Seven - minus one - days of.. ..Marilyn Monroe (5)

Here we are.. it's the new issue of my mini series Seven - minus one - days of.. ..Marilyn Monroe. 

As I promised - here is my list of favourite leading men of Marilyn Monroe - with my favourite partner of hers as the last one named in this list.. I have not yet seen all of her films so some men might just be missing here - others I simply do not like too much.. - the higher the ranking the closer these actors are in my favour.. I had a hard time to decide:

~ this post is also part of my series: L'amour - l'amour.. ~

The honourably mentioned: Jack Lemmon in SOME LIKE IT HOT (USA, 1959) and Don Murray in BUS STOP (USA, 1956) - like them both.. but still... Well.. Don Murray almost made it to the list - I can confess that..

11. Okay.. there actually might have been a top ranking for Robert Mitchum who was her partner in RIVER OF NO RETURN (USA, 1954).. I really like him very much and I think they were great together.. - but still there is one scene in this film which really puts me off.. I am not ok with men forcing women. Period. I love the fact that Robert Mitchum actually knew her before she became Marilyn Monroe since he was a co-worker and friend of her husband James Dougherty when she was "plain" brunette Norma Jean.. But still.. I cannot get over that scene - so (although his character besides that in this film is adorable..) he has to stand back - he only made it to the list because he IS Robert Mitchum.

~ I love this picture of Marilyn Monroe and Robert Mitchum ~

10. Laurence Olivier.. I love THE PRINCE AND THE SHOWGIRL (UK/USA, 1957) - and though they might have been not too easy together I think they are one of the most funny film couples ever..

~ yes.. I am simply in love with that dress.. ~

9. Also I liked Donald O'Connor as her partner in THERE'S NO BUSINESS LIKE SHOWBUSINESS. I think he was very likeable..

~ another costume I just adore.. ~

8. After that I pick Richard Widmark who was her leading man in DON'T BOTHER TO KNOCK. I like his performance in that film very much..

7. George Sanders - they worked together in ALL ABOUT EVE (USA, 1950).. Highly attractive man, very witty and a bit dangerous.. What more can I say?

6. and 5. Though they might not play first fiddle in MISFITS (USA, 1961) Montgomery Clift and Eli Wallach are for sure some of my favourite actors to star with Marilyn Monroe. Actually I cannot get over Roslyn going for Clark Gable instead of Eli Wallach - or well.. Montgomery Clift.. (Though I would have chosen Eli Wallach - or... Montgomery Clift?? .. Mr. Wallach's character is rather nasty and unfair at one point in this film.. - but after all we all have those weak moments.. ... I would really be in trouble here..)

4. I like Joseph Cotten very, very much and he and Marilyn Monroe were great together in one of my favourite films of her: NIAGARA (USA, 1953) - so of course he ranks pretty high in this list..

~ this yawn is for sure not related to the fact she is sitting next to Joseph Cotten..  ~

3. Tom Ewell in THE SEVEN YEAR ITCH (USA, 1955) - just because he is so unbelievable funny.. I love this man..

~ Love that dress.. apparently Tom Ewell does, too.. ~

2. Louis Calhern who was "her man" in ASPHALT JUNGLE (USA, 1950). I really adore him - and find him quite attractive.. He is one of my top favourite actors - so this is not actually a surprise..

1. My favourite leading man is an actor who is actually one of my highest ranked top favourite actors.. I think he is one of the most handsome and talented you can find.. He worked four times with Marilyn Monroe - though they were not always a couple - and actually were not even in a scene together in one of those films - though they were in the same episode of this episode movie - of course I am talking about the fabulous David Wayne. 

As for the actor I would have loved to see staring with Marilyn Monroe - that would have been another of my altime favourites: Marlon Brando. I am sure they would have been divine together - she so very female and he so very, very male.. Well.. I can dream about that.. At least they had this long going love affair.. And I just love the idea of them being kind of a couple..

Thank you very much for your visit!

Yours

Irene

Seven - minus one - days of.. ..Marilyn Monroe (4)

Almosts done with my mini series Seven - minus one - days of.. ..Marilyn Monroe..

It's Saturday.. So - we will be Swinging with a star...

I think my favourite song sung by Marilyn Monroe is 

DOWN IN THE MEADOW by  Ken Darby and Lionel Newman. 

She sings it in RIVER OF NO RETURN (1954) by Otto Preminger and Jean Negulesco ..

