Saturday 25 August 2012

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

8 comments:

  1. I love the yawn picture, never seen this before! Even Hollywood stars are just normal people :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes.. one of my favourites, too! Jock Carroll made some really awesome photos during the filming of NIAGARA - one of my favourite picture books about Marilyn Monroe contains most of them: MARILYN -THE NIAGARA PHOTOGRAPHS (Stoddard Publishing, 1996)

      Delete
  2. I also love this picture of Marilyn Monroe and Robert Mitchum.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cool, Dawn! Yes.. a very nice and casual pic.. It's great! :")

      Delete
  3. What an interesting list, Irene. And a surprise #1! I never would have picked him and didn't see him coming, but I think you make a strong argument. Your blog also made me wonder if MM herself was asked to make a list like this--who would *she* have chosen???

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. oh my.. sorry, Martin! Somehow I missed your comment! I am deeply sorry!! Marilyn Monroe wrote several lists at least one of with which actors she would like to work with.. whether there excist one list where she named her favourites of those she already did work with.. I do not know.. ;")

      Delete
  4. What an amazing list you have compiled Irene! I can't argue any of those choices. Excellent!

    ReplyDelete

I really appreciate your comments - I'll read them all and if I can think of an answer I'll post it. :")