| JANUARY 2006 MARILYN MONROE |
| REVIEWS The Asphalt Jungle - 1950 Love Nest - 1951 We're Not Married! - 1952 Don't Bother to Knock - 1952 Monkey Business - 1952 Niagara - 1953 River of No Return - 1954 The Seven Year Itch - 1955 Some Like It Hot - 1959 Let's Make Love - 1960 The Misfits - 1961 REVIEWS COMING SOON! |
Everyone knows the famous photograph of Marilyn Monroe standing over the subway vent in the
sidewalk trying to hold her legendary white dress down as those famous legs are revealed to the
world. Because of Monroe, popular culture now knows that diamonds are a girl's best friend and
gentlemen prefer blondes. However, Monroe saw herself as an artist, not a cheesecake pinup on
screen and many of her films show this latent talent that was sadly overlooked by many people then
and now.
Monroe was born Norma Jean Mortenson on June 21, 1926 in Los Angeles, California. Her mother
worked for RKO as a film cutter and her father abandoned the family before Monroe was born. Her
mother suffered mental illness and placed her daughter in an orphanage. By the age of 16, the
troubled Monroe was married to a 21-year-old plant worker. They divorced in 1946 and soon Monroe
was working in the movie business with mixed results. Her contract with 20th Century Fox was
short-lived, so she stuck with acting classes and modeling.
She bounced from studio to studio in the interim before she finally received bit parts in "The Asphalt
Jungle" and "All About Eve," which received critical acclaim and brought Monroe more positive screen
time. Her first sizeable role was in "Love Nest," and the public fell in love with her. It was in this movie
that her signature breathy voice and innocent demeanor started to emerge.
In 1952, Monroe appeared with Richard Widmark in what can be considered one of her most insidious
and complex roles as a young woman hired to babysit a rich couple's daughter. Widmark soon
discovers her deranged and almost psychotic streak underneath. Rarely would she play such roles at
the height of her career, and she was certainly known for a much different kind of character.
That very character, the ditzy and sexy blonde would manifest in "Monkey Business," the Cary Grant
and Ginger Rogers comedy from director Howard Hawks. In the film, Monroe portrays the sensual
secretary who wants a piece of Grant. That signature character was basically solidified in her next
major film, 1953's "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes." However, that same year she also managed to appear
in one of her best movies and most complex as an actress.
In director Henry Hathaway's "Niagara," Monroe played the vamping villain in a Technicolor film noir of
sweeping proportions. Married to Joseph Cotten, but cheating on him every step of the way, Monroe
is poised to abandon him at a hotel resort at Niagara Falls, but Cotten, though depressed, is sharper
than she anticipates and soon her husband is bent on ending her.
sidewalk trying to hold her legendary white dress down as those famous legs are revealed to the
world. Because of Monroe, popular culture now knows that diamonds are a girl's best friend and
gentlemen prefer blondes. However, Monroe saw herself as an artist, not a cheesecake pinup on
screen and many of her films show this latent talent that was sadly overlooked by many people then
and now.
Monroe was born Norma Jean Mortenson on June 21, 1926 in Los Angeles, California. Her mother
worked for RKO as a film cutter and her father abandoned the family before Monroe was born. Her
mother suffered mental illness and placed her daughter in an orphanage. By the age of 16, the
troubled Monroe was married to a 21-year-old plant worker. They divorced in 1946 and soon Monroe
was working in the movie business with mixed results. Her contract with 20th Century Fox was
short-lived, so she stuck with acting classes and modeling.
She bounced from studio to studio in the interim before she finally received bit parts in "The Asphalt
Jungle" and "All About Eve," which received critical acclaim and brought Monroe more positive screen
time. Her first sizeable role was in "Love Nest," and the public fell in love with her. It was in this movie
that her signature breathy voice and innocent demeanor started to emerge.
In 1952, Monroe appeared with Richard Widmark in what can be considered one of her most insidious
and complex roles as a young woman hired to babysit a rich couple's daughter. Widmark soon
discovers her deranged and almost psychotic streak underneath. Rarely would she play such roles at
the height of her career, and she was certainly known for a much different kind of character.
That very character, the ditzy and sexy blonde would manifest in "Monkey Business," the Cary Grant
and Ginger Rogers comedy from director Howard Hawks. In the film, Monroe portrays the sensual
secretary who wants a piece of Grant. That signature character was basically solidified in her next
major film, 1953's "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes." However, that same year she also managed to appear
in one of her best movies and most complex as an actress.
In director Henry Hathaway's "Niagara," Monroe played the vamping villain in a Technicolor film noir of
sweeping proportions. Married to Joseph Cotten, but cheating on him every step of the way, Monroe
is poised to abandon him at a hotel resort at Niagara Falls, but Cotten, though depressed, is sharper
than she anticipates and soon her husband is bent on ending her.
| ABOVE: Marilyn Monroe in her bit role in "Love Nest." BELOW: Marilyn as a deranged woman in "Don't Bother to Knock." |
The very next year, Monroe married famous baseball player Joe DiMaggio, coming of her hit film, "How
to Marry a Millionaire." That same year also saw Monroe in the film "There's No Business Like Show
Business," and the Western action drama, "River of No Return," an Otto Preminger directed film
starring Robert Mitchum as a farmer on the frontier who finds his homestead destroyed by Monroe's
unscrupulous boyfriend, and he and his son with Monroe in tow, must risk the dangerous rapids on the
river to catch the villain.
