This is another of my favourite books, written by Norman Rosten and Sam Shaw who were two of Marilyn’s closest friends. Aside from the beautiful images, we get a fascinating insight into Marilyn’s life in New York and her attendance at the Actors Studio, during those heady days of the mid to late 50’s when Marilyn was trying to distance herself from the sex-symbol image created by Hollywood.
Sam Shaw became famous in the Forties for his documentary studies in the United States. He submitted prestigious covers for Life and Look magazine in the Fifties. He entered the cinema with his extraordinary portrait of Marlon Brando in “a Streetcar Named Desire”.In 1951 a newcomer caught his attention, Marilyn Monroe. He followed her career, fascinated by her & jumped at the chance to work with her, modelling this dream creature into a “Goddess” but also revealing her natural charm and beauty.
As an adviser to Billy Wilder in the film “The Seven Year Itch” he suggested the famous sequence of the skirt raised by the hot air at the Subway in Lexington Avenue, resulting in one of the most famous and iconic images of the twentieth Century and film history.At about this time Marilyn had decided to move to New York and start a new life and it was here she was introduced to poet and writer Norman Rosten, also a friend of Shaw’s and Arthur Miller’s.
Norman and his wife Hedda would become close to Marilyn over the last seven years of her life. He also wrote an acclaimed book, 1973’s, “Marilyn: An Untold Story,” an intimate look at Marilyn during those years. Many years later, he wrote the libretto for “Marilyn,” Ezra Laderman’s opera about the actress, presented by the New York City Opera in 1993. Rosten also wrote the screenplay for Sidney Lumet’s 1962 film of Mr. Miller’s play “A View from the Bridge.”
Sam Shaw wrote one of the early books on Marilyn called “the Girl” as a tie in with “The Seven Year Itch” movie. And in the 70’s published a series of books (In the Camera Eye) on stars like Brando and Sophia Loren and The Joy Of Marilyn, his second book on Monroe.
There would be more Marilyn books as time went on.It was 1987’s Marilyn Among Friends that the two friends would unite to write about their old friend and the result is an insight into their experiences with Marilyn in words and a wide range of photos, Marilyn working, relaxing, with her family and friends. An essential book for every Marilyn collection.
By Fraser Penney
