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 FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU.
[ JAZZY MUSIC PLAYS ]
LOOK AT THAT!
LOOK HOW SHE MOVES,
IT'S JUST LIKE JELLO ON SPRINGS.
MUST HAVE SOME SORT OF
BUILT-IN MOTOR OR SOMETHING.
I TELL YA,
IT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT SEX!
Norman Mailer:
SO WE THINK OF MARILYN,
WHO WAS EVERY MAN'S
LOVE AFFAIR WITH AMERICA.
MARILYN MONROE,
WHO WAS BLONDE AND BEAUTIFUL,
AND HAD A SWEET LITTLE
RINKY-DINK OF A VOICE.
AND ALL THE CLEANLINESS OF ALL
THE CLEAN AMERICAN BACKYARDS.
SHE WAS OUR ANGEL,
THE SWEET ANGEL OF SEX,
AND THE SUGAR OF SEX
CAME UP FROM HER,
LIKE A RESONANCE OF SOUND,
IN THE CLEAREST GRAIN
OF A VIOLIN.
ACROSS FIVE CONTINENTS,
THE MEN WHO KNEW
THE MOST ABOUT LOVE,
WOULD COVET HER,
AND THE CLASSICAL PIMPLES
OF THE ADOLESCENT
WORKING HIS FIRST GAS PUMP,
WOULD ALSO PUMP FOR HER,
SINCE MARILYN WAS A DELIVERANCE,
A VERY STRADIVARIUS OF SEX.
SO GORGEOUS, FORGIVING,
HUMOROUS, COMPLIANT,
AND TENDER.
CLICK.
FOR IF THE PHOTOGRAPHER
IS USUALLY SEEN AS THE ARTIST,
AND HIS MODEL AS A SPECIES
OF STILL LIFE,
SHE BECOMES THE ARTIST
WHEN SHE TAKES A POSE.
SHE PAINTS THE PICTURE
INTO THE CAMERA
AND FEW PHOTOGRAPHERS
WILL FAIL TO PAY HER HOMAGE.
♪ I WANT TO BE LOVED ♪
♪ BOOP-BOOP-DE-BOOP ♪
Man: SHE WAS SO ATTRACTIVE,
SO BEAUTIFUL,
SHE WAS MADE FOR A CAMERA,
YOU KNOW?
SHE WAS CREATED TO BE A SUBJECT,
A GORGEOUS SUBJECT.
THAT'S IT.
Woman: MARILYN MONROE
TOOK OFF HER COAT,
SHE WAS WEARING THIS POLO COAT,
AND I REALIZED THAT
SHE WAS WEARING THIS NECKLACE
OF VINTAGE PEARLS.
BEAUTIFUL, GLOWING,
CREAMY, LUSTROUS
AND THEY SORT OF,
THEY WERE ALMOST LIKE HER SKIN,
HER SKIN
WAS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL SKIN
I'D EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE.
Woman: SHE WAS A JOKE,
SHE WAS VULNERABLE,
SHE WAS SO EAGER FOR APPROVAL.
SHE WAS ALL THE THINGS
THAT I FEARED MOST BEING
AS A TEENAGE GIRL.
Man: I DON'T KNOW IF SHE
HAD KNOWLEDGE OF THE POWER
OF HER SEX APPEAL WITH MEN.
BUT IF SHE KNEW, GOOD FOR HER.
Woman:
DID YOU TALK TO HER AT ALL?
Man: SURE.
HOW WAS IT?
WELL, WE TALKED ABOUT
QUANTUM PHYSICS, OF COURSE.
[ Laughing ]
SO SHE WAS A SMART GIRL?
VERY SMART.
Woman: AND SHE ALWAYS
HAD A LOVER, DARLING,
ALWAYS HAD A LOVER.
NOBODY KNEW ABOUT IT,
SNEAKING IN, SNEAKING OUT,
ALWAYS HAD SOMEBODY.
Monroe: AND SUDDENLY
EVERYTHING OPENED UP
AND WHEN I SAY EVERYTHING,
IT'S THAT, KIDS IN SCHOOL,
WELL, IT'S TRUE MOSTLY
THEY WERE BOYS
BUT EVEN THE GIRLS
PAID A LITTLE ATTENTION TO YOU
JUST BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT,
HMM, SHE'S TO BE DEALT WITH.
