Dame Edith Sitwell said she was aware that Marilyn seemed lost and without any real friends, while actor and admirer Clifton Webb was left heartbroken. “I was deeply, deeply fond of her,” he said. “I am so shocked. People should have been more tolerant of her.” Perhaps the most surprising of all the comments came from Laurence Olivier. Forgetting the disastrous relationship for a while, he blamed Hollywood for Marilyn’s final undoing, and added, “She was difficult to work with, but she could be incredibly sweet, most tenderly appealing, and very, very witty.”
Ex-husband Arthur Miller decided not to go to the funeral, but gave his thoughts to reporter Robin Stafford. “It was a tremendous shock to me,” he said. “But I still maintain it was not deliberate,” adding that it would not be like her “to do the other thing.” In a letter to Joshua Logan, he reiterated that he believed the death to be an accident, but told the director that she had always lived close to death. This was also felt by Susan Strasberg, who later wrote that Marilyn saw death as a friend and she was not afraid of it.
From the patio of the Connecticut home he had once shared with Marilyn, Miller told reporter John Gold: “If she was simple it would have been easy to help her. One must have humility and respect for the mysteries of life. She could have made it with a little luck. She needed a blessing.”
Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn’s half-sister, Berniece, were on hand to organize the funeral and make sure that Marilyn was remembered in a positive way. In that regard, only a handful of friends and colleagues were invited to the service, where Lee Strasberg spoke about Marilyn’s tremendous love for acting and his belief that she could have become a great theater actress. No fans were invited, but a statement was released by Marilyn’s agency, advising how they could best remember the star. Instead of flowers, the agency suggested donations should be made to the Los Angeles Orthopedic Foundation or a children’s hospital.
Since Marilyn had such an affinity with children, this suggestion seemed completely in keeping with how she would want to be remembered. That was fifty-five years ago, and yet her legacy still helps children around the world today. Hollygrove—the children’s home where Marilyn lived for a while as a child—continues to this day. Kathleen Felesina, director of fund development there, shared a few words on how Marilyn’s life and legacy have helped and inspired everyone who is associated with the center:
The spirit of Marilyn/Norma Jeane is felt in everything we do here at Hollygrove. Even though we are no longer an orphanage as when she lived here, her legacy lives on in the hundreds of children we serve each year who, like her, have suffered abuse, neglect, or mental health struggles. We like to think that Norma Jeane would have enjoyed our unique therapeutic programs that provide help and hope to our community’s children, such as art therapy in our therapeutic summer camp or the mini-plays we put on in our after-school program to help build skills and confidence. Or, perhaps she would have really benefitted from our Family Search and Engagement program that helps reunite our children with healthy, positive family members they’ve lost touch with.
However, Marilyn/Norma Jeane’s spirit lives on in other ways: we are so fortunate that those who resonate with Marilyn continue to hold a special place in their hearts for the children of Hollygrove. We receive donations in her honor on a continual basis, especially around her birthday and the anniversary of her death. In August 2017, the Marilyn Remembered fan club held a reception at Hollygrove to commemorate the fifty-fifth anniversary of her passing. But perhaps the most significant indication of the impact Marilyn/Norma Jeane still has on Hollygrove is the fact that our annual fundraiser is called the “Norma Jean [sic] Gala” and has become one of the go-to events in Hollywood each year. In Marilyn’s spirit, the gala celebrates our impact as being part of one of the largest, most comprehensive behavioral and mental health agencies in California, Uplift Family Services.
Thanks to money left to psychiatrist Marianne Kris, Marilyn’s legacy also helps children in the United Kingdom. “The Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families benefited greatly from a bequest from a beneficiary of Marilyn Monroe’s estate,” said Peter Fonagy, chief executive of the Centre. “It enabled us to expand our work and to build our worldwide reputation as leading researchers and practitioners in child mental health and to improve mental health for children in Britain and beyond today.”
IN 1963, LEE AND Paula Strasberg announced that people from all over the world had written to ask if there was some way of honoring Marilyn and her work at the Actors Studio. After much thought, they believed that money should be raised so that the studio could build an extension for her, and help young actors in her name. In documentation to support the cause, it was revealed that Marilyn had two major interests: helping young people to deal with their problems, and theatrical techniques that would help her become a better actress. Happily, two Marilyn Monroe Theatres now exist, in New York and Los Angeles. Both are part of the Lee Strasberg Theater and Film Institute and are a permanent reminder of Marilyn’s existence in an industry she felt so proud to be part of.
THANKS TO THE MODERN women’s movement during the 1960s, the lives of women gradually began to evolve for the better. New wives were no longer expected to give up work to take care of the household, and many returned to employment after having children. However, even today society still has a long way to go, and sexism and ageism are rife in many quarters. While women now have more of the same rights as men, their salaries and levels of respect are often not on a matching scale at all.