Hope you like it, too:

 

Thank you very much for listening!

Irene

Seven - minus one - days of.. ..Marilyn Monroe (3)

Welcome to a new issue of

Seven - minus one - days of.. ..Marilyn Monroe!!

And: 

Yay it's Monday again!! .

... 

what??

...

"yay"??

... 

??? 

yes.. Since Mondays are a real challenge for so many people - on this blog I have a series called Start with a smile -  posting pictures which show people having fun - or simply making me smile.. I like people smiling.. 

And here is some nice idea for the coming week - illustrated by my guest Marilyn Monroe..

Because we all need a hug at times.. 

(I am actually needing one right now, too...)

But have Marilyn Monroe and Susan Strasberg showing you some ideas on how to hug:

This one is my favourite:

Thank you very much for visiting!

I do hope you all have someone to hug!

Have a nice start into your week!

Irene

Seven - minus one - days of.. ..Marilyn Monroe (2)

Since I am doing this series of Seven - minus one - days of.. ..Marilyn Monroe I want of course to talk about her costumes.. 

And since I have also a series called Perfectly Peachy on this blog dealing with my fashion idols - well.. I actually did just one post tagged with this label - and if you hear that the other style icon of mine is a Hungarian Mouse by the name of Bianca you might wonder about my style.. Nevertheless these series just fit into each other here today..

When it comes to costumes in Marilyn Monroe films I think I will go with one of my favourite films of hers.. No.. Two of my favourite films of hers as examples:

NIAGARA (USA, 1953) by Henry Hathaway and THE MISFITS (USA, 1961) by John Huston.  I love the clothes she is wearing in those films... And I will talk just about the costumes.. 

Especially NIAGARA might be my favourite film when it comes to shoes.. Oh.. please! Who of you is surprised to learn that I have a very soft spot for heels?? So of course I will watch out for nice shoes in movies.. I like the style of 1940s and 1950s shoes best just by the way.. And I also love nice negligees, lingerie and stockings.. - like these:

So back to these films.. I actually would love to have all of the costumes Marilyn Monroe wore in these flicks.. I simply adore every single piece. 

In NIAGARA Marilyn Monroe wore some really classy costumes.. And if you look carefully you can spot a little golden anklet - a chain on her ankle - she is wearing.. I love those.. Hers had actually two little golden pendants in shape of little hearts. 

One of my favourite costumes in this film is her black skirt with a white blouse and a red jacket.. 

~ see those shoes??? I love them!! ~

and then her white skirt with a red top:

~ simple - yet sexy.. ~

and I also love the black costume she wears in her last scenes.. 

~ very classy - and again my favourite shoes.. ~

But after all I love all her costumes here..

~ very elegant - right?
And again: please mind the heels! I love those, too!! ~

And for THE MISFITS:

My favourites are of course  - the beautiful black dress:

Then there is this lovely outfit with jeans and a short white blouse - I love that one, too..

I also like this combination of a really pretty blouse and blue jeans 

- I am actually not that fond of the boots.. 

And of course the famous cherry dress... 

Well.. I guess I better stop here..

What? You didn't see the anklet I was talking about??

Mhm..

Have another look:

~ see: there next to the one strap.. ??~

Thank you very much for visiting

Irene

(who actually owns one similar outfit to the ones Marilyn Monroe wore in NIAGARA - just look:) 

Fresh from cinema.. ..Brave

So.. Wednesday I met my sister and her boy-friend and we went to the movies to watch a film we were waiting for since... well... a long time...

Here it is:

BRAVE (USA, 2011) by  Mark Andrews, Brenda Chapman and Steve Purcell

In a nut-shell:

10th Century, in the Highlands of Scotland: Merida (spoken by my beloved Kelly MacDonald) - daughter of King Fergus (great Billy Connolly) and Queen Elinor (yay for Emma Thompson) - is not too pleased that she   - according to her mother - shall behave more lady-like and interest less in archery. And what is worst: Now the sons of three Lords of other Clans are supposed to fight for her hand in marriage - but Merida (really not keen to be married to one of those just because of an old tradition) hopes that a little bit a magic can help her with her stubborn mother - but sometimes a little change can wake a beast also in the most refined woman.. 

This is a film for fans of...