FOR INSTANCE, I HAD
THIS LONG WALK TO SCHOOL,
2 1/2 MILES TO SCHOOL,
2 1/2 MILES BACK.
WELL, I TELL YOU,
IT WAS JUST SHEER PLEASURE.
EVERY FELLOW HONKED HIS HORN,
YOU KNOW, AND CARS, YOU KNOW,
WORKERS DRIVING TO WORK,
WAVING, YOU KNOW,
AND I'D WAVE BACK.
I THOUGH, GEE WHAT HAPPENED?
AND I HAD SORT OF
A SWEATSHIRT ON,
I DIDN'T REALIZE THE VALUE
OF A SWEATSHIRT IN THOSE DAYS.
I MEAN,
I WAS BEGINNING TO CATCH ON
BUT I DIDN'T QUITE GET IT.
YOU KNOW,
THE WORLD BECAME FRIENDLY,
IT OPENED UP TO ME.
Man: SINCE I'M GOING
TO BE BUSY WITH A LOT OF CASES
I THOUGHT YOU MIGHT LIKE
TO TAKE A TRIP.
WHERE TO?
OH I DON'T KNOW, THE COAST,
FLORIDA, ANYWHERE YOU LIKE.
COULD I UNCLE LON, ANYWHERE,
NO FOOLIN'?
YES, I THINK A CHANGE OF SCENERY
MIGHT BE GOOD FOR YOU.
WAIT, YOU WAIT RIGHT HERE,
I'VE GOT THE MOST TERRIFIC IDEA.
Woman: I MET HER AT A PARTY
THAT WAS GIVEN FOR JOHN HOUSTON
AND SHE WAS WITH
ANOTHER PHOTOGRAPHER
WHOM I KNEW, SAM SHAW.
IMAGINE ME ON THIS BEACH HERE
IN MY GREEN BATHING SUITE,
YIPES!
Woman:
AND HE HAD SHOWN HER
A SERIES THAT I'D DONE
ON MARLENE DIETRICH,
WHICH SHE LOVED
AND SHE SAID TO ME,
IF YOU'VE DID THAT WELL
WITH MARLENE,
CAN YOU IMAGINE
WHAT YOU CAN DO WITH ME?
WE WERE TWO YOUNG WOMEN
JUST STARTING OUT
AND NEITHER ONE OF US
KNEW VERY MUCH ABOUT ERMECHIER
AND THAT BECAME A BOND WITH US.
SHE WAS SO LIVELY
AND FUNNY AND WITTY,
AND SAD TOWARD THE END.
BUT IN THE BEGINNING SUCH FUN.
AND BECAUSE NEITHER ONE OF US
KNEW VERY MUCH ABOUT OUR WORK,
WE PLAYED.
AND VERY OFTEN WE WORKED
WITHOUT SAYING ANYTHING,
WE'D SIMPLY GO AHEAD
AND SORT OF LEAD EACH OTHER
THROUGH THE LENS
AND THEN IN ALL SORTS
OF CRAZY SITUATIONS
LIKE HER WEARING
THAT BATHING SUIT,
THE LEOPARD SKIN BATHING SUIT,
LYING IN AMONG THE BULL RUSHES.
IT WAS HER IDEA,
SHE DID MANY THINGS
THAT I WOULD NOT HAVE DARED
TO ASK FOR.
THE CAMERA ADORED HER,
SHE SEDUCED THE CAMERA.
THERE WERE
SOME FOUR LETTER WORDS
SAID ABOUT THE WAY
SHE WORKED WITH THE CAMERA.
IT WAS INCREDIBLE.
BUT SHE IS WORKING
IN WAY THAT SHE LOVES,
SHE IS IN CONTROL.
SHE'S TELLING
THE CAMERA WHAT SHE WANTS,
SHE IS LETTING ME DO
WHAT I WANT TO DO
BUT IN THE MEANTIME
I'M REALLY UNDER ORDERS
FROM HER.
THAT'S THE WAY
SHE LOVED TO WORK.
LAURENCE OLIVIER SAID OF HER
THAT SHE WAS HAPPIEST
WHEN SHE WAS PLAYING
THE PART OF A MODEL.
Woman: THE REAL ENTRY TO ME
WAS GEORGE BARRIS' PHOTOGRAPHS.
