimed that women should rule the world -- and sadomasochism led him to invent the character Wonder Woman. In 1940 he approached DC Comics to pitch his character, and Wonder Woman's stories have been printed ever since.

From the earliest comics onwards it was clear that women are stronger than men; all women, not just Wonder Woman. This is why the stories still appeal to readers today.

"Professor Marston and the Wonder Women" is a fascinating film that I need to watch again.