Found Dead: Marilyn Monroe

In 1953, Marilyn Monroe starred in the film “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes”, which was one of her most memorable roles. Later that following year, she also acted in “How to Marry a Millionaire” (“Marilyn Monroe Is Found Dead” 2). In 1955, Marilyn appeared in the two films “The Asphalt Jungle” and “All About Eve”. Marilyn Monroe, only twenty-three at the time, landed another contract with Fox studios (Monroe 6; “Marilyn Monroe” 2). However, most of her roles were particularly sexual in context (Monroe 11). 1955 was also the year Marilyn starred in “The Seven Year Itch”. This was the film in which Marilyn Monroe performed her legendary scene in the white dress over the subway vent. Billy Wilder, a producer, described Marilyn as “absolutely perfect”. (Conolly 180-183). Although most of her co-workers and directors claimed she was quite a pain to work with. Marilyn would spend hours going over simple lines or just not show up to work at all. She was known to work

on her own schedule. However, with her final cuts being flawless, mostly everyone dealt with it. Yet, Marilyn was fired from “Something’s Got To Give”, after missing too many days. This did not decrease her fame though. With her rising popularity, Monroe became extremely protective of her privacy. Reporters and paparazzi began following her every move. Marilyn would wear baggy clothing and wigs, stay at high security hotels, and get a new phone number frequently. She was also often prone to moving houses yearly. As described by her close friends “When she wore no makeup and had not psyched herself into becoming Marilyn Monroe, she was not recognized.” (Banner 181). As Marilyn Monroe became more and more successful, her ability to take on multiple personas was a trait she frequently took advantage of.

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Marilyn Monroe was an extremely complex and complicated individual, not selfish and shallow as she was often portrayed.

Despite the glamour surrounding Marilyn Monroe, she was very insecure. Marilyn admitted that she felt most of her life had been a rejection, but she was not a victim of emotional conflicts, rather just a human being (Banner 26, 124). One of her greatest fears was to develop a mental disease like her mother suffered from (Banner 261). Marilyn did, however, admit to hearing voices and imagining sinister figures outside of her
house (Connolly 178). To calm such anxieties, she started taking barbiturates (Banner 179). Yet, these exact pills are what Marilyn used as a part of a suicide attempt when her husband, Johnny Hyde, passed away in 1950. Several years later, Marilyn's co-worker, John Huston, claimed she was taking 20 Nembutal a day (Banner 353). Marilyn spiraled into severe depressive episodes and upped her pill intake. As her success increased, her menti became more and more

fragile.