BECAUSE HE HAD
THESE UNPUBLISHED PHOTOGRAPHS
AND MY PUBLISHER SUGGESTED
I WRITE THE TEXT.
BUT THAT HIT AN INTEREST
THAT WAS ALREADY PRESENT.
WHAT WAS RIVETING TO ME
ABOUT GEORGE BARRIS
WAS THAT HE DID REGARD HER
AS A PERSON.
AND HE IS A KIND MAN.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN
THAT SHE WAS ABLE TO APPEAR
AS HER TRUE SELF
IN THE PHOTOGRAPHS.
THE PHOTOGRAPHS
ARE RATHER MANNERED
AND FEMALE IMPERSONATING
AND PATHETIC AND SAD.
REALLY SHE HAD BEEN A CREATION
OF MALE MOVIE GOERS,
MOSTLY MALE PHOTOGRAPHERS,
MALE FILMMAKERS,
AND SHE HERSELF HAD ALWAYS
KIND OF SAID,
YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE
I'M A CREATION OF MEN
AND WOMEN DON'T LIKE ME.
BUT ONCE
THE WOMEN'S MOVEMENT CAME ALONG
PERHAPS WOMEN
WERE MORE ABLE TO ADMIT
THAT THEY FELT RELATED
TO HER VULNERABILITY,
RELATED TO HER BEING
A SEX OBJECT.
Monroe:
SOMETHING I'D LIKE TO JUST
SPOUT OFF ON IF I MAY.
WE ARE ALL BORN
SEXUAL CREATURES,
THANK GOD.
IT'S A PITY SO MANY PEOPLE
DESPISE AND CRUSH
THIS NATURAL GIFT.
BECAUSE ART COMES FROM THAT,
REAL ART, EVERYTHING.
WELL, I DO THINK THAT
SHE WAS AN EXTRAORDINARY PERSON.
AND I FEEL SOME VERY
OBVIOUS INTERCONNECTIONS.
SHE WAS BORN IN 1926,
THE SAME YEAR I WAS.
SHE GREW UP INFLUENCED
BY THE SAME POP CULTURE
AND THE SAME MOVIES
THAT HAD SUCH AN IMPACT ON ME.
I THINK THAT HER DREAMS
CAME FROM
THOSE IMPOSSIBLE FANTASIES
CREATED BY HOLLYWOOD.
AND BEING RAISED IN MY OWN CASE
IN A VERY CONSERVATIVE
MIDWESTERN METHODIST HOME
I ESCAPED VERY EARLY ON
INTO THE DREAMS AND FANTASIES
OF MOVIES.
AND I THINK THAT FROM HER OWN,
MUCH MORE TROUBLED CHILDHOOD,
I THINK THE SAME THING WAS TRUE,
AND I THINK SHE ESCAPED
INTO TO THOSE FANTASIES
AND THEN TOOK ON THE ROLE
THAT SHE FOLLOWED.
Monroe:
MIGHT AS WELL SAY HERE AND NOW,
I DON'T MIND
BEING GLAMOROUS AND SEXUAL.
IT IS A SPECIAL BURDEN,
BUT IT IS A BURDEN.
OWNED THE RIGHTS TO
THE MORE FAMOUS
OF THE TWO IMAGES
THAT WERE IN CALENDARS.
AND EVERYBODY HAD HEARD ABOUT IT
BUT NOBODY HAD ACTUALLY SEEN,
OR VERY FEW PEOPLE
HAD SEEN THE PHOTOS.
BECAUSE THE POST OFFICE
TOOK THE POSITION BACK THEN
THAT NUDITY WAS OBSCENE
AND YOU COULDN'T SEND IT
THROUGH THE MAIL.
SO THEY ACTUALLY
HAD AN ALTERNATIVE IMAGE
IN WHICH THEY OVERPRINTED
A BLACK LINGERIE ON THE NUDE,
THE FAMOUS NUDE PHOTO
AND THAT WAS THE ONE
THEY SENT THROUGH THE MAIL.
AND I WAS THE KID WHO BELIEVED
THAT THE POST OFFICE
DIDN'T HAVE THAT RIGHT.
SO FOR MOST OF AMERICA
WHEN WE PUBLISHED THE PICTURE
IN THE DECEMBER 1953 ISSUE,
THAT'S THE FIRST TIME THAT
MOST PEOPLE HAD SEEN IT.
