Marilyn Monroe | Hollywood Yesterday

Marilyn Monroe and Clark Gable, The Misfits (1961)

August 10, 2023 By Joi

Marilyn Monroe and Clark Gable, The Misfits

The Misfits (1961) was directed by one of my personal favorite directors, John Huston, and features an equally wonderful cast that includes Marilyn Monroe, Clark Gable, Montgomery Clift, Thelma Ritter, and Eli Wallach.

The compelling film is iconic for several reasons:

Clark Gable gives one of his greatest performances.
Marilyn Monroe also gives one of her finest performances.
This was Clark Gable’s last completed film. He died of a heart attack shortly after filming ended.
This was also Marilyn Monroe’s last completed film. She died a year and a year and a half later

The movie is outstanding and their performances, as well as those of Montgomery Clift and Thelma Ritter, are impeccable.

If you’ve never seen this great movie, you can buy The Misfits on dvd or Blu-ray (Amazon link) or watch on Prime Video.

Marilyn Monroe Poster (Amazon):

Marilyn Monroe Vintage Poster (Amazon link)

Marilyn Monroe and Betty Grable: On the Set of How to Marry a Millionaire

August 9, 2023 By Joi

Marilyn Monroe and Betty Grable

The popular romantic comedy How to Marry a Millionaire was directed Jean Negulesco features the type of cast any director would LOVE to have. The stars include Marilyn Monroe, Lauren Bacall, Betty Grable, Rory Calhoun, David Wayne, Cameron Mitchell, Alexander D’Arcy, Fred Clark, and William Powell.

Talk about an all-star cast!

While the entire cast is exceptional, I think Marilyn Monroe is the stand-out performance in the entire film…. which, given this cast, really says A LOT about the iconic actress.

You can find How to Marry a Millionaire (Amazon link) on dvd for your collection or watch the movie on Prime Video.

How to Marry a Millionaire Movie Poster (Amazon link)

Let’s Make it Legal: Claudette Colbert, Macdonald Carey, Marilyn Monroe, and Zachary Scott

September 1, 2022 By Joi

Macdonald Carey, Marilyn Monroe, Zachary Scott, and Claudette Colbert

Let’s Make it Legal is an underrated and rarely shown romantic comedy from 1951. The cast, alone, warrants more attention than this fun movie receives! The movie was directed by Richard Sale and the cast includes Claudette Colbert, Macdonald Carey, Marilyn Monroe, Zachary Scott, Barbara Bates, Robert Wagner, and Frank Cady.

You can find Let’s Make it Legal on dvd (Amazon link) or watch the film on Prime Video.

Marilyn Monroe, Niagara Wardrobe Test (She Passed!)

June 3, 2022 By Joi

Marilyn Monroe, Niagara

Niagara is a wonderful 1953 film-noir, beautifully directed by Henry Hathaway. The thriller stars Marilyn Monroe, Joseph Cotten, Jean Peters, and Max Showalter. While (for obvious reasons) Marilyn Monroe gets the most attention, the entire cast (and movie) are extraordinary.

The photos you see here are from wardrobe tests with Marilyn Monroe and the gorgeous clothes she wears in this film.

Marilyn must have been a dream for a wardrobe department. They knew she’d look like an absolute doll in anything!

Marilyn Monroe

You can find Niagara on dvd (Amazon link) or watch the drama on Prime Video.

Marilyn Monroe, How to Marry a Millionaire Publicity Photo

April 29, 2022 By Joi

Marilyn Monroe, How to Marry a Millionaire

I love Marilyn Monroe to distraction… not just for her beauty, brains, style, and lasting legacy to my beloved old Hollywood. Heck, none of these are even the main reason I such a huge fan of hers. I love her for her film performances first and foremost. She has a truly wonderful filmography and gave one excellent performance after the other.

People often (bizarrely) try to compare her to Barbara Stanwyck, Katharine Hepburn, Bette Davis, Lauren Bacall, and other actresses. This is such a shame because it’d be like comparing Jerry Lewis to James Cagney… different roles call for different types of actors/actresses. She (same for Jerry Lewis) gave exactly what was needed from her for each and every role.

In the same way you may not be able to see her in, say, a Bette Davis role… you could also flip it and say you couldn’t really see Bette Davis in a Marilyn Monroe role. There’s room enough in old Hollywood for all types of stars and movies would be incredibly boring if they were all the same.

Marilyn Monroe’s performance in How to Marry a Millionaire (1953, directed by Jean Negulesco) is one of my favorite performances – of hers or anyone’s for that matter. She brings the perfect amount of vulnerability, humor, and genuine lovableness (I know, spellcheck, it isn’t supposed to be a word… but I’m making it one) to the role of Pola.

The romantic comedy also stars Lauren Bacall, Betty Grable, Rory Calhoun, David Wayne, Cameron Mitchell, Alexander D’Arcy, Fred Clark, and William Powell.

