Golden Age of Hollywood
Marilyn Monroe, Behind the Scenes
I love this adorable photo of Marilyn Monroe behind the scenes of There’s No Business Like Show Business (1954, directed by Walter Lang). She looks so relaxed and happy – two states of being I wish she had always, always, always enjoyed.
The cast of There’s No Business Like Show Business (link to the dvd on Amazon) also included Ethel Merman, Donald O’Connor, Dan Dailey, and Mitzi Gaynor. What an outstanding cast!
Marilyn Monroe, Ladies of the Chorus
One of my most-frequented preaching stumps I climb on, in the world of Old Hollywood, is the one where I scream to the masses…. “Marilyn Monroe was a darn good actress – and not just a beautiful face and crazy great figure!”
She gave each role exactly what it required… she did her job and did it superbly. As I often say… okay, preach… she, Elvis Presley, and John Wayne often come under fire from people who just don’t get it. They did NOT have to be… or need to be… Bette Davis, Henry Fonda, or Charles Laughton. They did precisely what they were paid to do… precisely what the public wanted them to do… and did it so beautifully and so flawlessly that they not only helped make Hollywood what it is today – their names and their faces are remembered long after they’ve left us.
When people try to compare stars to one another or try to shortchange their impact or success, they rob themselves of a lot of entertainment and, frankly, give the rest of us a headache!
Okay, I’ll step down off of the preaching stump now… heck, if you’re here on a Marilyn Monroe post, you probably already know all of this. If we’re being honest, it’s not the first time I’ve preached to the choir, though.
I get very passionate about Old Hollywood and inexplicably defensive of its stars. Especially my favorites!
Ladies of the Chorus (1948) is a really fun movie and Marilyn is adorable. It was directed by Phil Karlson. The main thing you have to get past is the fact that the beautiful actress, Adele Jergens, who plays Marilyn’s mother was actually only 9 years older than her!
Look at the picture below to get an idea of how crazy this was.
When it comes to finding the dvd, I’ve learned that you’re better off buying a Marilyn Monroe movie collection (Amazon link to a Marilyn Monroe Collection that includes Ladies of the Chorus). It is almost impossible to find a single copy of the movie – at least I was unable to. A collection is a better way to go, anyway – the more Marilyn, the better!
Adele Jergens and Marilyn Monroe, Ladies of the Chorus
Marilyn Monroe, All About Eve
The beautiful picture above is a publicity still for the 1950 movie All About Eve. The film was directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, who was also the screenwriter. The all star cast included Bette Davis, Anne Baxter, George Sanders, Marilyn Monroe, Celeste Holm, Barbara Bates, Thelma Ritter, and Gary Merrill.
You can find All About Eve on DVD on Amazon or watch it on Prime.
Marilyn Monroe and Betty Grable
How to Marry a Millionaire (1953) had an all-star cast: Lauren Bacall, Marilyn Monroe, Betty Grable, and William Powell to name a few. The film certainly paid off – it’s colorful, witty, and simply a lot of fun.
Two of the best things about the movie, in my opinion, are pictured here: Marilyn Monroe and Betty Grable. While the entire cast is fantastic, these two pretty much steal the show.
You can find How to Marry a Millionaire on dvd on Amazon or watch it on Amazon Prime. If you watch is soon, tell Marilyn and Betty they’ll be seeing me again very soon. Every now and then I want nothing more than to just sit down with this movie and escape into their world for a bit.
I highly recommend it!
Marilyn Monroe
As a Marilyn Monroe fan, it always grinds my gears when she isn’t given her due. Yes, she was uncommonly beautiful and certainly deserves to be remembered as one of the great beauties of all time. However, she was so much more than just beautiful. She was very bright and exceptionally well-read.
By all indications she had a great sense of humor, too.
Like all humans, she had her faults – don’t we all?! And her faults, seemingly, led to her leaving us far too soon. I don’t want to focus on any faults she may have had or personal demons she fought (all of these beloved stars fought their own demons in their own ways).
I’d much rather spend my time celebrating her wonderful talent, brains, and beauty. Sadly, Marilyn Monroe never gave herself the credit she deserved for her acting – she seemed to have been very insecure about her talent and it all but breaks my heart. I wish she could have seen the charisma and personality she brought to each role and each film.
I can’t think of one single Marilyn Monroe film that wasn’t better simply because she was in it. As far as that goes, there were quite a few that were ONLY good because of her! She is the only reason I’d recommend anyone watch The Prince and the Showgirl (1957) and she was my favorite part of How to Marry a Millionaire. She was adorable in each of these movies, and in so many others.
Each star (whether it was John Wayne, Humphrey Bogart, or Elvis or Bette Davis, Marilyn Monroe, or Lucille Ball) was hired to play a particular type of character and to fulfill (literally) a particular type of role. When I hear people say that Elvis was “… no James Stewart” or that Marilyn was “… no Bette Davis,” I kind of want to snap, “THEY DIDN’T HAVE TO BE!” Generally, I point out to them (usually calmly… usually) that – on the other side of the coin – James Stewart was not Elvis and would have been particularly ill-suited to have starred in any of his films! For that matter, it is doubtful Bette Davis would have had the same presence Marilyn did in How to Marry a Millionaire or a few other films.
Each star should be celebrated and appreciated for who they were. Not who they weren’t.
Okay, I’m ranting now like a parrot without a cracker in sight and for this I apologize. I get very passionate about these wonderful stars. I’ve spent a lifetime respecting, appreciating, and adoring them and I get defensive for them. Heck, once I even came close to getting into an online argument over an actor I don’t even particularly like!