WHAT MAKES THE EVENT REMARKABLE
IS NOT SIMPLY THE POSING,
IT IS HER REACTION TO IT,
HER PUBLIC REACTION TO IT.
IN THE PREVIOUS DECADE,
COULD DESTROY A CAREER.
SO IT REFLECTED SOMETHING
VERY, VERY SPECIAL
ABOUT MARILYN MONROE,
NOT ONLY IN TERMS
OF HER PHYSICAL BEAUTY
BUT WHO SHE WAS.
AND IT WAS BOTH
THE IMAGE ITSELF,
BUT ALSO HER STATEMENT
WERE A CELEBRATION OF SEXUALITY
THAT IS QUITE REMARKABLE
FOR IT'S TIME.
Woman: BEN ROSS WAS
A TERRIFIC PHOTOGRAPHER.
HE WAS A CREATIVE CURMUDGEON
AND LOTS OF PEOPLE KNEW HIM.
AND HE,
HE ALWAYS SPOKE HIS MIND.
HE DIDN'T REALLY REALIZE
WHO SHE WAS.
HE DIDN'T KNOW
MUCH ABOUT STARLETS,
HE CALLED HER A STARLET.
AND  LIFE  AND LOTS
OF THE MAGAZINES SUGGESTED,
LET'S GET A BEAT ON MONROE.
LET'S REALLY GET DOWN THERE,
LET'S GET THE SHOTS
BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS
IS GOING TO BLOSSOM INTO.
OF COURSE WE KNOW NOW.
SO SHE SHOWED UP
AT HIS HOTEL ROOM DOOR.
SHE JUST FELT TOTALLY RESTED.
IT WAS ALMOST MIDNIGHT,
MAYBE 11:30,
AND KNOCKED ON THE DOOR.
HE OPENED IT, HE WAS ASTOUNDED,
AND HE SAID, "HI."
AND SHE SAID,
"I'M READY FOR MY CLOSE-UP,
I'M READY FOR SOME PHOTOS.
"HOW ABOUT WE DO A SHOOT NOW,
JUST YOU AND ME,
JUST IN A RELAXED PLACE?"
"WHERE DO YOU WANT TO GO?"
HE SAID.
AND SHE SAID, "WELL,
HOW ABOUT THE HOTEL ROOM,
RIGHT HERE,
RIGHT WHERE YOU'RE STAYING."
AND SO THEY GOT TOGETHER,
SHE CAME IN AND HE WAS LIKE,
I DON'T KNOW
IF I HAVE ENOUGH FILM,
I DON'T KNOW
WHAT'S REALLY HAPPENING.
SO HE SAID, OKAY.
SHE JUST WENT THROUGH
THIS WHOLE GAMUT OF EMOTIONS,
FROM FEAR TO LAUGHTER.
AND THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN TICKLE LAUGHTER
AND GENTLE LAUGHTER,
AND A BIG GUFFAW LAUGHTER.
AND UM, SADNESS.
AND SHE JUST, IT WAS LIKE
A ROLLING THUNDER,
JUST, SHE JUST CHANGED
AND SAD AND SMILED AND TILTED
AND LAID DOWN ON THE CARPET
AND SMOKED.
AND HE JUST KEPT
SHOOTING AND SHOOTING.
SHE SEEMED TO RELAX
VERY LATE IN THE DAY
AND MAYBE
THAT'S WHY SHE WAS LATE.
SHE WAS NOT AN EARLY PERSON.
SHE STARTED HER DAY,
11:00 P.M.
SEEMED REALLY GOOD FOR HER.
♪ I GOT A FEVER ♪
♪ AN INFLAMMATION,
THAT'S WHAT I GOT ♪
♪ YOU TURN THE HEAT ON ME ♪
♪ SOME LIKE IT HOT ♪
Woman:
PHILLIPE FIRST MET MARILYN
WHEN HE WAS PHOTOGRAPHING
A STORY FOR  LIFE  MAGAZINE.
AND HE HAD TO PHOTOGLIFE  MA.
AND HE HAD TO PHOTOGRAPH
FIVE YOUNG STARLETS,
SHOWING DIFFERENT ASPECTS
OF ACTING.
