Marilyn Monroe gets "Masters" treatment at PBS

By Marilyn Moss
Tue Jul 18, 6:15 PM ET

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Marilyn Monroe gets more iconic by
the minute -- or by the documentary, which is the same as by the
minute.

In this very watchable but sometimes overly self-important installment
of PBS' "American Masters," she gets full-blown, culturally urgent

ambrose88...

Speaking of "overly self-important," Norman Mailer was one of the
commentators and once again proved that one can be a good writer and a
complete ass at the same time. He said he was miffed that Arthur Miller
didn't invite him over for dinner because it denied him a chance to
steal Marilyn Monroe away.

I becoming more convinced that self-focused people are completely out
of touch with normative social behavior.

TBerk...

Didn't you think that was given w/ a wink & a nod though?

ambrose88...

I thought he was completely serious. He's been married at least six
times.

I do agree that it was interesting to hear from the photographers who
were "on the ground."

The thing as made was interesting although from time to time I flipped
channels and returned a bit later.

I found the interviews withthe photographers a good documtation by the
actual people 'on the ground' so to speak, I'm glad they got on camera
before too many more had passed away.

One day MM's b-day will hit on One Hundred, what will the young ones
think of her?

treatment as an American icon. But to say that she is or was an
American Master is iffy at best. Still, as these documentaries go, the
subject, in this case Monroe, gets crucially (and masterfully)
important because those who discuss her deem her so. That's how it goes
with being or becoming an icon: You're one because those who do the
public talking decide that you are.

The 60-minute documentary directed by Gail Levin summons many (so many)
photos from those who took pictures of Monroe. These are coupled with
some onscreen interviews with Hugh Hefner, Arnold Newman, Phil Stern
and others who knew the actress, and they add much data to the already
fully packed cultural archive that exists on Monroe. But the most
fascinating aspect of this look at the woman who would now be 80 years
old is the notion of how fragile, and agile, public discussion can be.
A documentary like this can make Marilyn Monroe stand in the same space
as, say, a Richard Rodgers, a Walt Whitman, even a Sam Clemens. Is this
possible? Maybe it is, and maybe it isn't.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter

azindn...

I thought the "masters" was the emphasis on the photographers who
worked with the subject -- MM.
That was the more interesting discussion in the production. "I remember
Marilyn" was more effective coming from the mouths of those who
interpreted her through the camera lens. They were/are the artists.