Marilyn, Marilyn, Marilyn

Marilyn Monroe in the movie The Seven Year Itch

--> Although it has been 51 years since her death, Marilyn Monroe remains one of the most iconic movie stars to date. Everyone recognizes her platinum blonde hair and her curvaceous body. In fact a film about her came out in 2012 titled My Week With Marilyn, starring Michelle Williams which highlighted a brief time of her life. Audiences ran to the theater eager to get a glimpse on the fascinating star's life.

 There remains as much fascination today as there was while she was alive. Maybe even more. College students still put posters of her up on their walls. She has 118,573 followers on twitter and Macy’s is even introducing a Marilyn Monroe clothing line. The same cannot be said of any other star of that time.

For an actress who was in Hollywood for a fairly short time, she only starred in 14 movies between 1952 and 1961, it is interesting that she remains such a vibrant icon even after her untimely death. The big question is why? Why does Marilyn Monroe stand out among all the other Hollywood stars of the 20^th century?

Many would argue that Monroe’s image is just that…an image. Born with the name Norma Jean Mortensen, she had brown hair and a troubled life. She spent her childhood going back and forth between foster homes because her mother was mentally unstable.

After being discovered by a photographer, Norma Jean began modeling and found herself on the cover of magazines throughout the country. It is at this time, when she was becoming a star, that she changed her name, died her hair platinum blonde and started making movies.

Monroe started out making films that failed. In fact, many did not believe she was talented enough to make it, but believed her beauty was enough. Her first noteworthy film was Don’t Bother to Knock, in which she ironically played a mentally unstable woman. Her most famous films include Gentleman Prefer Blondes, How to Marry a Millionaire, The Seven Year Itch, Bus Stop and Some Like it Hot. 

One thing that all of these films have in common is not that Marilyn plays the part of a dumb blonde. Rather they all share the whim and energy that Marilyn manages to bring to the screen.

As Bosley Crowtherof the New York Times says of the film Gentleman Prefer Blondes
"There is that about Miss Monroe that keeps you looking at her even when she has little or nothing to do. Call it inherent magnetism. Call it luxurious coquetry. Call it whatever you fancy."

In my opinion, the same can be said for all the other movies mentioned.

Here is what I would like to know. Have Monroe fans today actually watched these movies, or are they fans simply because of the sensation surrounding her?

She became a star virtually over night, she married Joe Dimaggio, and then Arthur Miller. She had an affair with President John F. Kennedy and was investigated multiple times by the FBI. If this is not enough to make her a subject of interest then I don’t know what is. But still, this was decades ago. Why is she still so infatuating today?

This is what I think. Most fans today have not seen her movies. Nevertheless Marilyn Monroe was the first big sex symbol in Hollywood. There was no one like her. She brought something to the screen that made people wonder about the girl behind the breathy voice and curvy body. There was a vulnerability to her that caused people to become interested in who she really was. Since she died at the young age of 36, the image of her as a beautiful, young actress has not been tampered with. We never saw her age, or become anything less than what she appeared to be.

That image of a young, vibrant woman is etched into everyone’s memories, whether or not they have seen her movies or not.