ONE WAS DRINKING
THE MOST DELICIOUS DRINK.
FEARING
THE MOST OUTRAGEOUS MONSTER.
HUGGING
THE MOST WONDERFUL LOVER.
GUESS WHICH ONE
MARILYN EXCELLED AT?
HERE'S THE BUNCH OF STARLETS,
AS YOU CAN SEE SHE JUST
STANDS OUT LIKE A CANDLE.
IT WAS ALMOST LIKE
PHILLIPE DISCOVERED HER.
[ MUSIC PLAYS ]
♪ LOOK WHAT YOU STARTED,
A CONFLAGRATION ♪
♪ BABY, THAT'S WHAT ♪
Halsman: PHILLIPE WAS
VERY INTERESTED IN PSYCHOLOGY
AND HE NOTICED THAT EACH PERSON
JUMPED IN CHARACTER.
SOME VIVACIOUS,
SOME, YOU KNOW, SHY.
AND HE DECIDED
TO TRY IT WITH EVERY,
WITH ALL THE PEOPLE
THAT HE PHOTOGRAPHED,
EVEN INCLUDING NIXON,
THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF WINDSOR
AND HE ASKED MARILYN,
WOULD YOU JUMP FOR ME?
AND HE SAID, ARE YOU SURE
YOU EXPRESSED YOURSELF?
AND SHE LOOKED IN SHOCK,
SHE SAID, YOU MEAN THIS IS GOING
TO REVEAL ME?
AND SHE WAS PANIC-STRICKEN.
♪ BABY, I LIKE IT HOT ♪
"DESPITE HER WIT, SHE WAS NOT
OVERBEARINGLY BRIGHT.
"AND IF INTELLECTUAL ABILITY
"IS COMPARABLE
TO WEIGHT-LIFTING,
"SHE LIFTED NO WEIGHT.
"SHE HAD INTELLIGENCE,
"AN ARTIST'S INTELLIGENCE,
"AND HER TASTE
BY THE END OF HER CAREER
"WAS CLOSE TO SUPERB.
"SHE MUST HAVE HAD
A PROFOUND SENSE
OF WHAT WAS WHOLE IN PEOPLE
AND WHAT WAS FALSE."
Woman: IT HAPPENED
AT THE  LOOK  OFFICES.
MILTON GREENE WAS SO SECURE
THAT HE WAS
THE ONLY PHOTOGRAPHER
TO LEAVE  LIFE  MAGAZINE
AND GO TO WORK FOR  LOOK.
AND HIS FIRST ASSIGNMENT
WAS TO DO
A HOLLYWOOD CHRISTMAS ISSUE.
AND MARILYN HAD HEARD SO MUCH
ABOUT MILTON GREENE,
MILTON GREENE, MILTON GREENE,
THAT SHE EXPECTED
AN OLDER GENTLEMAN.
AND HE WAS THEN
32 AND GORGEOUS.
I MEAN, JUST LOOKED LIKE
JOHN GARFIELD,
TO DIE, TO PLOTZ.
Man: MARILYN, TELL ME
HOW DID YOU THREE MEET?
I MET THEM IN CALIFORNIA.
I REALLY
MET MILTON FIRST.
I WAS WORKING ON A SET
IN HOLLYWOOD.
THE  LOOK  WRITERS
CAME OVER TO THE SET
ONE DAY.
AND ASKED ME
IF I'D LIKE TO LOOK
AT SOME PICTURES IN A PORTFOLIO.
AND I SAID YES, I'D LIKE TO.
AND I SAW THE MOST BEAUTIFUL
PICTURES I'D EVER SEEN.
AND I SAID I'D LIKE
FOR THIS PHOTOGRAPHER
TO PHOTOGRAPH ME.
AND HE SAYS,
WELL HERE HE IS.
AND I TURNED AND LOOKED
AND SAID, BUT HE'S JUST A BOY.
[ LAUGHTER ]
Man: AND WHAT DID YOU
HAVE TO SAY TO THAT MILTON?
WELL,
SHE'S JUST A GIRL.
Amy Greene: THE FOUR YEARS
SHE SPENT WITH US
WERE HER GOLDEN YEARS.
MILTON WAS THE ONE
THAT SPARKED HER IMAGINATION.
SHE TRUSTED HIM COMPLETELY
