Movie Icons: Monroe

Taschen Movie Icons

by F.X. Feeney, Paul Duncan (Editor), The Kobal Collection (Photographs)

“Forget everything you think you know about this person,” Elia Kazan cautioned, in his autobiography. The icon we cherish under the name Marilyn Monroe was in truth the inspired creation of a smart, voluptuous, star struck and self-motivated fantasist named Norma Jean Mortenson. A pure product of Hollywood, she abides across time as brightly as two other self-inventors, Charlie Chaplin and Cary Grant. Few things make an afterlife blaze more mythically than a sexual reputation—ask Cleopatra. Norma Jean paid a huge price to become Marilyn, yet here she is—still setting the bar high for all other would-be goddesses.

Movie Icons is a series of photo books that feature the most famous personalities in the history of cinema. These 192-page books are visual biographies of the stars. For each title, series editor Paul Duncan has painstakingly selected approximately 150 high quality enigmatic and sumptuous portraits, colorful posters and lobby cards, rare film stills, and previously unpublished candid photos showing the stars as they really are. These images are accompanied by concise introductory essays by leading film writers; each book also includes a chronology, a filmography, and a bibliography, and is peppered with apposite quotes from the movies and from life.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, Film, M M Romance

192 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2006

Reviews

[Dana Jerman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short read packed with a stellar introductory essay and dramatic/tragic/telling quotes by MM, including a loose timeline of her life.
Within the world of the stills there is a lot of old Hollywood here to behold and (perhaps) enjoy. Especially ladies' fashions and styles.
If you want to get comprehend MM's cultural scope and trajectory without getting into the nitty-gritty, this is a great way to do it.

[Gerry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Taschen movie Icons series book presents portraits of Marilyn Monroe together with stills from each of her films beginning with 'Dangerous Years' in 1947 and going right through to the unfinished 'Something's Got to Give' in 1962. The portraits show her in posed shots and the occasional candid shot while the movie stills are mainly ones that were used in the relevant film although there are the odd ones that ended on the cutting room floor; each of the illustrations has its own self-explanatory caption.

After a bit part in 'Dangerous Years', she went uncredited in her second film when she was simply 'a girl in the boat' in the 1948 'Scudda Hoo! Scudda Hay!' but in the same year she stood out from the crowd, thanks to a little help from the costumer in 'Ladies of the Chorus'. And then in 1950 when Groucho Marx only agreed to make the film to help his brother Chico out of debt, she 'provided the only life, besides Groucho Marx' in 'Love Happy'.

Also in 1950 director John Huston commented, 'I cast her because she was so damn good' when she was in 'The Asphalt Jungle' before she had 'a small but showy role' opposite Bette Davie and George Sanders in 'll About Eve'. Then after a number of relatively minor roles, she teamed up, for the one and only time, with Cary Grant in 'Monkey Business' in 1952.

And it was 1953 in the film 'Niagara' that her onscreeen persona accelerated her to stardom when she played opposite her screen husband Joseph Cotton. Her career then took off big time as under the direction of Howard Hawks she starred with Jane Russell in 'Gentlemen Prefer Blondes'; during this film, the two actresses made their marks in the sidewalk at the famed Grauman's Chinese Theatre.

When, with Lauren Bacall and Betty Grable, she made 'How To Marry A Millionaire' in 1953, the film grossed five times its original budget before, in 1955, probably the most famous single image of Marilyn was shot when making 'The Seven Year Itch' with Tom Ewell. William Trevilla designed the aerodynamically pleated ecru summer dress and halter top that blew up and created a never to be forgotten moment - as throngs of fans watching would probably testify!

When she was making 'Let's Make Love' she fought for Yves Montand to play opposite her but during filming their relationship cooled when he boasted to the press that they were lovers. She adored Clark Gable in 'The Misfits' and was devastated when, soon after filming finished, she heard of Gable's death. Interestingly it was on the set of this film that she told one of the other stars, Montgomery Clift, 'You're the only person I've ever met who's more screwed up than me.'

Throughout this visually pleasing book there are many quotes from Marilyn at different stages of her career and it gives an insight into the state of her mind, how she saw herself and how she wanted others to see her and it all makes for a most entertaining read.

[Daniela · Rating 3 out of 5]

My mistake, thought this was going to be a deep-dive biography.

Nevertheless, I really appreciated the candid and rare photos of Norma Jeane with her untouchable aura present in each and every photo.

And these quotes?? They hit me hard like watching Bambi for the first time all over again *sob*..

"My impulse to appear naked and my dreams about it had no shame or sense of sin in them. Dreaming of people looking at me made me feel less lonely."

"No one ever told me I was pretty when I was a little girl. All little girls should be told they're pretty, even if they aren't."

"I knew I belonged to the public and to the world, not because I was talented or even beautiful, but because I never had belonged to anything or anyone else."

I just CAN'T

some of the captions though, you really didn't have to go there..

now, where's the proper biography

[Verity W · Rating 2 out of 5]

So I was sent this by mistake - instead of the book that I'd actually ordered ! - so of course I read it anyway. It's a glossy picture summary of Monroe's life and career, with a bit of text repeated in English, French and German. It's nice, but some of the photos are compromised by having main focal points across the binding, and none of the words reveal anything different to a basic biog.

[Eyehavenofilter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Filled with beautiful photos of Marilyn, this is truly a love letter to her. It retains her beauty forever, so that we can always remember her the way that each of us wants to remember her. With rich color photos, and pictures from her movies this is a wonderful compilation of images that any Marilyn fan will appreciate.

[Lanaiyah Morganelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this book was really good and had a lot of really good information about her life.I found it very helpful when looking for information on her for a report.It showed all the mysteries and the great moments of her life that made her the great icon she was. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to know more about her life.

[Julalak M. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like Monroe, she mmy idle : )