BEING MARILYN MONROE (3): Music, by Alan Ewing

BEING MARILYN MONROE

Music

The music of Marilyn Monroe ties in to her films. Here the aim is to highlight a few of these numbers to highlight her finesse at both singing and musical presence. Although not a musical artist who released records as such, her musical numbers have become readily identifiable with her career ...

“I Wanna Be Loved By You”: So readily identifiable, it has become symbolic of Marilyn's singing. In the role of Sugar Kane, she remains in character, with the sadness of Sugar’s life evident in the song. The magnetism of the performance is second to none. The comic antics of Jack Lemmon and Toby Curtis being a condiment: the centre of attention is never in doubt.

“I’m Gonna File My Case”: Marilyn plays western saloon singer Kay Weston in "River Of No Return" (1954)  The musical number here a play on file a claim for gold, in which it is turned into filing a claim for a man.  The number revolves around Marilyn in a room full of men commanding the bar room. Her domination of the piano area and her ability to play off the men is completely in character with the part. 

“Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend”: From the movie "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" (1953) with Marilyn playing the part of Lorelei Lee.  For choreography then this number takes the highest height. Opening with the ballroom prelude, it then notes opera before launching into a full-blown exposition of jazz.  Again Marilyn is startling in her dress.  Again, she is able to have men surrounding her and be the focus of attention.

“My Heart Belongs To Daddy”: Choregraphy to the fore again. Marilyn wears a purple jumper, and shows, as she did many years before, that she would look good in a potato sack.  Sliding down the pole, she is the number 1 theatrical sex symbol of all time.  From "Let's Make Love (1960) with MM playing the part of Amanda Dell.

“I’m Through With Love”: Back to Sugar Kane in "Some Like It Hot" (  Again, the tragedy of a beautiful woman in need of love is played out within a comedy context. It is proof of Monroe's brilliance that she carries this off while within the comedy writing.

Alan Ewing, Cert HE, BA (Hons), MSc

BEING MARILYN MONROE (2): Acting, by Alan Ewing

BEING MARILYN MONROE

Acting

 

In surveying the acting of Marilyn Monroe the aim here is to highlight some of her main roles. Of course there was a gradual build-up beginning with cameos in films such as “All About Eve” with Bette Davies and "Love Happy" with The Marx Brothers to name but two. As with all of the blogs in this series the aim is not to give a comprehensive guide to Marilyn’s life and career, which can be found in many works and biographies, rather it is to offer a personal interpretation of her work and life and offer insights often overlooked

ROSE LOOMIS: In “Niagara” (1953) Marilyn plays a femme fatal in the act of deceiving her partner with another man. This is a departure from the comedy roles usually associated with her. Her skills as an actress come to the fore as she portrays deception and manipulation to a tee. Her wardrobe reflects this with the stiletto heels and the powerful wardrobe on show.

THE GIRL: In “The Seven Year Itch” (1955) Marilyn plays the girl upstairs who tempts the stay at home family man downstairs, whose wife and children are on summer vacation. The character is far removed from Rose Loomis though. Monroe the comedienne comes into play with underwear in the icebox during a hot summer, and then a confused tumble from a piano seat. The wardrobe is sensational, with the iconic white dress scene over an air vent.

CHERIE: A marked departure in Marilyn’s acting comes in “Bus Stop” (1956). The part of Cherie involving a southern accent, and out of tune singing. It is a skilled performance by Monroe as she gets beneath the character in her downtrodden world. Again, the accent is on comedy though in a completely different cultural way from the other movies.

SUGAR KANE Probably the most complete role of Marilyn's career. In "Some Like It Hot" (1959) Her comedienne skills are to the fore as the dizzy blonde playing with the band. She holds her own combining with the male support from Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis. It says everything that two of the funniest male roles in comedy do not overshadow her.This is Monroe parody at its finest, as she skilfully acts out the dumb blonde angle. She does it so well that many believe it really is her.

Final Works: Following intense study of method acting in New York, Marilyn had longed for more serious roles. Her husband of a time, Arthur Miller, came up with the script for “The Misfits.” (1961) The role of animal loving Roslyn Tabor was a shift in a serious direction. Perhaps too much for cinema-goers of the time, its acting performances, with Clark Gable in his last film, are now recognised as truly great. It would be Marilyn Monroe’s final completed film too. The unfinished “Something’s Got To Give” (1962) being a return to comedy, although new ground in the filming saw Marilyn playing a mother role, working with animals and children.

