Marilyn Monroe was one of the most famous and recognisable female stars in history. Her iconic looks, film roles and public persona made her a sex symbol for decades to come. But behind the camera, she was a dedicated actress who helped define the modern screen beauty standard.
The story of Marilyn Monroe has been told many times over the years; however, The Life and Times of an Icon offers an engaging new perspective on one of Hollywood’s most beloved legends. Author Martha Ethridge traces Monroe’s life from her childhood in an alcoholic family to her tumultuous relationship with Arthur Miller and death from paparazzi exposure. This is a fascinating account that places Monroe at the centre of a wide range of social issues including race woman, celebrity, sexuality and feminism in the 1950s.
The Life and Times of an Icon
Although famous for playing roles that were often strong-willed and sophisticated women, Marilyn Monroe was also known for being very public about her private life. She was famously known as a wild party girl who, at times, drank too much. While her public persona was that of a sophisticated icon, Monroe was actually a very private person who often kept her feelings to herself. The public’s perception of Monroe changed during the height of her fame in the 1950s, when a series of out-of-wedlock pregnancies, drug use, and a series of brushes with the law led to her becoming synonymous with “Wild, Wicked and Wasted!” Marilyn was not immune to the temptations of classic Hollywood, however. In fact, her affair with gossip columnist Louella Parsons, her subsequent marriage to playwright Arthur Miller, and her subsequent pregnancy all demonstrate that her movie star persona was but a facade.
Marilyn Monroe – The Movie Star Explained
Marilyn’s early career was spent primarily in films. She appeared in more than 150 films during her lifetime, and her screen image was shaped by her roles in films such as Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (anselled “The Blondes”) and Of Mice and Men. Monroe played three different characters in those films, but her most famous was “ Marilyn Monroe,” a grasping and self-centered heiress who leads a wild and superficial life. Although Monroe’s films often featured her as the lead, other actors also played her parts, including Hedy Lamarr in Some Like It Hot, Clark Gable in Bachelor’s Barn and Humphrey Bogart in The Misfits.
The Making of a Classic: ‘Some Like It Hot’
Marilyn and Arthur Miller, whose play The Misfits was the basis for the 1956 film of the same name, were frequent collaborators. Miller wrote the screenplay for The Misfits, which starred Monroe as Marilyn Monroe, and he also wrote the music for the film. The Misfits is often remembered for the song “Some Like It Hot” and the screen test for the song that shortly preceded the movie’s premiere. The song was co-written by Marilyn and composer Alex North, and it was originally performed by the Doris Day Singers. The lyrics were based on a $100 bill that Monroe received from a fan as a gift. The test scene in The Misfits featured Marilyn smoking a cigarette as she forges ahead with her career. Before it was filmed, Monroe was advised by her doctor not to smoke, as it could lead to lung cancer.
Diving into the Digital Age: ‘On Screen Sex’
Marilyn’s famous public image was partly shaped by her association with the media and Hollywood’s idealized notion of sex, which was based on the idea of two people in a romantic relationship. Many of the images we have of Monroe, therefore, are based on how she appears in the media and what they represent: as a curvaceous, coquettish temptress, a wanton seductress or a sexually experienced, sexually confident woman. However, in reality, Monroe was not only a beautiful woman but also a keen photographer, a gifted actor and a prime example of a polyamorous relationship.
The Dark Side of Marilyn: ‘The Devil in My Underwear’
Marilyn’s private life has been the source of much speculation and myth. A large number of accusations have been laid against Monroe, many of which have been widely discredited. The most commonly reported allegation is that Monroe was a witch, though there is no evidence to suggest that this is true. Many of the other rumours about Monroe, such as being a lesbian, being a lesbian who preferred men to women, being a bisexual who preferred men to women and having an extra-marital affair with Liberace, are just plain false. The most popular conspiracy theory about Monroe is that she was the victim of a homosexual assassination attempt. The evidence for this is non-existent and the agenda to smear Monroe as a witch has been promoted by true believers in the cause of the anti-monarchist “War on Drugs.”
Other Notablefeminists:- Betty Friedan, Ann Richards and Gloria Steinem
Gloria Steinem, the co-founder of the feminist magazine Ms., said of Monroe, “she was a shining light in the darkness.” And Betty Friedan, the author of The Feminine Mystique and a vocal feminist for decades, said of Monroe, “She was a great artist, a great friend, a great actress, and a wonderful model. And she was a great sex symbol.” Steinem, alongside other feminist leaders, also pointed out that during the early 1950s, there was an upsurge in violence against women. “Marilyn Monroe was a brave, brave woman, and she spoke out against the violence that was being visited on women. She was a true survivor. If there was an assassination attempt, it was made by the media,” Steinem said.
The Importance of Being QUIET: Marilyn on Silence and Her Last Interview
Marilyn Monroe’s success and popularity as a pop cultural icon were built on a foundation of silence. She was one of the first celebrities to speak out about her experiences with mental illness and the stigma that surrounded it. In an interview with the American Magazine in 1953, Monroe said, “There are a lot of things that people don’t know about me that I don’t know about myself.” Monroe went on to say that she feared being misunderstood and that silence enabled her to “survive and function.” During her lifetime, many believed that the reason for Monroe’s success was due to her sexuality. The smears and rumors that she was a “witch,” “lesbian,” or “homosexual” have long been forgotten, however, and the public now knows the real story behind one of cinema’s most celebrated actors.
