It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of Marilyn Monroe, and of course, I’m not the only one. August 5th marks the 50th anniversary of the bombshell’s death at 36 years old. Monroe remains the quintessential icon of old Hollywood, held prisoner by the studio’s demands for molding her into the persona they wanted her to fill. Her hauntingly beautiful image thrives still on t-shirts, replications of her signature blonde locks walk the red carpet at premieres today, and whispered renditions of “Happy Birthday” are still sung in the style made famous when she performed for John F. Kennedy.
Why are we all so fascinated by such a troubled actress when so many have come and gone since? Well, I’m not the only one asking these questions, especially this weekend, given the articles that can be found at the Los Angeles Times, LIFE magazine, The Huffington Post, and countless others discussing the legend that goes beyond basic pop culture.
I’d like to dedicate this article to some of Marilyn’s most memorable roles. Yes, I can call her Marilyn because her status has allowed us to always associate the stage name (or screen name, in her case) with just those three syllables. Of course this list appears in no particular order, and it’s only one writer’s opinion, especially since I’m in the process of recording on my DVR the marathon of films that are airing this weekend on TCM.
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes stars Marilyn in a role that she reprised from the original Broadway musical version, which starred Carol Channing. She plays showgirl Lorelei Lee, making the song “Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend” famous in her strapless pink gown and matching pink elbow-length gloves, which received homage from Madonna, scenes in Gossip Girl, and Nicole Kidman’s character in Moulin Rouge.
In Some Like It Hot, Marilyn’s comedic timing as Sugar Kane Kowalczyk is pitch perfect against the likes of Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon, both in drag, who are musicians on the run. This movie swept the Golden Globes in 1960, earning the Best Motion Picture – Comedy award, as well as Marilyn’s first and only statue of that caliber.
The Seven Year Itch shows Marilyn at her sexiest, pushing the envelope in the legendary subway grate scene, as a halter dress-clad unnamed character, showing what she’s got to please both the studio as a sex symbol, but also rebelling against the trials of her marriage to baseball hero Joe DiMaggio. Although the pairing between Marilyn and a much older Tom Ewell is awkward, she holds her own effortlessly.
I’ve chosen The Prince and The Showgirl since it’s so topical and one of my favorite performances from Marilyn. Last year’s My Week with Marilyn showed a blonde-bobbed Michelle Williams recreating the behind-the-scenes drama during the film’s production in England back in 1957, but watching the real Marilyn spar with innocence, humor, and charm against a stiff Sir Laurence Olivier (both her costar and director) proves that she can steal the spotlight away from anyone and make silver screen magic turn gold.
Lastly and perhaps most bittersweet is The Misfits which was Marilyn’s final full-length film, opposite Gone with the Wind star Clark Gable who died ten days after wrapping production. Again, there was a mismatch in casting, but Marilyn is taken away from the glamour of evening gowns and musical numbers and put in the Nevada desert to wrangle up some horses, facing real hardships of the human condition. Of course, this performance shows Marilyn’s vulnerability, especially while her third marriage, to playwright Arthur Miller, is crumbling during filming. Yet, she is beautiful and damned, just like her character, Roslyn.
What are your favorite Marilyn Monroe memories? Which films are on your must-see list? Do you think she’s overrated and overexposed even today?
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