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Dangerous Years (1947)
Monroe’s first released movie, in which she plays a bit part as a waitress in a restaurant in this emotionally convoluted drama. She’s spunky and fun to watch, but the role doesn’t exactly showcase any of the “It” factor that signaled to audiences they were witnessing a star in the making. Still, it is fascinating as a study of Monroe’s evolution from the fresh-faced, downright adorable girl in Dangerous Years to the pillow-lipped blonde vixen she’d establish herself as later. -
The Fireball (1950)
One important aspect of classic Hollywood’s studio system, which was in its twilight as Monroe rose to stardom, is the sheer breadth of work actors were forced to do by the demanding contracts their studios locked them into. A lot of stars, even the greatest among them, have a lot of minor appearances in forgettable work, particularly at the very beginning of their careers. -
There's No Business Like Show Business(1954)
There’s No Business Like Show Business typifies a kind of glitzy mid-century comedy-musical that no longer gets made. It’s an ensemble through and through, including heavyweights like Donald O’Connor, who considered this his best work. Monroe understandably balked at having to place her enchanting but not technically proficient skills as a singer-dancer against such legends of the field. Still, there’s something compelling about Monroe that immediately draws your eye. -
The Seven Year Itch(1955)
The first time writer-director Billy Wilder worked with Marilyn Monroe, he created one of the indelible images of her career that has gone on to be the stuff of legend. Walking out of the theater with Tom Ewell’s Richard Sherman — an executive whose imagination hits overdrive when his family leaves town — Monroe stops atop the subway grates, letting her iconic, cream-colored dress billow around her. She seems utterly naive about her own sexual charge or how Richard leers at her. -
Let's Make Love(1960)
There’s no way around it: Let’s Make Love is a mess. The film’s troubled production history is evident onscreen. It’s a shame, since putting together director George Cukor (known for films like The Women and A Star is Born) and Monroe should have been a good pairing, considering how adept he was at charting and respecting the emotional realities of women