Movies About Marilyn Monroe

How many movies about Marilyn Monroe are there and which one is the best to watch?

There’s no doubt that Marilyn Monroe is the most famous blonde actress ever (not to mention one of the most famous people ever). We have already posted an overview of the best Marilyn Monroe’s movies. There are plenty of films about this iconic Hollywood bombshell. Below are some suggestions for which ones to watch.

Norma Jean & Marilyn (1996)

The 1996 documentary Norma Jean & Marilyn is a must-watch for Monroe fans. It features interviews with people who knew Monroe, including her friends and family and photographers and directors who worked with her. 

The film looks at the life of one of America’s most famous movie stars from two different perspectives: 

What was it like to be Norma Jean Baker before becoming Marilyn Monroe? And what was it like to work with an actress so famous that she did not need a pseudonym?

The story is about the early years of Marilyn Monroe, who was born Norma Jeane Mortenson. 

The movie chronicles her life from childhood to her rise to fame and fortune. It also depicts her troubled personal life, including her tumultuous relationships with her mother Gladys (Ann-Margret) and husband, Arthur Miller.

Marilyn Monroe is played by Michelle Williams, who won an Emmy Award for the role in 2001. Her performance earned her a Golden Globe nomination for best actress in a miniseries or TV movie.

The Legend of Marilyn Monroe

The Legend of Marilyn Monroe is a 1960 American drama film directed by Robert D. Webb, starring Constance Moore as Marilyn Monroe and James Hagan as Joe DiMaggio. It was based on the biography “Marilyn Monroe: The Complete Last Sitting” by George Barris and released by Columbia Pictures.

The film is set in New York City, showing how the actress’s life turns when she meets a baseball player while doing publicity work for her latest movie production.

Marilyn Hotchkiss’ Ballroom Dancing and Charm School

In 2005, a movie called Marilyn Hotchkiss’ Ballroom Dancing and Charm School was released. It was directed by Alan Metter, who also wrote the screenplay. 

The film stars Kirsten Dunst as a young woman named Marilyn Hotchkiss, who is sent to a charm school by her mother (played by Michelle Pfeiffer) after she fails to make it in show business.

The story is based on Judy Goldman’s novel under the pseudonym Barbara Michaels. 

It has been adapted twice before—once as a TV movie in 1977 starring Meredith Baxter Birney (who played Elyse Keaton on Family Ties), and once again as an ABC Afterschool Special in 1982 with Molly Ringwald playing the lead role of Amy Ames.

My Week with Marilyn

My Week with Marilyn is a 2011 romantic comedy-drama film directed by Simon Curtis and written by Adrian Hodges. This movie about Marilyn Monroe stars Michelle Williams as Marilyn, Kenneth Branagh as Laurence Olivier, Eddie Redmayne as Colin Clark, and Judi Dench as Sybil Thorndike.

The film focuses on the week British aspiring filmmaker Colin Clark spent with Monroe while she was shooting The Prince and the Showgirl (1957) in London. 

In this adaptation of his memoir, “My Week with Marilyn,” Clark describes his relationship with Monroe throughout the week they spent together, including interviews given by both himself and others involved in filming The Prince And The Showgirl.

The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe

Once you’ve watched all of these movies, you will know everything there is to know about the legendary Marilyn Monroe. 

You’ll be able to tell your friends that she was born in 1926 and died on August 5th, 1962, at 36. 

You’ll also be able to tell them that she was an actress, model, and singer known for her beauty and sexuality, and talent on stage or screen. 

She married three times during her life: firstly to James Dougherty (1942-1951), whom she divorced after having two children with him; 

secondly to baseball player Joe DiMaggio (1952-1957), who divorced her when he discovered that she had been having an affair with Arthur Miller; 

thirdly Arthur Miller himself until their divorce in 1961 due to his jealousy over other men’s attention towards Marilyn Monroe.

Blonde (2001)

In the 2001 film Blonde, Mary-Louise Parker stars as Marilyn Monroe. It’s based on Joyce Carol Oates’s novel about Monroe’s early life and career.

In the film, Monroe struggles to make it in Hollywood when she moves there from small-town Michigan. 

She gets a job at a department store and meets people who help her get photos of herself published in magazines. Marilyn also begins an affair with one of her coworkers, who helps her build her confidence and dreams of stardom.

The Marilyn Diaries (1990)

In 1990, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen starred in The Marilyn Diaries, which was based on the diaries of Marilyn Monroe. 

Reviews of the film were mixed, and it received a Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actress (Mary-Kate Olsen) and a Razzie Award for Worst Screen Couple (Mary-Kate Olsen with herself).

Love, Marilyn (2012)

Love, Marilyn is a 2012 biographical film about the life of Marilyn Monroe. However, the film is not biographical but was made as a character study of the iconic actress. It was directed by Liz Garbus and starred Emma Roberts as Marilyn Monroe.

The flick is an intimate look at one of Hollywood’s most famous icons, from her beginning days as an aspiring actress to her rise to stardom as she became more involved in politics and civil rights activism.

Blonde (2022)

In the upcoming Netflix film Blonde, filmmaker Andrew Dominik presents a bold take on the Marilyn Monroe story, with Ana de Armas starring as the iconic blonde bombshell. It’s important to note that this movie is based on a fiction novel of the same name by Joyce Carol Oates.

Blonde is bound to be released on September 28, 2022, on Netflix. While you’ll be watching it, remember: Blonde is not biographical; it’s fiction. 

Who was Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn Monroe was born Norma Jean Baker in 1926. She was an American actress who starred in several movies during the 1950s and 60s. Her career was cut short by her untimely death at the age of 36, but not before she had earned herself a reputation as an iconic beauty, talented singer and dancer, award-winning actress, writer, and producer.

Conclusion

We hope you enjoyed reading this post about Marilyn Monroe’s best movies. Please feel free to leave a comment if you’re interested in learning more about her life and legacy as an actress and icon.