This overview of Marilyn's acting career shows that she could act in a variety of roles. From femme fatal Rode Loomis in "Niagara" to comedienne in "Some Like It Hot" with Sugar Kane through to a sensitive character like Rosilyn in "The Misfits." An accomplished actress who for whatever reason did not win an Oscar. Surely one of the greatest injustices of all time. That withstanding, her film works stands as testimony to the great work that she did.  Often difficult to deal with, and with many within the movie industry with pangs of jealousy, the politics of Hollywood worked against her being recognised as a truly great actress by her profession. The public would decide differently and her performances resound to this day.

Alan Ewing Cert HE, BA Hons, MSc

BEING MARILYN MONROE (1): Introduction, by Alan Ewing

BEING MARILYN MONROE: (1) Introduction

Being Marilyn Monroe

Introduction

Marilyn Monroe.  Icon. Movie star. The dizzy blonde comedienne who has gone on to become probably the most famous figure in popular culture of all time.  She has lived beyond death and has become a figure of fascination. 

Those beginnings without a proper family, with time spent in orphanages.  The harrowing tale of her childhood background.  A mother who turned insane and tried to smother her.  Alone and isolated in an adopted family. Then the early blossoming Norma Jeane, who would hang from the trees and send the boys wild.  An early marriage of convenience in order to escape the clutches of a repressive fate.  Her spirit was always so strong, so determined to overturn the odds that always seemed to be against her.   A true born survivor in a ruthless business. She has a hypnotic spirit to this very day that makes you feel as if you know her.  Her filmic presence is mesmerising, while her quotations contain great womanly wisdom…

"This life is what you make it. No matter what, you're going to mess up sometimes, it's a universal truth. But the good part is you're going to decide how you mess it up. Girls will be your friends - they'll act like it anyway. But just remember, some come, some go. The ones that stay with you through everything - they're your true friends. Don't let go of them. Also remember, sisters make the best friends in the world. As for lovers, well, they'll come and go too.  And babe, I hate to say it, most of them - actually pretty much all of them are going to break your heart, but you can't give up because if you give up, you'll never find your soul mate. You'll never find that half which makes you whole and that goes for everything. Just because you fail once, doesn't mean you're gonna fail at everything. Keep trying, hold on, and always, always, always believe in yourself, because if you don't, then who will, sweetie? So keep your head high, keep your chin up, and most importantly, keep smiling, because life's a beautiful thing and there's so much to smile about".  - Marilyn Monroe 

       

The childhood repression gave way to the repression of the film studios. The slurs on her character, the back-stabbing “friends”, and then the final scene…for me, from what I have read, this was an accidental overdose owing to over-prescribed medication.  In the modern media age the investigation would have been faced greater scrutiny: witness the Michael Jackson trial.  And yet “probable suicide” hangs like a stain on her reputation.  Perhaps one day we’ll see the inquiry that this case deserves, hopefully in this world.  Marilyn was a survivor who was let down in her final hours by those who had her welfare in their hands. There are still questions to be answered as to why she was allowed to slip away.

The final years saw Dr Ralph Greenson (her psychiatrist) take her mind into Freudian territory.  I cannot help but feel that Carl Roger’s Self-actualisation would have been a far more positive psychological model for her to follow, with its emphasis on fulfilment, rather than the Freudian regression into childhood – the last thing that MM needed.  There was a strange episode when she was tricked into being institutionalised (under another Doctor) and her evaluation of this is immense in that she realised by seeing the true insane around her, that she herself just had problems.  I relate a lot to that.  Having worked with mentally-ill people, I realised that I just have problems too!  I like to laugh with Marilyn’s spirit about that little one.

 

What remains is pure inspiration.  Whether that inspires people to be actors and actresses, or whether it gives hope that odds can be overcome in life.  Personal unhappiness, depression and loneliness can be overcome.  Marilyn showed that with generosity of heart, in giving to needy causes, in producing works of art that have uplifted millions, and most of all, by being an open and honest human being who showed her every emotion to a world that never stopped watching.   

Alan Ewing, Cert HE, BA Hons, MSc