Marilyn Monroe Would Have Turned 100: A Look Back at the Icon's Life and Legacy

Her breakthrough arrived in the early 1950s with a string of hit films, including 'Niagara', 'Gentlemen Prefer Blondes', and 'How to Marry a Millionaire'. The 1955 release of the comedy 'The Seven Year Itch' cemented her status as a global sex symbol.

A New Book Reveals the Person Behind the Persona

Despite her public image, Monroe sought recognition as a serious performer. A new book, 'Marilyn Monroe: 100', published by Prestel-Verlag, aims to showcase the depth behind the persona. The volume contains 250 photographs taken by renowned artists such as Richard Avedon, Eva Arnold, and Cecil Beaton, and is supplemented by personal anecdotes from the actress's life.

Her artistic dedication is particularly evident in her musical performances. Only 36 vocal recordings by Monroe exist, yet they reveal a charming storyteller with a fine sense of rhythm. A vocal coach reportedly instructed her to listen to an Ella Fitzgerald record 100 times to develop her style.

The Artistic Drive Hidden in Plain Sight

This depth is on full display in the 1959 comedy 'Some Like It Hot', where her performance blended sensuality with a knowing, double-edged wit. The film remains a high point of her career.

Monroe's personal life was subject to intense public scrutiny. She was married to baseball star Joe DiMaggio and later to writer Arthur Miller, though both marriages ended in divorce. In her final interview, published by the US magazine 'Life' one day before her death in August 1962, she lamented being perceived solely as a sex symbol and not as a serious artist.

In that interview, Monroe reflected on the burdens of fame. She told Life magazine: 'Wenn man berühmt ist, wird man auf eine sehr direkte Art und Weise mit der menschlichen Art konfrontiert. Ruhm weckt Neid. Die Menschen, denen man begegnet, haben das Gefühl, dass der Ruhm ihnen eine Art Vorrecht verleiht, alles zu sagen, und sie glauben, dass sie damit die Gefühle des anderen nicht verletzen.'

A Final Plea for Artistic Recognition

The publication of 'Marilyn Monroe: 100' coincides with the centenary of her birth, offering a visual narrative of her transformation from a troubled childhood to international stardom. The book's collection of images and stories provides a counterpoint to the often one-dimensional media portrayals she endured.

Stern magazine and the Penguin Random House publishing group, which are both part of the Bertelsmann corporation, have been involved in bringing related projects to the public, continuing the commercial interest in Monroe's legacy.

Decades after her passing, Monroe's influence on fashion, film, and popular culture remains profound. Her image is still one of the most recognizable in the world, a testament to her unique screen presence and the public's lasting fascination with her life story.

The centenary serves not only as a celebration of her filmography but also as a moment to reconsider the person behind the platinum hair and red lips—a woman who fought against the limitations of her manufactured image in pursuit of artistic respect.