... Scottish accents

... bears

... brave heroines

... feminist fairytales

... wood carving

Since this is a Disney Pixar film you will also be seeing a little short film.. LA LUNA - which is quite nice.. Well.. I was told it is - actually just the moment it started I found a really wonderful text message on my mobile phone - and wrote a long answer to it - just to find out that there was no net working in cinema (surprise.. surprise..) - I am aware that this isn't actually professional when it comes to film critics.. but well.. ANYONE is actually paying me for this.. so: I will do what I want.. - just btw. my phone was completely mute no one was disturbed.. And again: it was a wonderful message...

- Anyway: I saw parts of this short film and it looked rather nice..

BRAVE has several references to Steve Jobs (who was quite important to Pixar and who co-founded the computer firm Apple) - you just have to look and listen: There are sources saying that Merida trying to eat an apple and being interrupted in doing so is by several critics called a reference to the firm Apple - but well.. I don't know about that.. Could be just as good an "easy-to-design-for-an-animations-film"-fruit... But I think that there is a Lord MacIntosh might be no accident..

~ Lords MacIntosh, MacGuffin and Dingwall.. ~

Hitchcock fans will be smiling when they learn that there is one Clan Leader by the name of MacGuffin.. ...

~ King Fergus and Queen Elinor...
- I adore that green dress.. ~

My sister and I agreed on Queen Elinor looking a lot like our mother.. and we were amazed that Merida wore a dress similar to one my sister owns.. (My siblings and their friends are active in medieval re-enactment groups..)

~ I love this poster.. it's so much "Jugendstil"/Art Nouveau.. ~

Of course history fans will notice that there are slight factual errors in this flick.. But besides: We just loved this film.. We had really great fun - it was hilarious and quite exciting - and: yes.. poor little me got teary eyed..

All we ever saw of this film before watching it in cinema was this clip.. and it was enough for us to decide to see the whole movie:



I think you might like to have a bit more info - well that is.. more pictures..:

 

Give this 100 minutes of film a try anyway - because even the shyest of girls can be very brave - I ought to know... And maybe you'd like to stay untill the end of the film.. a cute little scene follows the credits.. If you don't stay.. well.. no harm done either..

Thank you for escorting me to the movies!

Yours

Irene

Seven - minus one - days of.. ..Marilyn Monroe

As you will know tomorrow is the 50th anniversary of Marilyn Monroe's death. And though I'd like to remember her on every day of the year and not "just because it's her anniversary or her birthday" and blogland and all other media will be full of bits and pieces about her I will do my share, too.. You know that I either totally refuse on doing what all people do - or just carry it to excess.. So of course on this blog it'll be six posts about Marilyn Monroe.. 

So.. for a starter it might be reasonable to tell you why I love Marilyn Monroe so much. I actually own at least 11 books about her of which most of course are illustrated books.. And: yes, she is one of my favourite persons ever - which is not so much based in her acting ability but more in what I think was her personality and where we do resemble each other.. - Oh, come on! We all like people because they have something in common with us.. - or because we think we can sense kind of a resemblance.. Here are some things I like about Marilyn Monroe and what makes me love her so much:

1. For me it is in first place that I can totally relate to her feeling of being uncertain, unsafe and doubtful. That is not nice - especially when you're living in a world that asks for tough persons -  and it sure affects the way you're acting towards people.. No wonder that she was called "difficult"... This excessive vulnerability is something we have in common - and even if it is egocentric to love her because of that - I am honest. That's the way it is. I simply feel like we were sisters in mind.. Knowing she was having the same troubles makes me feel less lonely.. Besides that: many of the characters she would play in her career are a lot like me in several aspects - but I think I will talk about that later..

2. Of course: she is a style icon to me.. No wonder since I am a fan of 1940s to 1950s fashion - and we both are not actually built like sticks.. I will do a post on that topic too, of course. Her costumes - not the "not built like sticks"-bit.. For now I can say that though I am not at all copying her style and way of dressing since I am no Marilyn Monroe impersonator - I get much inspiration from her.

3. She loved animals. Enough said. You like animals? I am most likely going to like you. It's easy as that with me. 

4. She wanted to please people. It was important to her that people were happy - and so am I, too..

5. She was an avid reader - and several of the books she read were classics - though she took also some interest into other topics - she was eager to learn stuff and broaden her horizon -  and yes.. I like that.

Well.. That'll be that for the moment.. I am working on a post about my favourite leading men of hers, too.. Actually I have several ideas for posts right now.. I'll see which ideas will live to see the dawn of the day.. Tomorrow I won't post about her - I leave that to other blogs.. 

Thank you very much for your visit!

Irene