Marilyn Monroe’s Films
IN MY CONVERSATIONS, INTERVIEWS, and talks with Marilyn, I often wondered how in her fourteen years of filmmaking she would have remembered all the roles she played and what she thought of them.
I had in mind to make a list of her films, and if there were any critic’s reviews of her roles to discuss them with her, and I did discuss some of her films with Marilyn. While others have written that Marilyn appeared in twenty-nine films, here is my list—which shows she appeared in thirty motion pictures.
1. Dangerous Years,
Twentieth Century-Fox, 1947
Plays a waitress
2. Scudda-Hoo! Scudda-Hay!,
Twentieth Century-Fox, 1948
She appears in a brief scene only
3. Ladies of the Chorus,
Columbia Pictures, 1948
“Marilyn’s singing is one of the brightest spots in the film. She is pretty and with her pleasant voice and style she shows promise.”
—Tibor Krekes
Motion Picture Herald
4. Love Happy,
United Artist, Pickford, 1950
Walk-on; two speaking lines. No review, no film credit
5. A Ticket to Tomahawk,
Twentieth Century-Fox, 1950
Her first singing role, no review
6. The Asphalt Jungle,
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1950
“There’s a beautiful blonde name of Marilyn Monroe who makes most of her footage.”
—Liza Wilson
Photoplay
7. All About Eve,
Twentieth Century-Fox, 1950
Small, convincing role
8. The Fireball,
Twentieth Century-Fox, Thor, 1950
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1950
Bit part, no credits
10. Home Town Story,
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1951
Bit part
11. As Young as You Feel,
Twentieth Century-Fox, 1951
“Marilyn Monroe superb as secretary.”
—Bosley Crowther
New York Times
12. Love Nest,
Twentieth Century-Fox, 1951
Gets bigger roles.
13. Let’s Make It Legal,
Twentieth Century-Fox, 1951
Brief role as a beautiful, shapely blonde.
“Marilyn amusing.”
—Wanda Hale
New York News
14. Clash by Night,
RKO, Wald-Krasna, 1952
“The new blonde bombshell.”
—Kate Cameron
New York News
15. We’re Not Married,
Twentieth Century-Fox, 1952
“Marilyn supplies beauty. She is Hollywood’s foremost expert.”
—Alton Cook
New York World-Telegram
16. Don’t Bother to Knock,
Twentieth Century-Fox, 1952
“She is what movies need.”
—Frank Quinn
New York Daily Mirror
17. Monkey Business,
Twentieth Century-Fox, 1952
“Not seen her before, I know now what that’s about.”
—Paul C. Beckley
New York Herald Tribune
18. O. Henry’s Full House,
Twentieth Century-Fox, 1952
“Again as sleek as in Asphalt Jungle, Marilyn Monroe is a streetwalker of stunning proportions.”
—Archer Winston
New York Post
19. Niagara,
Twentieth Century-Fox, 1953
“Seen from any angle, Niagara Falls and Marilyn Monroe leave little to be desired. She can be seductive even when she walks.”
—A. H. Weiler
New York Times
20. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes,
Twentieth Century-Fox, 1953
“As usual she looks as though she’d glow in the dark, and her version as the baby- face blonde whose eyes open for diamonds and close for kisses is always amusing, as well as alluring.”
—Otis L. Guernsey
New York Herald Tribune
21. How to Marry a Millionaire,
Twentieth Century-Fox, 1953
“Her magnificent proportions are appealing as ever, her stint as a deadpan comedienne is as nifty as her looks.”
—Otis L. Guernsey
New York Herald Tribune
22. River of No Return,
Twentieth Century-Fox, 1954
“There is something at once incongruous and strangely stimulating in her dazzled and dazzling antics in the surrounding nature.”
—Archer Winston
New York Post
23. There’s No Business Like Show Business,
Twentieth Century-Fox, 1954
“Marilyn’s songs, performed in her trademark sexy manner, are sizzling.”
—Frank Quinn
New York Daily Mirror
24. The Seven Year Itch,
Twentieth Century-Fox, 1955
“Marilyn Monroe clearly plays the role…Tom Ewell steals the picture, but this isn’t to detract from her status as a film comedienne.”
—Bosley Crowther
New York Times
25. Bus Stop,
Twentieth Century-Fox, 1956
“Hold on to your chairs, get set for a rattling surprise, Marilyn Monroe has finally proved herself an actress. She and picture are swell!”
—Bosley Crowther
New York Times
26. The Prince and the Showgirl,
Warner Bros., 1957
“Marilyn Monroe has never seemed more in command. She manages to make her laughs without sacrificing the real Marilyn to playacting. This is something one can expect from great talent.”
—Archer Winston
New York Post
27. Some Like It Hot,
United Artists, Mirish, 1959
“She’s a comedienne with that combination of sex appeal and timing that just can’t be beat.”
—Haft
Variety
28. Let’s Make Love,
Twentieth Century-Fox, 1960
“Marilyn basically is a first-rate comedienne. She doesn’t have a single bright line. The famous charms are in evidence.”
—-Justin Gilbert
New York Mirror
29. The Misfits
United Artists, Seven Arts, John Huston Production, 1961
“Clark Gable has never done anything better. Gable’s acting vibrant, lusty; [Monroe’s] true to the character by Miller.”
—Kate Cameron
New York Daily News
30. Something’s Got to Give (uncompleted),
Twentieth Century-Fox, 1991
Fox TV, 2-hour film; theatrical release overseas
Henry Schipper at Fox contacted me in November 1990. He said he was going to produce Marilyn’s last film as a “Tribute to a Star.” He wanted to use my last photos of Marilyn as the ending to his film. I told him I would not be interested, since it was at Twentieth Century-Fox that all her problems occurred during her last days—and I couldn’t forget that. After several weeks of pleading calls from him, I finally agreed to allow him to use one of my final color photos of her standing on the beach and holding a glass of champagne.
