My Week with Marilyn purports to tell the story of a brief but intense friendship between third assistant director Colin Clark and Marilyn Monroe when they were making The Prince and the Showgirl in August–September 1956. Much discussed at the time was that co-starring and directing Showgirl was Laurence Olivier, then regarded as one of the finest classical actors in the world. Only the year before he had scored an immense critical and popular success with his film version of Richard III—far removed from the world of musicals and light comedy where had Monroe made her name. My Week with…