Today marks the 87th anniversary of Marilyn Monroe’s birth. Monroe is principally remembered and known as an icon, a sex symbol whose image remains ageless – a paragon of movie star forever frozen in time.

Lest we forget that she was also an actress who in spite of the circus that would accompany her throughout her life, by all accounts wanted to be taken seriously as an actress. The following are a list of films that I rank among her best performances (sorted by date released).

• All About Eve (1950): a small yet memorable role.
• Don’t Bother to Knock  (1952): check out my previous post.
• Seven Year Itch (1955): it is a signature performance with many unforgettable scenes that played perfectly well with Monroe’s image (the first of her collaborations with co-writer/director Billy Wilder).
• Bus Stop (1956): this film provided me with the opportunity to see her true acting range.
• Some Like It Hot (1959): this film is so well executed; this screwball comedy is elevated by Billy Wilder’s writing and bolstered by the performances of all the cast.

You may be wondering – why isn’t a film like The Misfits or Gentlemen Prefer Blondes on the list? Well, the answer is simple – I HAVE NOT SEEN THEM. Yeah I know that is a sacrilege, but frankly there are not enough hours in the day for me to see all (I wish there were) …

Anyway, what are some of your favorite Marilyn Monroe films? Please share 🙂