If you aren’t familiar with Marilyn Monroe’s films, I hope you’ll check them out. She was a wonderful actress – I only wish she had believed it.
Marilyn Monroe, Behind the Scenes of The Seven Year Itch
Marilyn Monroe is primarily remembered as a great beauty icon (and as beautiful as she was, it’s certainly understandable!). However, she was also a very good actress – better, in fact, than she ever gave herself credit for. Her roles were not the type that called for a “Greta Garbo” or “Barbara Stanwyck” performance – they called for a “Marilyn Monroe” performance and she hit it out of the park every single time.
So many people watch stars and compare them to other actors or actresses. For example, they’ll watch Elvis and say, “He’s no Henry Fonda!” or “He isn’t the actor James Stewart was!”
My answers are always the same….
No. He wasn’t Henry Fonda. He was Elvis.
No. He wasn’t the actor James Stewart was. He didn’t have to be!
I hear the same thing with John Wayne – almost weekly. But here’s the thing. Are Elvis and John Wayne as remembered today as Henry Fonda and James Stewart.
Of course they are!
Is Marilyn Monroe as remembered today as well as Greta Garbo and Barbara Stanwyck?
Certainly!
Each star had their own types of roles and their own types of screen images – they knew what the public wanted from them and (this may upset their critics, but so be it)… they gave the public what they wanted just as well as ANY star did.
Marilyn’s roles were perfect for her and she was perfect for them. I may be in the minority, here, but that doesn’t scare me in the least, so I’ll just say it – I believe she could have handled “deeper” roles that were given to other actresses. I believe that if she had been given one that she completely felt challenged by, she would have stepped up to the plate.
That’s just my opinion, but my confidence in her talent is unwavering.
Marilyn Monroe
The beautiful (and very talented) Marilyn Monroe is always a great subject for the Picture of the Day. This is from a wardrobe test for As Young as You Feel (1951).
As I always say, this actress was more than just an uncommonly beautiful face – she was very, very talented and so much fun to watch in every role she ever brought to life. She was a very fine actress and this is a hill I am willing to die on!
Marilyn Monroe
The beautiful (and very talented) Marilyn Monroe is always a great subject for the Picture of the Day! This is from a wardrobe test for As Young as You Feel (1951).
Marilyn Monroe, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
The Marilyn Monroe Gentlemen Prefer Blondes promo picture, above, pretty much takes my breath away each time I look at it. I mean, come on. It’s stunning!
As an animal lover extraordinaire, my number one reason is to protect wildlife.
Using reusable totes also cuts down on pollution and conserves resources – benefiting not only animals but all of us!
I currently use a big red Target reusable tote for Target (and other places, as well, as tacky as that may sound) and a few plain-looking Kroger totes for Kroger. Each time I grab my totes and take off for the store, I always wish I had one with one of my Old Hollywood favorite actresses and/or actors on it. I’d love few things more than taking them along for the trip.
I’ve been searching online for such totes and will blog about them here as I find them.
The first one I’ve turned up is this gorgeous Marilyn Monroe Reusable Tote. Oooh La La, what a beauty! And, it’s less than $10 on Amazon.
Click the link for more details: Marilyn Monroe Reusable Tote
I’ll write about more as I find them.
The beauty above is Silent Film star Mildred Davis. She was a frequent co-star (and longtime wife) of legendary actor Harold Lloyd. She’s one of my favorite silent film actresses and one I can’t understand not being a household name!
There’s nothing quite like watching a movie from the Golden Age of Hollywood. Whether it’s a Musical, Western, Comedy, Romance, Film Noir, or Drama – if it’s on, I’m not too far away… with popcorn and raspberry tea in hand and a couple of cats nearby.
Below are a few Old Hollywood movie reviews I’ve done on the blog. There are, as you’d imagine, a lot more to come. – Joi (“Joy”)
We’re in the Money (Joan Blondell, Glenda Farrell)
The Naked Spur (James Stewart, Janet Leigh)
The Prince and the Showgirl (Marilyn Monroe, Laurence Olivier)
The White Sister (Helen Hayes, Clark Gable)
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (Howard Keel, Jane Powell, Russ Tamblyn, Julie Newmar)
Rio Bravo (John Wayne, Dean Martin, Angie Dickinson, Ricky Nelson, Walter Brennan)
El Dorado (John Wayne, Robert Mitchum, James Caan, Charlene Holt, Michele Carey)
Rio Grande (John Wayne, Maureen O’Hara)
Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein (What is it With Me and These Movies??)
The Stooge (Jerry Lewis’ favorite Lewis and Martin Movie… for good reason.)
Critic’s Choice (Hilarious movie starring Bob Hope and Lucille Ball)
To Please a Lady (Clark Gable and Barbara Stanwyck team up in a fast track movie)
Grand Hotel (Joan Crawford, Greta Garbo, John Barrymore, Lionel Barrymore)
Hearts Divided (Marion Davies, Dick Powell)
The Quiet Man (John Wayne, Maureen O’Hara, Barry Fitzgerald)
More Old Hollywood Movie Reviews
Find out just how much I (truly) Love Lucy in the Lucille Ball category. I’m warning you, I call it an obsession for a very good reason…
Another personal absolute favorite of mine is Barbara Stanwyck. Not only was she beautiful and outrageously talented, she was exceptionally bright, charismatic, and colorful. This growing collection of Barbara Stanwyck Quotes will give you an idea of just how colorful she was!
