Marilyn Monroe has been gone for over sixty years, and yet people are
still talking about her. What, exactly, is the spell she casts on so
many? Stunning, exciting to watch, incredibly famous, Monroe lived a
very public life and died young, with a sad suddenness. All of this is
true, and yet there is so much more to her story.
On Marilyn Monroe: An Opinionated Guide looks past the sensation to
the real legacy--her richly varied body of work. Both during her life
and following her death, Monroe was dismissed as more of a phenomenon
than an actor, often an object of ridicule instead of a performer whose
work could be taken seriously. Even when films such as The Seven Year
Itch and Some Like It Hot saw immense success, Monroe seldom got her
due as the inventive and accomplished performer she was. The truth that
lay behind the dazzling surface was that she was one of the hardest
working of actors. Rigorously applying both skillful technique and an
inherent charisma, she was able to create truly unforgettable
performances.
In this lively guide, Richard Barrios looks beyond the ballyhoo and
legend at Monroe's best-known films, and some that even today remain
obscure. Besides her films, it also addresses the work she did on
television and the stage, as well as her underrated abilities as a
vocalist. Both an informative study and a perceptive critical
assessment, On Marilyn Monroe: An Opinionated Guide gives this
brilliant performer the attention she desired--that of an artist whose
work deserves both examination and celebration.
