Twenty-nine films in fifteen years. Comedies, dramas, musicals, and one unfinished legacy. She was gone at 36, but the camera never forgot a single frame of her face.
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Marilyn Monroe made 29 films in her career. She worked from 1947 until her death in 1962. Some of her movies were box office hits. Others earned her serious critical praise. A few did both. These five films represent the best of what she left behind.
This is widely considered Monroe’s finest screen performance. It was directed by Billy Wilder and released in March 1959. Monroe plays Sugar Kane, a singer and ukulele player touring with an all-female jazz band.
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The film co-stars Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon, who spend most of the movie dressed as women to hide from the mob. Monroe was notoriously difficult to work with during production. She required 59 takes to deliver the line “Where’s the bourbon?” She also kept cast and crew waiting for hours on set.
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Despite the chaos, the result was extraordinary. The American Film Institute ranked it the greatest American comedy ever made. It was also on selection for preservation in the National Film Registry in the Library of Congress. Monroe received a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical for this role. It was her only competitive acting award.
The film was shot in black and white by cinematographer Charles Lang. It was a commercial triumph, grossing over $25 million against a budget of around $2.8 million.
This film made Monroe’s status as Hollywood’s biggest star. It was directed by Howard Hawks and released in July 1953. Monroe plays Lorelei Lee, a showgirl looking to marry a wealthy man. Jane Russell co-stars as her best friend Dorothy.
The film features one of the most iconic sequences in cinema history. Monroe’s performance of “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend” became defining image of 1950s popular culture. The sequence was later referenced and recreated by Madonna in her 1984 music video for “Material Girl.”
Monroe prepared extensively for her musical numbers. She worked with vocal coach Hal Schaefer. Her singing in the film was entirely her own. The film grossed $5.1 million in North America alone, making it one of the biggest hits of 1953. Monroe and Russell reportedly received significantly less amount than their male co-stars at the time.
The costumes were designed by William Travilla. The pink dress Monroe wears during “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend” later sold at auction for $310,000 in 2010.
This film proved Monroe could act in a dramatically demanding role. It was a film by Joshua Logan. Monroe plays Chérie, a saloon singer with dreams of going to Hollywood. Don Murray plays a naive cowboy who becomes obsessed with her.
Monroe prepared for this role using the Method acting techniques she had studied at the Actors Studio in New York under Lee Strasberg. Her performance received praise from critics who had previously dismissed her as a comedic novelty. The New York Times called it her finest dramatic work up to that point.
Murray received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Monroe did not receive a nomination, which was a significant oversight for many in the industry. The film was a strong commercial performer, earning over $4 million in North America.
Logan later said he found Monroe incredibly gifted but also deeply insecure. He noted that her anxiety often delayed filming but that the end results were always worth it.
This was Monroe’s final complete film. It was also the final film of Clark Gable, who died of a heart attack 12 days after production wrapped. The screenplay was written by Arthur Miller, who was Monroe’s husband at the time. They divorced before the film was released.
The film was directed by John Huston and released in February 1961. Monroe plays Roslyn Taber, a recently divorced woman who falls in with a group of aging cowboys in Nevada. The story centers on themes of freedom, loneliness, and moral compromise.
Production was extremely troubled. Monroe was battling a dependency on sleeping pills and barbiturates. She was frequently absent from set. Filming delayed by weeks. Gable reportedly told friends the experience had exhausted him.
Despite all of this, Monroe’s performance is raw and affecting. The film received mixed reviews on release. Over time, critics have reassessed it as one of her most honest pieces of work. It is now a significant film of the early 1960s.
This film was a milestone for both Monroe and for cinema. It was directorial of Jean Negulesco that released in November 1953. It was the second film ever made in CinemaScope, the widescreen process Fox had just developed. Monroe stars alongside Betty Grable and Lauren Bacall as three models scheming to find rich husbands in New York City.
Monroe plays Pola Debevoise, a near-sighted woman who refuses to wear her glasses in public. Her comedic timing in the role is precise. The character is funny without being cruel or stupid. Monroe herself reportedly felt this role was closer to a real performance than many of her earlier parts.
The film was a massive commercial success. It grossed over $7.5 million worldwide. Fox used it to demonstrate the commercial potential of CinemaScope to skeptical theatre owners. It played in over 2,000 cinemas in its opening weeks.
The film remains an enjoyable showcase of three major stars at the peak of their popularity. Monroe shares the screen equally with Grable and Bacall, and more than holds her own.
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