In Hollywood, sexual harassment of young women became a hot topic again with allegations against studio executive Harvey Weinstein coming to light in October 2017. The debate about the lack of serious and fantastic female roles rages on, and the majority of directors and producers are still men. Equality has moved forward to the point where an actress is no longer mocked for starting a film company, but to find a powerful female producer or director is still a fairly rare occurrence. Since the Academy Awards began in 1929, only four women have ever been nominated for Best Director. Of those, only one, Kathryn Bigelow, has won, for her direction of 2008’s The Hurt Locker. In 2015, Oscar-winning actress Nicole Kidman gave her opinion that female directors were not being given the chance to build their careers and become great in their field. In short, women in Hollywood are still fighting for much the same opportunities that Marilyn did, over sixty years later.
MARILYN MONROE HAS BEEN given many labels, both during her life and after. Probably the two most insulting are that she was a dumb blonde and a victim. She was neither. The characters she played on-screen were often harebrained and made people laugh, but that did not mean that the real-life woman was dumb. She lost some battles and her ending was tragic and devastating, but that does not make her a victim. On the contrary, her determination to fight in such a male-oriented and hostile industry makes her one of the bravest women of her generation.
Mental health is a topic that is still frequently dealt with behind closed doors, and the knowledge that Marilyn felt deep despair at times often makes people uncomfortable. Agreeing with the official verdict of probable suicide is seen as greatly disrespectful by some, though perhaps it is more discourteous to believe the conspiracy theories of murder. It is vital to accept that Marilyn did have issues, and to look at them in a way that can provoke discussion and help spread the word about mental health is of paramount importance. Knowing that Marilyn suffered too may help those struggling with problems of their own, and she would have been terrifically proud of that.
THE TRAVILLA-DESIGNED DRESS THAT Marilyn made famous in The Seven Year Itch continues to intrigue people today. Numerous actresses have worn replicas of it, including Anna Nicole Smith and Madonna, and every time a celebrity is caught in a gust of wind, the media automatically dubs it their “Marilyn Monroe moment.”
In 2011, the costume was immortalized in a twenty-six-foot statue that toured the world. Photographs showing passersby sheltering under the skirt during a Chicago rainstorm
went viral, before the statue then moved on to Palm Springs and even Australia. The original dress caused a media frenzy when it was sold by actress Debbie Reynolds at auction in June 2011. The winning bid was by a private collector, who paid a whopping $5.6 million, including commission. Since then it has been seen only once—in an October 2012 exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.
More than sixty years after Marilyn stepped onto a New York City grate, the scene and the costume remain just as iconic. “Clients usually ask for the white dress for functions,” explains Monroe tribute artist Suzie Kennedy. “It has become as universally known as the Elvis jumpsuit and it doesn’t matter who wears it, everyone knows the dress is supposed to be Marilyn’s.”
Willem Dafoe proved this to be true in 2016 when he wore a replica during a commercial for Snickers chocolate bars. The advertisement starts with a bored Dafoe shooting the famous skirt-blowing scene. As the electric fan lifts the dress high into the air, Dafoe fights with the material and angrily shouts about the absurdity of the situation. The director complains about the attitude of “Miss Monroe.” A member of the crew hands over a Snickers bar, and suddenly Dafoe is transformed into the real Marilyn, with her skirt flying up and a beaming smile on her face.
THE MARILYN MONROE SEEN in manipulated images, fake stories, and false quotes is not the person who really existed. The icon of T-shirts and coffee mugs, key rings and statues, is just that—an icon, a legendary figure who really has no bearing on the human being at all. By allowing ourselves to see only the legend, we reduce Marilyn to merely a character—somebody who has no more bearing on real life than Betty Boop or Mickey Mouse.
The fake quotes that have appeared in recent years read like lines from a bad self-help book, and comparing them to subjects Marilyn actually spoke about shows them to be even more ludicrous. Out goes the human being who loved literature and music, and in comes a character even fluffier than the ones she played on-screen. The real woman is still out there—she can be found in interviews and photographs that have existed for the past seventy years—and yet some still prefer the fake, dumb blonde who gives girls advice on shoes and sparkle. Perhaps the real woman—the woman of poetry, politics, and playwrights—is too much to handle. Maybe she was always too much and the fake version fits a certain mold that people are more accepting of.
By humanizing Marilyn, we are each given a lesson in empathy. Realizing that she was a person made of flesh and bone hopefully forces even the staunchest of detractors to see Marilyn in a more sensitive and caring light. For a woman who fought her entire life to be recognized as an intelligent, functioning human being, the least we can do is understand that while she often played ditzy women on-screen, the opposite was true in real life.
In 1954, after making The Seven Year Itch and creating the image that made her an immortal, Marilyn Monroe reached the unprecedented decision to walk away from her Hollywood career. Through taking on the industry and winning the right to work in her own way, she contributed to the ultimate breakdown of the studio system, therefore impacting the course of history. In turn, this helped push forward the women’s movement. Her strength, determination, and fight inspired women, men, and businesses the world over, and continue to do so to this day.
EPILOGUE
Passing the Torch
THEY SAY THAT WHEN a butterfly flaps its wings in New Mexico, it can cause a chain of events that lead to a hurricane in China. This philosophy is true in the case of Marilyn Monroe. Her fights, struggles, and successes have helped thousands of women to find their truth and live their dreams. Here then are just a few whose lives have been changed because of her existence:
Suzie Kennedy, actress and Marilyn Monroe tribute artist: “Marilyn had many sides that women can relate to. She inspires me, as she shows that I can use my femininity as a strength, not a weakness. To be strong and succeed while being who I am is important.”
Tara Hanks, author: “Marilyn Monroe inspires me firstly because of her talent. I could watch her movies forever, and she was a genius before the camera. Secondly, despite little formal education, she was intelligent and cultured, always eager to learn. And thirdly, she had great warmth and integrity. I’ve been a fan for most of my life, and she has been a huge part of my work as a writer. The Mmm Girl, my novel about Marilyn’s life, was published in 2007, and since 2010 I’ve been posting Monroe-related news and reviews on the Everlasting Star blog. The constant rumors about her love affairs and her death are less interesting to me, as I believe they’re mostly exaggerated, but nonetheless I want to give people a true picture of Marilyn and to respect her humanity, because so many young fans still idolize her. Although her life ended too soon, I’m in awe at the many obstacles Marilyn overcame—from childhood trauma to the pressures of her career and relationships, and of course, her struggles with addiction and depression. Marilyn Monroe was a remarkably brave woman who never lost her humility. Her path wasn’t an easy one, but she had true grit. My only regret is that she never knew lasting happiness, because what she gave us is immeasurable.”
Daisy Morgan, student and aspiring author: “I am thirteen years old and think that Marilyn Monroe is a good influence for my generation because she fought for the rights of women and spoke out against misogyny. She also supported those who were different or had less power than herself. Her achievements have shown me that there is always a chance to have success in my life.”
Andrea Pryke, book reviewer and vlogger: “Ever since I was a little girl, I have been aware of Marilyn. Everything about her was elegant: her face, her clothes, her deportment. She inspired me to embrace my femininity, not reject it. Then I watched her films and was inspired by her talent…. Marilyn motivated me to love all films and theater, not just the heavy classics but the fun as well. As I grew older and read more about her I was encouraged by her strength and her determination. She taught me to try things that other people would be afraid of and because of her I went to drama school and studied musical theater, acting, and I wrote and performed a monologue based on Marilyn’s last 1962 interview. Most of all, her strength has helped me to realize that life isn’t always clear, that we are all human beings, wonderful and imperfect. She has helped me through the darkest times of my life and is a shining example to all of us of how life should be lived: with the determination to be the best that we can be.”
Susan Griffiths, actress and Marilyn Monroe tribute artist: “Marilyn changed my life completely. Having no idea of her, then being told I resembled her, set into motion a life-changing experience. She has been the biggest influence in my life and has led to my thirty-five-year career. As far as a role model, she had many problems, challenges, setbacks, and some would say she should not be admired because of them, but I think she should. Marilyn gives women hope that with all she faced, she still rose to the top. Sadly in the end it was too much, but she fought the good fight her whole life. It has been an honor and extreme privilege to portray her.”
Emma Watson, actress: “I think [Marilyn] was just trying to find her feet in the midst of this kind of crazy circus that went on around her, and trying to find some sort of balance and some sort of normality in her life, and I can definitely relate to that.”
Michelle Williams, actress: “I have always been drawn to Marilyn, but that doesn’t make me special in any way. She has that magnetism and that draw for so many people, so I read about her when I was young, devouring biographies. I’m most interested in her life before she became Marilyn. For me, the interest wasn’t so much in this larger-than-life personality.”
Gloria Steinem, author and feminist icon: “What makes her so riveting for women especially since the advent of the modern women’s movement, is that we wonder if we could not have saved her by making a place where she could tell everything. Because that’s what we have done for each other.”
Linda Kerridge, actress: “I discovered Marilyn as a teenager after reading Marilyn by Norman Mailer. I identified with her immediately and wanted to be her! I
had no identity at that point, having survived physical, emotional, and sexual abuse as a child and I had completely lost myself. In Marilyn I saw that it was okay to feel sad and vulnerable and still be worthy of love. She embodied such beauty of soul, spirit, and femininity and she became my beacon of light and role model until I walked my own path and learned how to accept who I was. I still loved her but in a more balanced way. I stopped trying to be her. That was just the folly of a sad young girl. Besides there will only ever be one Marilyn. She was unique, original, and magical.”
This photograph is a perfect example of how Marilyn felt during the early 1950s: glamorous, but bored with how her career was progressing. Courtesy Photofest.
Marilyn arrives in New York in September 1954 to do location shots for The Seven Year Itch. During time off, she took the opportunity to meet with future business partner Milton Greene and plan her escape from Hollywood. David Wills Collection.
The “Heat Wave” number in There’s No Business Like Show Business was a turning point for Marilyn. Not only did it thoroughly appall her husband, but it cemented her idea that she simply must move on from such frothy roles.
The white dress worn during the subway scene in The Seven Year Itch has become iconic in its own right. It is known the world over as the “Marilyn dress” and is a staple of any look-alike’s wardrobe. Courtesy Everett Collection.
The scene that created an icon. The attention that came from Marilyn’s skirt blowing over a subway grate ended her marriage but gave the actress the strength to reinvent herself as a trailblazing businesswoman. Photo by Kas Heppner. David Wills Collection.
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