Marilyn Monroe and Rita Hayworth (just to name two) are actresses that are so famous for their beauty that their talent often goes uncelebrated. As a huge fan of each, that drives me nuts. They were as talented as they were beautiful and… maybe, just maybe… if they had been just a little less shiny and stunning, this would be a fact more would realize.
It is what it is, however. I guess there are worse things than being remembered for your beauty!
“In Hollywood a girl’s virtue is much less important than her hairdo. You’re judged by how you look, not by what you are. Hollywood’s a place where they’ll pay you a thousand dollars for kiss, and fifty cents for your soul. I know, because I turned down the first offer often enough and held out for the fifty.” – Marilyn Monroe
I am glad that Marilyn’s intelligence is garnering more and more attention. She was a very, very bright woman and the fact that people are realizing that makes me smile a big toothy smile.
If you’ve never seen Marilyn Monroe in How to Marry a Millionaire (as the adorable Pola Debevoise), I hope you’ll check it out as soon as possible. While Lauren Bacall and Betty Grable are two of the best actresses from Old Hollywood (and certainly two of my favorites), Marilyn steals the show right out from under them. Her portrayal of Pola is just perfect and she’s one of the main reasons the movie is as enjoyable as it is.
Marilyn Monroe, How to Marry a Millionaire
Marilyn is equally mesmerizing in The Prince and the Showgirl – but I would only recommend watching that particular movie if you fast forward through everything that isn’t a Marilyn Monroe scene! Seriously, I detest that movie so much it isn’t even funny. Marilyn? Adorable. But Laurence Olivier somehow manages to turn in a ridiculously horrible (cringe-worthy, if we’re being honest) performance as The Regent. I understand trying to play the role “high brow,” but his character was more dead than alive! Wonderful actor – at times stunningly so – but this movie is not his best performance. Whether he was having personal problems, hated his co-star, or simply didn’t like the movie – I have no idea (of course, professionalism should be able to rise above any of these distractions).
“I’m not interested in money, I just want to be wonderful.” – Marilyn Monroe
At any rate, she steals the movie – as she is so apt to do.
I adore the actress and the more I read about her, the more I realize that she battled a lot of things in life but none quite like she battled herself. In the end, she lost to herself, and that’s a tragedy that I can’t fully comprehend.
I’ve often read about the many stars who weren’t kind to Marilyn but (as a HUGE Barbara Stanwyck fan) I love the fact that one of the few names she singled out as being sweet to her was Barbara Stanwyck. I believe that says a lot about Ms Stanwyck.
However, it also says a lot about Marilyn Monroe. Barbara Stanwyck had a keen eye for talent and for people who were worth her time. She didn’t suffer fools well (I guess none of us really do, do we?!), and the fact that she saw something in Marilyn that made her want to extend herself is actually quite a complement.
If you aren’t familiar with Marilyn Monroe’s movies, I hope you’ll start enjoying them one at a time. Yes… even that one!
“I used to say to myself, ‘What the devil have you got to be proud about, Marilyn Monroe?’ And I’d answer, ‘Everything, everything’.” – Marilyn Monroe