The Mystery of Marilyn Monroe: The Unheard Tapes trailer
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Marilyn Monroe’s name is synonymous with 20th century Hollywood and the glitz and glamour it came with — although her lifestyle was undeniably controversial. In what many called a marriage of opposites, Arthur Miller, the playwright, was Monroe’s third, last, and longest marriage, their nuptials having taken place 66 years ago.
Monroe got her start in the entertainment industry during World War II while working in a factory making military drones.
She was spotted by a photographer and quickly began picking up work as a model, actress and singer.
Her then husband, James Dougherty, was against her career choice and the pair divorced in 1946.
Five years later, with a list of film and stage roles now under her wing — although not quite the amount of fame she was after — Monroe met Pulitzer Prize winner Miller on the set of As Young As You Feel.
At the time, she was in a casual relationship with Miller’s friend Elia Kazan who was due to pitch a screenplay to him.
Miller avoided acting on his attraction to the blonde bombshell, and this immediately made him stand out to Monroe as she described the experience of meeting him “like a cool drink when you’ve had a fever”.
Miller confided in her that he was deeply unhappy in his marriage, and told her to expect his return.
It would take four years before the pair would be reunited when Monroe moved to New York City to study.
Between their meetings Monroe had gotten married and divorced from second husband Joe DiMaggio, but Miller was still married.
This did not stop the duo from embarking on an affair although they did attempt secrecy in the beginning before Monroe’s career skyrocketed which saw the press paying closer attention to her.
In 1956, the reluctant Miller embarked on the process of getting a divorce and submitted a passport application so that he could join Monroe who was due to film in England.
Instead of receiving a passport, Miller was brought to the House of Un-American Activities Committee to testify about his ties to communism.
While he was not a member of the Communist Party, he had gone to affiliated meetings in the Forties.
Miller was also the author of the highly controversial play The Crucible released in 1953, which used theatrical symbolism to compare the search for Communists in America to the Salem Witch Trials.
All of this negative publicity was seen as potential career suicide for Monroe who was just starting to gain proper traction.
She was advised to distance herself from him but remained loyal, swaying her adoring public in Miller’s favour as well.
The pair got married in 1956 and swiftly headed to England once Miller got his passport, and Monroe was quoted as saying: “This is the first time I’ve been really in love.”
However, this euphoria would not last for the starlett as she found notes Miller had written concerning her and their marriage, explaining his disappointment and second guessing.
This proved not enough to devastate her love, however, and Monroe tried to assume a housewife role upon returning home.
During their marriage Monroe suffered multiple miscarriages, blaming herself and her addictions for them.
Miller’s patience for the young starlet was also growing thin, as he found it increasingly difficult to get the peace and quiet he needed to write.
Their relationship would reach its end while working on The Misfits together.
The movie was based on a short story by Miller and was intended to help Monroe be seen as a serious actress although this was not the sense Monroe got from the script, reportedly saying: “Arthur said it’s his movie. I don’t think he even wants me in it. It’s all over. We have to stay with each other because it would be bad for the film if we split up now.”
Miller’s constant rewriting of the script made it difficult for Monroe to act, and her growing substance abuse problem saw her hospitalised during filming.
By the time the movie was over, their marriage was too, and they divorced on the same day as John F. Kennedy’s inauguration in the hopes that the media would be too distracted to pay them any attention.
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