Marilyn Monroe was, and still remains, one of Hollywood’s most iconic stars.
And at the end of this month, Netflix will release the long awaited movie “Blonde,” starring Ana De Armas. “Blonde” tells the tale of Monroe and the dark side of her life in the movie industry.
But that’s exactly what this movie is: a tale, a fictionalized account. “Blonde” takes massive liberties with its story and how it portrays Monroe and her life, so why is it being praised so highly?
During its premiere at the Venice Film Festival, the movie received a 14-minute standing ovation because of De Armas’s brilliant acting. Additionally, several other critics praised De Armas for her dedicated commitment to the role and bringing Monroe to life with her performance.
However, that doesn’t excuse the disrespect “Blonde” shows towards Monroe.
The mistreatment and abuse Monroe faced from others in Hollywood was extreme. She was heavily sexualized and was only placed in stereotypical, bombshell roles, like in the 1953 films “Niagara” and “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes”. Although “Blonde” attempts to showcase that Monroe was more than just a sex symbol, the graphic and dramaticized portrayals of abuse, assault and mental health struggles are tasteless and inconsiderate to the actual struggles Monroe faced.
Instead of showcasing Monroe’s character, the movie only highlights the vile and tragic aspects of her past—and it does so in a dehumanizing, sexual way.
Additionally, the movie even fabricates assault scenes.
In “Blonde,” there’s a brutal scene of former president JFK raping Monroe, however, there’s no record or proof of this incident ever happening to Monroe.
As a result of these controversies, the movie has received tremendous backlash from the public, especially on social media. Many users are criticizing the movie for fabricating violent incidents and scenes without providing any real nuance.
Junior Myra Webb agrees with these criticisms. “I think it’s very disrespectful that the movie doesn’t even try to acknowledge other aspects of Monroe. And falsifying traumatic scenes is highly inappropriate and inconsiderate of all Monroe went through during her time,” Webb stated.
Throughout her life, Monroe was exploited by those around her, and “Blonde” is just another instance of that. Under the guise of a biopic, the film weaves a twisted and dark tale at the expense of Monroe’s tragic past.
However, “Blonde” isn’t the only movie that portrays women through an objectifying lens.
High schooler Vidya Kasichainula acknowledges that, despite female representation growing, Hollywood still has a long way to go with providing proper representation. “Although it [Hollywood] has changed, the fossils left behind from decades of unsolicited sexualization are still visible. Women are constantly forced into a box of conformity no matter where they go. While I do think the movie industry has shifted to accommodate women more than it used to, there is still much to be done about the types of characters who are written for women” Kasichainula stated.
Although Hollywood has progressed since Monroe’s time, movies like “Blonde” show that the exploitation of female characters is rampant.
Monroe was talented and strong, and she deserves to be shown that way. Despite all its critical approval, “Blonde” fails to portray Monroe justly.
