Wednesday 2 December 2009

The mouth of Marilyn Monroe

The title is taken from the chapter of a Bond novel, but it fits the topic perfectly. I used to be a big fan of Marilyn Monroe, even before I saw one single movie of her. I don't know why. I guess it has something to do with her bubbly, girl next door kind of charm. Or maybe I am just an old man since teenage. (I noticed that old men usually like Marilyn Monroe, I knew of a distinguished professor specialised of medieval literature who was a big fan of Some Like It Hot.) I still kept a bit of fascination for the actress and the period of American history she lived in.

So yes, we very recently discovered a piece of film where she is (allegedly) smoking marijuana. I have no idea why exactly, but I find the news particularly interesting. I wonder if it humanises the icon she is, or makes her even more iconic. After all, we already knew she at least had a flirt with addictive substances, alcohol or prescription drugs. But that she also used illegal drugs, that is another thing entirely, never mind the toxicity of marijuana compared to what killed her. There is something vaguely rebellious about Marilyn Monroe smoking weed. I don't remember even seeing her with a "normal" cigarette!

There is also the fact that the video was taken in an intimate environment: she is there, surrounded by a few friends, relaxed, carefree, away from the glamorous environment we usually see her in. I wonder what she was saying and I hope someone able to read lips will tell us.

Well anyway, I call upon my (modest) readership: is this posthumous video fascinating for you too? What do you think of it?

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Oh...tohave those powers of seduction.