Hollywood and Marilyn Monroe are two inseparable entities. It was inevitable that the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles would dedicate an exhibition to the universal platinum blonde on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of her birth, which falls on Monday. The exhibition is a generous display of objects related to the actress's public and private life, including posters of her most remembered films, portraits, film stills, and personal items of the woman who became the most recognizable icon of the American film industry.
It is not just a meticulously planned tribute by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the vast power of its extensive collection of film-related objects. It is a journey designed for nostalgics and fans of Norma Jean, who remain legion despite the century that has passed since her birth and the 64 years since the day she took her own life with barbiturates in August 1962.
Among the hundreds of objects that complete the exhibition —some of them from private collections—, there are curiosities such as the slimming face mask she used after being told she had a double chin, items from the film she never finished under the direction of George Cukor, Something's Gotta Give (1962), or jewels like the white dress she wore for the subway scene in New York in The Seven Year Itch (1955), when Billy Wilder discovered how exasperating it was to work with Marilyn and how mesmerizing she was at the same time.
Four years later, the legendary director once again relied on her brilliance and innate comedic ability to film Some Like It Hot (1959), alongside Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis. Two of the dresses she wore in the film are part of the exhibition, as is the pink garment with matching gloves that she immortalized in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953).
Amy Homma, the museum director, describes Monroe as "an endless source of inspiration and fascination," as well as "a visionary." Sophia Serrano, the curator who has explored the actress's figure for two years, believes she was a pioneer in many aspects, a natural-born fighter. "Although she had a tragic end, people perceive her as a symbol of resilience," she points out. "They saw her fighting against the studio, seeking roles with more depth and not getting the roles she desired... Many people cling to her because she gives them hope."
Marilyn was a symbol of dazzling beauty, glamour, and eroticism. Also of fragility and innocence, with her somewhat childlike voice. And of loneliness, constantly battling her ghosts and insecurities. But she was a woman of character. In 1952, when a journalist discovered that the actress had posed nude for a calendar five years earlier, she refused to bow to the pressures of 20th Century Fox chief Darryl Zanuck. She faced it in an interview and acknowledged that she was the one in the photos. "I was broke and needed the money... I'm not ashamed of it. I did nothing wrong," she said.
Serrano has tried to reflect all of this in the exhibition, which will not be the only tribute to celebrate the star's 100th birthday. In Palm Springs, where the California artist used to seek refuge with Frank Sinatra's clan, numerous events are planned around her figure, from the opening of a new themed store to an attempt to break a Guinness World Record with the largest gathering of people dressed as Marilyn.
Julien's Auctions in Los Angeles will auction pieces of her personal wardrobe on June 4, including some worn by the star of Niagara, both in her private life and in her most famous film roles. And the publishing world has also not wanted to miss the anniversary. New stories delving into the mystery of her death and compilations of some iconic images of the actress have been released. Marilyn is infinite. It doesn't matter that her career lasted only 15 years. There is a melancholy and fascination imprinted in her figure that remains relevant. She represents the lights and shadows of an irreplaceable era.