It's difficult to imagine the legendary Hollywood sex symbol with any wrinkles--let alone 25 years of AARP eligibility. As one of the most celebrated female celebrities of all time, Monroe never made it past 36, her age when she died of a drug overdose in August 1962.
But on the 75th anniversary of her birth, some are imagining what might have been for the starlet-turned-cultural icon, had she lived to celebrate the occasion. What she could have become is anyone's guess: A mature actress, a doting grandmother or an eccentric recluse.
Others, meanwhile, are focusing on the life she did lead. On Friday night at 8 p.m., American Movie Classics will premiere a new documentary, Marilyn Monroe: The Final Days, about the film she never completed.
For the first time, AMC will present an edited, 37-minute reconstruction of Monroe's final film, Something's Got to Give. Plagued by illness, instability and absences from the set during more than half of the 30-day shoot, Monroe was fired from the film just three months before her death.
Because of Monroe's absence, much of the footage is of her costars, Dean Martin and Cyd Charisse. But the documentary, narrated by James Coburn, does include some never-before-seen footage, production stills and her now legendary skinny-dipping scene.
The film, directed by George Cukor, never got made. The Final Days also examines her battles with Cukor, as well as what led to her dismissal, including an interview with Monroe's personal physician, Dr. Hyman Engelberg, who speaks about her chemical dependency and emotional instability.
But while Something's Got to Give provides a glimpse of Monroe's final work, the films that made her an icon are being released for her 75th anniversary. Twentieth Century Fox has released The Diamond Collection, a DVD collection of five films released between 1953 and 1956, including classics like The Seven Year Itch, How to Marry a Millionaire and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. The set also includes the AMC documentary.
Critics, however, say some of Monroe's best work can be found in Billy Wilder's classic 1959 romp, Some Like It Hot--which also has been released in a special edition DVD by MGM. Costarring Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis, the new version of the comedy features its own collection of never-before-seen Monroe photos and an interview with Curtis.
Meanwhile, Monroe memorabilia will go on display at the Hollywood Entertainment Museum Friday for "Happy Birthday, Marilyn," an exhibition of more than 200 Monroe artifacts, costumes, art and photographs.