Monroe's marriage to DiMaggio dissolved in only a few months. In 1955 she subsequently released
what is arguably her most famous film, "The Seven Year Itch." In the film, she plays a beautiful
neighbor in the upstairs apartment, while a married man below whose family is gone on vacation, must
attempt to resist her unknowing temptations. This is the movie that created the indelible Marilyn image
of the wind from the subway blowing her white dress into the air.
By this point in her career, despite being at the apex of her popularity, Monroe became increasingly
erratic and difficult to work with, losing roles to other actresses for refusing to show up and constantly
claiming to be unable to work due to illness. 1956 would see an upswing for the blonde starlet, if just
for a little while, as she garnered critical acclaim with "Bus Stop" and married playwright Arthur Miller.
to Marry a Millionaire." That same year also saw Monroe in the film "There's No Business Like Show
Business," and the Western action drama, "River of No Return," an Otto Preminger directed film
starring Robert Mitchum as a farmer on the frontier who finds his homestead destroyed by Monroe's
unscrupulous boyfriend, and he and his son with Monroe in tow, must risk the dangerous rapids on the
river to catch the villain.
Monroe's marriage to DiMaggio dissolved in only a few months. In 1955 she subsequently released
what is arguably her most famous film, "The Seven Year Itch." In the film, she plays a beautiful
neighbor in the upstairs apartment, while a married man below whose family is gone on vacation, must
attempt to resist her unknowing temptations. This is the movie that created the indelible Marilyn image
of the wind from the subway blowing her white dress into the air.
By this point in her career, despite being at the apex of her popularity, Monroe became increasingly
erratic and difficult to work with, losing roles to other actresses for refusing to show up and constantly
claiming to be unable to work due to illness. 1956 would see an upswing for the blonde starlet, if just
for a little while, as she garnered critical acclaim with "Bus Stop" and married playwright Arthur Miller.
| Monroe plays a sultry temptress in "Niagara." |
Monroe took the year off in 1958 and in 1959 she returned for one turn, but what a
turn it was as the object of desire for two men who are on the run from the mob and
must hide themselves as women in a traveling band. The movie was "Some Like It
Hot," and it has gone down in history not only as one of Monroe's most famous
movies and biggest hits, but also has been voted the number one comedy of all
time by the American Film Institute.
Her marriage to Miller was deteriorating rapidly and allegedly she was increasingly
dependent on drugs during this time in her life. During the production, she couldn't
remember her lines and was often unreliable, as was usual for her during this time.
In 1960, she started seeing a psychotherapist, who prescribed additional drugs.
That same year, she made "Let's Make Love," a musical that was panned.
turn it was as the object of desire for two men who are on the run from the mob and
must hide themselves as women in a traveling band. The movie was "Some Like It
Hot," and it has gone down in history not only as one of Monroe's most famous
movies and biggest hits, but also has been voted the number one comedy of all
time by the American Film Institute.
Her marriage to Miller was deteriorating rapidly and allegedly she was increasingly
dependent on drugs during this time in her life. During the production, she couldn't
remember her lines and was often unreliable, as was usual for her during this time.
In 1960, she started seeing a psychotherapist, who prescribed additional drugs.
That same year, she made "Let's Make Love," a musical that was panned.
| Monroe and Robert Mitchum in "River of No Return." |
In 1961, filming on Monroe's last movie, "The Misfits," began. She costarred with screen legend Clark
Gable in a script written by her all but ex-husband Miller. By this point, Monroe was in the throes of
drug addiction. The production was plagued with problems, not the least of which was director John
Huston's gambling problem, but Monroe was no help, often being made up for each day's shooting
while still in bed. Gable died the day after production wrapped on the film and until her death soon
after, Monroe blamed herself for his passing, saying she made him wait too long every day of the
production.
Monroe divorced Miller in early 1961. During this turbulent year it was rumored that she had started a
love affair with President John F. Kennedy. She started work on her last movie, "Something's Got to
Give," in 1962, but the film was never completed as Fox pulled the plug on it due to constant
production delays due to Monroe. Although she was making plans to remarry DiMaggio, Monroe was
found dead in her home three days before their scheduled wedding on August 5, 1962 of a suspected
drug overdose. Her legacy has never faded, possibly because she never did grow old to the public.
Gable in a script written by her all but ex-husband Miller. By this point, Monroe was in the throes of
drug addiction. The production was plagued with problems, not the least of which was director John
Huston's gambling problem, but Monroe was no help, often being made up for each day's shooting
while still in bed. Gable died the day after production wrapped on the film and until her death soon
after, Monroe blamed herself for his passing, saying she made him wait too long every day of the
production.
Monroe divorced Miller in early 1961. During this turbulent year it was rumored that she had started a
love affair with President John F. Kennedy. She started work on her last movie, "Something's Got to
Give," in 1962, but the film was never completed as Fox pulled the plug on it due to constant
production delays due to Monroe. Although she was making plans to remarry DiMaggio, Monroe was
found dead in her home three days before their scheduled wedding on August 5, 1962 of a suspected
drug overdose. Her legacy has never faded, possibly because she never did grow old to the public.
| Monroe tries to help Tony Curtis in "Some Like It Hot." |
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