My Week with Marilyn

At the age of 23, the author served as a gofer on the set of the movie THE PRINCE AND THE SHOWGIRL, filmed in London in 1956 and starring the much-lauded Laurence Olivier and the highly medicated Marilyn Monroe. Clear, crisp, and British-born, Simon Prebble provides a sincere and authoritative tone and also offers an occasional offhand breathy vocal characterization of Monroe. This is soon to be a motion picture with high-profile leading actors; the story, built from the late Clark's diaries, seems more than a bit inflated and bombastic, seemingly recalling memories in a highly creative way. Nonetheless, there are insights into the private moments of Monroe and her marriage to writer Arthur Miller. This is a sympathetic story--but hardly enlightening. Without any explanation, the audiobook contains two works written by Clark: THE PRINCE, THE SHOWGIRL, AND ME as well as MY WEEK WITH MARILYN. The combination makes matters confusing and in parts repetitive. Superb narration elevates an otherwise routine effort. W.A.G. (c) AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine