1. What impact could Marilyn's childhood have had on her career and/or adult life?

Marilyn was separated from her mother at a very early age. As a young girl she bounced between orphanages and foster homes.   Her mother had been diagnosed with schizophrenia.  She would never have a close relationship  with her again.  And, Marilyn never met her father. At age 16, the family she lived with and was closest to moved away from Los Angeles and were prevented by law to take Marilyn with them.  To avoid the harsh reality of Marilyn returning to another orphanage, the family arranged for her to marry a teen-age neighbor.   Marilyn entered the marriage without love and experience.  It didn't last.  Many writers believe Marilyn's obsession to be an actor had to do something with seeking love. As a child she may have felt ignored and/or abandoned.  Becoming a movie star changed all that. 

2.  Why did they call Marilyn the "Blonde Bombshell"?

They called Marilyn many things: Sex Symbol, Hollywood Icon, Blonde Bombshell, etc.  This may have hurt Marilyn deep inside.  She worked hard to become a serious actor. but not many cared to know about her background.  Wherever she went, she drew crowds and caused excitement for the way she looked.  In fact in 1955, her role in The Seven Year Itch caused riots in the streets – this was before the movie was ever finished. When word got out that Marilyn would shoot an early morning  scene on the streets of New York, thousands of fans flooded the sidewalks to see her step over a subway grate and watch her dress fly up over her head.  The director took his time. He shot the scene over and over. Each time the dress went up and revealed her panties, her fans yelled, “Higher!  Higher!”  I’m not so sure if the director cared for the quality of the scene.  He knew that exposing Marilyn’s body would surely boost future ticket sales. Like, BOOM!  

3.  Why are we still unclear about Marilyn's death, nearly sixty years after the fact?

The details of Marilyn's death are murky.  Police reports say Marilyn tried to commit suicide by swallowing more than 50 pills.  Her doctors prescribed barbiturates to help her sleep  at night. Days after the autopsy report, however,  police investigators learned that it would have been very difficult for any one person to physically swallow the amount of pills that had entered Marilyn’s system.   They put forth the theory that the fatal dose had to be administered by a second or third party, by “another mode of entry.  Proof of the drugs administered by injection or enema would end any discussion of suicide.    But the case was never re-opened.  

Many of the people closest to Marilyn believed she had plenty to live for.  She had just signed a  new contract with her movie studio.  She planned on producing a film about her personal idol and hero Jean Harlow.  She had plans to rebuild her relationship  with former husband Joe DiMaggio. 

4.  How did Marilyn get her start in Show Business?

Before she was Marilyn, she was Norma Jeane.  Before she was an actor, she became a model.  Norma Jeane's modeling career began in an aircraft factory in Van Nuys.  This was two years after the Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor.  This is shortly after her husband left home to serve in the merchant marines.   She was one of the millions of women to contribute to war-time defense industry during World War II.   Her first job was inspecting parachutes, but she was such a hard worker, she was promoted to the position of spraying down aircraft fuselages with fire retardant.  Her third job was modelling.  When she was offered a job in front of the camera, she devoted herself to learning more and becoming better.  This was a time in America where where women were told they could do anything.  And they did.  Marilyn soon sent divorce papers to her husband who was stationed in China.  Marilyn was ready to do whatever it took to achieve her dreams.

5.  What type of acting skills to Marilyn bring to the job?

Marilyn first hit it big in Hollywood by playing the role of the "Dumb Blonde."  She had three or four best-selling movies in a row where both men and women admired her for  her body but  not so much her mind.   At a certain  point, Marilyn refused to be typecast. She demanded more serious roles.  At the  top of her career, she turned her  back on Hollywood to spend a year  of training with the world's leading experts in stage and screen at the Actors Studio in New York.  This is where she studied Method acting.  Her goal was to take her acting to the next level. Method actors dig down deep inside of themselves for a memory or an experience  that will help them recreate the true emotions of their character they are playing.

6 What scene from a Marilyn Monroe movie best represents who Marilyn really is?

When  Marilyn starred in the film The Misfits, she was 36 years old and had been through three marriages.  I'm sure she was worried about losing her looks. At the time, not many women at her age were offered leading roles.  At age 40 they began feeling pushed backwards towards minor or supportive roles.  Marilyn must have felt insecure.  Her behavior gave people the impression she was always on edge.  But, in the movie The Misfits, she plays a role she knows very well.

In the movie The Misfits, the Marilyn character Rosalyn Taber comes to Reno, Nevada to petition for a divorce.  Her traveling-salesman husband follows her because he loves her and wants her.  But, Rosalyn doesn’t feel it. Quite possibly, she was never able to communicate her sadness to her husband, but in court she says because he was always working, he was never there.  She felt so alone.   

Soon into the movie, Rosalyn meets Clark Gable in a bar. Gable’s character is named Gay (short  for Gable!).   Although he may be 25 years older than Rosalyn, he catches her at a very vulnerable time in her life.  She is confused, if not frightened for where her life is headed.  And Gay knows it.  It doesn’t take him long to  put across the love and charm he believe she needs. But, in the scene where Gay makes his move, she rejects hi.  Gay says, “What makes you so sad?  I think you are the saddest girl I ever met.” 

For the most part, all we know about our favorite movie stars is what we see on Youtube videos or read about in Hollywood websites.  In this movie, I believe, when we get a close-up of Marilyn's face, we see the fear of in her eyes.  Would Marilyn ever be happy?

This is going to be great.  You will see.

Paz,

JL