The Paper • Page 6 • December 01, 2016
Marilyn Monroe Came to Town Cont. from Page 5
cially during press conferences. It was no misfortune when her shoulder straps suddenly snapped, momentarily exposing her ample cleavage in full-view of the international press corps. It was great ‘copy’ for the newspapers. And television news stations had their ‘tease story’ for the day. And she never missed a golden opportunity. She exploited her sexsymbol image at every turn. Once, when acting as Grand Marshal at the Miss America Pageant parade, while wearing a revealing dress, she leaned over to whisper to gossip columnist, Earl Wilson, that she normally does not wear any underwear. She had it down to a science.
She even rehearsed her walk so that those viewing her from behind would experience heart palpitations. According to academic, Sarah Churchwell, author of “The Many Lives of Marilyn Monroe,” Marilyn’s walk in the movie Niagara, was “One of the most overtly sexual scenes.” The 30-second-long walk of Marilyn which was shot from behind with her hips swaying, had such a powerful visual impact that it was shamelessly – but successfully -- used in the film’s marketing. The lofty New York Times chimed in, “She can be seductive – even when she walks.” Even film scholar, Richard Dyer, noted her distinctive hip-swinging walk, earning her the sobriquet, “The girl with the horizontal walk.”
Local News Cont. from Page 4
However, nothing can improve on the imagery conjured up by Jack Lemmon’s character, Daphne, in Some Like It Hot: “Look at that, Joe! Look how she moves. That’s just like Jell0 on springs.” The total package came to town. The Marilyn Monroe mystique, and actress, which arrived at the worldfamous Hotel Del Coronado would unfurl in her completeness. At the Hotel Del she would surrender her lines and seek the approbation of her acting coach, Paula Strasberg, who sat daily on the set of Some Like It Hot. After each scene when director, Billy Wilder yelled “cut!” Marilyn would quickly turn to coach, Paula Strasberg, for her approval. If Strasberg gave a disapproving, chagrined look at Marilyn, then Marilyn would insist that Wilder re-shoot the scene all over again, and as many times over, until Strasberg was satisfied.
The Marilyn Monroe-Paula Strasberg ordeal exasperated director Wilder especially if he liked the scene but was over-ruled by Strasberg, who sat Buddha-like as the immovable and irrevocable judge. As co-star, Tony Curtis, remembers, “She (Marilyn Monroe) would do a shot, then she wouldn’t look at Billy Wilder the director, she’d immediately look in the direction of Paula Strasberg, her acting coach.” Billy Wilder had his fill and would obliquely make his presence known, through an act of outright sarcasm, and serve notice that the MonroeStrasberg game was up. As Curtis
further explains, “And Billy Wilder caught on as Paula would nod her head in approval. So, right in the middle of a scene, once he (Wilder) said “cut,” he’d immediately say ‘How was that for you, Paula?’”
From that day onward, Wilder would call the shots good or bad, albeit with much contention coming from Marilyn herself. Marilyn, of and by herself, would prove more than a handful. The overall experience left director Billy Wilder a total mental wreck. “We were in midflight, and there was a nut on the plane,” he would say with intense exasperation. The San Diego movie connection with Marilyn Monroe would prove a war zone of sorts. Marilyn’s husband, Arthur Miller, blamed Some Like It Hot director Billy Wilder for Marilyn’s second miscarriage. Wilder shot back a telegram, “Had you dear Arthur been not her husband but her writer and director, and been subjected to all the indignities I was, you would have thrown her out on her can, thermos bottle and all, to avoid a nervous breakdown. I did the braver thing. I had a nervous breakdown!” In turn, Marilyn ultimately blamed husband Miller for her miscarriage.
Monroe’s post Coronado life would quickly decline after she left San Diego in 1958.
The Monroe-Miller union was, since the beginning, ill-conceived. In time, Marilyn would accidentally come upon her husband’s open notebook. The contents would nearly destroy her, emotionally. In the notebook,
Miller expressed great fear that he would decline as a writer because of his association with Marilyn’s pitiful and widely-publicized decadent life of drugs, overdoses, and hospital stays. He regretted ever having married her. Further destruction was found in Miller’s words that, “The only one I will ever love is my daughter,” all of which a crushed Marilyn shared with her closest friends. She would soon divorce third and final husband, Arthur Miller, on January 24, 1961, after a turbulent marriage which lasted less than 4 ½ years, barely edging out the longevity of her first marriage to James Dougherty, which lasted four years and 3 months. (Her second marriage to famed baseball player, Joe DiMaggio, was a swift 9 months in its duration.)
Weeks after her divorce from Arthur Miller, Marilyn would be committed to a mental hospital in February of 1961. Her personal letters offer a nightmarish sight-and-sound experience within the Payne Whitley Psychiatric Clinic where she spent a hellish four days locked in a padded cell. The terrifying and degrading experience was captured on six handwritten pages which remained hidden amongst a collection of 200 of her most personal diary entries. Her fall from world’s most adored sex symbol to debased mental patient was anguish beyond words.
Marilyn Monroe Came to Town Cont. on Page 7
dogs and get them into our control.”
Once they are in custody, authorities will look the dogs over for evidence that could link them to the horse mauling.
Teri Figueroa, of the Union Tribune reports that the owner has had previous problems with his dogs getting loose. In 2015, he relinquished a pit bull to the Humane Society after the dog had repeatedly gotten free — escapes that had generated multiple complaints. The agency worked with the dog for several weeks, but could not quash the escape attempts. The animal was thus not a candidate for adoption, and was euthanized. It had no record of attacks. Some time after that, the dog owner — who still had one pit bull, a male — got another pit bull, a female. Those are the two dogs suspected of mauling the horse. Typically, when dogs are together, one of them takes the lead. The alpha dog in the horse mauling appears to be the male dog.
Anyone who believes they have spotted the pair can call the Humane Society dispatch line from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. at (619) 243-3466. After hours, contact the sheriff ’s department. At press time, the Humane Society said they still had not definitively identifed the two pit bulls in question as the two that attached the horse but the invesigation is continuing.
They report the owner of the put bulls is cooperating with law enforcement in their investigation.
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Reflecting on Our Many Blessings
In this season of Thanksgiving, we Americans have a great deal to be thankful for. God's blessings and gifts are all around us, even when we may not notice them. Our nation is founded on the rule of law, with checks and balances that guarantee our Godgiven freedoms are protected. Our peaceful elections and lawful transfer of power remain the envy of the world.
We should also be thankful that we are among the most generous people on earth. Just a quick look around the 75th Assembly District provides multiple examples of our giving, supportive nature. Solutions for Change, which seeks to provide families in need with a permanent solution for homelessness, is one outstanding example. The Elizabeth Hospice, the oldest and largest nonprofit hospice
and palliative care provider for children and adults in San Diego County, has served the needs of thousands of San Diego County families for almost 40 years. Groups serving our veterans include the Veterans Association of North County, which provides job placement services, education, training and counseling for all North County veterans, and Homes for Our Troops, which builds mortgage-free, specially designed homes for our nation’s most severely injured veterans. And there are so many other organizations helping people every day here in North County. When we give thanks to our Creator for the many blessings bestowed upon us as free human beings, we should also remember the many outstanding individuals, businesses and charitable institutions that reach out to those in need throughout this region. It’s an honor to serve such outstanding people in the California Legislature.