Truth be told, although the entire cast is wonderful, I think she’s the stand-out performance in the entire film.

How to Marry a Millionaire Movie Poster (Amazon link)

You can find How to Marry a Millionaire (Amazon link) on dvd for your collection or watch the movie on Prime Video.

Marilyn Monroe, Behind the Scenes of The Misfits

April 6, 2022 By Joi

Marilyn Monroe

The 1961 romantic western The Misfits was directed by the wonderful John Huston and features an equally wonderful cast that includes Marilyn Monroe, Clark Gable, Montgomery Clift, Thelma Ritter, and Eli Wallach.

While the movie is memorable as one of Clark Gable’s greatest performances, as well as one of Marilyn Monroe’s, it is probably best remembered as the last completed film for either star.

Clark Gable died of a heart attack shortly after filming for the movie ended, and Monroe died a year and a half later.

The movie is outstanding and their performances are PERFECT gifts to leave the world before leaving us.

The iconic movie also stars Montgomery Clift, Thelma Ritter, Eli Wallach, Kevin McCarthy, and James Barton… all wonderful.

If you’ve never seen this great movie, you can buy The Misfits on dvd or Blu-ray (Amazon link) or watch on Prime Video.

Marilyn Monroe Poster (Amazon):

Marilyn Monroe Vintage Poster (Amazon link)

GORGEOUS Marilyn Monroe 3-Piece Wall Canvas

February 1, 2022 By Joi

I love to surround myself with things that make me smile (maybe that’s why we have 5 cats?!?), so you’ll find a lot of colorful, whimsical decorations and artwork in our home. A great deal of it is related to old Hollywood, as you’d expect.

In the den, alone, are framed photos of Marilyn, Claire Trevor, John Wayne, James Dean, and Audrey Hepburn!

I have my eye on this gorgeous Marilyn Monroe 3-Piece Canvas (Amazon link) as well. I mean… just look at it. GORGEOUS.

I love that it’s in black in white, except for her lips. It makes the entire photo really pop – plus it’s a stunning image of Marilyn… I just love everything about it.

The three piece set is framed and ready to hang, meaning your room of choice can get the makeover it deserves the minute you welcome Marilyn to your home!

Marilyn Monroe and Arthur Miller, Behind the Scenes of The Misfits

January 5, 2022 By Joi

Marilyn Monroe and Arthur Miller

There’s something about these pictures of Marilyn Monroe and Arthur Miller behind the scenes of The Misfits (1961) that’s just impossibly sweet. Miller (who was married to Marilyn from 1956 to 1961) was the screenwriter for the western.

You can buy The Misfits on dvd or Blu-ray (Amazon link). Surprisingly it isn’t on Prime Video, given the historical importance of the film (and how good it is), you’d think it would be.

Arthur Miller and Marilyn Monroe

Clark Gable and Marilyn Monroe, Behind the Scenes of the Bittersweet Film The Misfits

December 29, 2021 By Joi

Clark Gable and Marilyn Monroe

Clark Gable and Marilyn Monroe lead an outstanding cast in the WONDERFUL 1961 film The Misfits, directed by John Huston. Tragically, it would be the last completed film legends Gable or Monroe made. He died of a heart attack shortly after filming ended and she died a year and a half later.

Obviously, that’s the SAD side of the historical film. The great side is that the film happened to begin with. Marilyn Monroe had grown up idolizing Clark Gable, so the fact that she got to make a film with him really warms my heart. It’s also, in my opinion, one of her very best performances.

Add these to the fact that the movie is truly outstanding and you can see why it’s such a bittersweet film. It might just be the very definition of bittersweet.

The western also stars Montgomery Clift, Thelma Ritter, Eli Wallach, James Barton, and Kevin McCarthy.

Marilyn Monroe and Clark Gable

You can buy The Misfits on dvd or Blu-ray (Amazon link). Surprisingly it isn’t on Prime Video, given the historical importance of the film (and how good it is), you’d think it would be.

Marilyn Monroe: Publicity Photos for Clash by Night

November 12, 2021 By Joi

Marilyn Monroe

While these pictures of Marilyn Monroe wearing a bathing suit are considered publicity photos for Clash by Night (1952), they seem more like Clash by Night publicity photos for MARILYN MONROE!

Either way, they’re just what a nice crisp November day calls for.

She was so stunningly beautiful and she didn’t need any of the makeup, glamour, or glitz. The natural beauty was prominently there – as was the natural radiant glow that followed her everywhere she went.

Mind you, she was far more than just a beautiful star or famous icon, she was a very talented actress who was far more talented than even she knew.

Clash by Night was one of Marilyn’s earlier films and she was wonderful in the role. The film-noir, directed by Fritz Lang, also stars Barbara Stanwyck, Paul Douglas, and Robert Ryan.

You can find the wonderful Clash By Night on dvd (Amazon link) or watch on Amazon Prime.