Marilyn Monroe: Much more than a ‘sex symbol’

Glimpses of the upcoming Marilyn Monroe biopic 'Blonde' shared by Netflix have revived great interest in the star who remains unrivalled for her hold on the public imagination. Perhaps, no other artist of the twentieth century comes close to her in terms of popular appeal.

Sixty years after her controversial death, the full truth of her glamorous life immortalised by the many movies in which she starred, is still elusive. Images of her moved not only the ordinary filmgoer and cineastes but also the high and mighty, the artist and the scholar, the cerebral and the sensual, and some of the most powerful public figures of her time such as US President John Kennedy. There are over a score of books and films on her, besides the films in which she acted. Rare is the artiste to have had such an effect on so many in the course of a short life and for so long after death.

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For all that, “Sex Symbol” remains the dominant motif of the Monroe’s iconography as it has been popularised. The only thing worse is calling her a “Blonde Bimbo”. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

Marilyn Monroe was much, much more than these shallow epithets which capture nothing of the person she was. Informed and researched biographical accounts of her show that she had social awareness and depth of both humanity and intellect. Her impact was far beyond Hollywood and the movie halls of the world.

Also Read:'Blonde' trailer: Ana de Armas becomes Marilyn Monroe in this biopic. Watch

An ardent supporter of the civil rights movement in her time, Monroe was active in the Hollywood unit of the Committee for a Sane Nuclear Policy. She was a voracious reader of serious literature. She was associated with progressive, left-leaning types and married the playwright Arthur Miller who was ‘suspected’ of being a Commie at a time when such a tag could destroy one in the US.

These alone place her in a class of her own. If that’s not enough Andy Warhol’s portrait of ‘the lady’ sold for $195 million, a record for any artist or artwork in the last 100 years.

'Blonde' releasing on September 23 will be a hit, even if for the wrong reasons, and thus a tribute.

The author is an Editorial Consultant, WION TV.

(Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)

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