14 Things We Learned From Netflix's The Mystery of Marilyn Monroe: The Unheard Tapes

"If I am a star, the people made me a star, but I do want to be wonderful, you know?"

Stephanie

• Published in Interesting
• May 29, 2022

The death of Marilyn Monroe is still one of the most intriguing unsolved mysteries of our time. And her life was equally as fascinating.

So, it's not surprising that 60 years after her death, there are still investigations being made into the Hollywood icon's untimely death. The Mystery of Marilyn Monroe: The Unheard Tapes is a Netflix documentary directed by Emma Cooper, which delves deeper than ever into the mystery surrounding Marilyn's death in 1962.

The documentary includes archived footage and unseen interviews with friends of the actress. It's a captivating watch and is a must-see for every Marilyn Monroe fan.

The story of Norma Jean Baker (Marilyn's birth name) is a heartbreaking one. It's a story of abandonment, extreme sadness, abuse, mental anguish, and loss.

The one thing Marilyn longed for most in life was to be acknowledged for more than her appearance. She desperately wanted to be taken seriously as an actress, and she worked hard to perfect her craft.

But time and again, Marilyn was brushed off and treated as an object by her peers. She was demeaned and sexualized in what was ultimately a man's world.

The Mystery of Marilyn Monroe: The Unheard Tapes reveals a more in-depth look into Marilyn's life, death, and who she was as a person. Keep scrolling to discover 14 things we learned from the documentary.

1. "An artist with integrity."

The one thing Marilyn wanted more than anything was to be taken seriously as an actress. She was well aware that her looks got her to Hollywood, but she wanted to be remembered for more than her appearance.

"What I'd like to accomplish, I would like to be a good actress, a true actress," Marilyn once said. "An artist with integrity."

Marilyn's Gentlemen Prefer Blondes co-star Jane Russell spoke incredibly highly of the actress and her work ethic in the Netflix documentary. "She was very bright, and she wanted to learn," Russell said.

Russell explained that Marilyn would work all day during filming and then meet with her acting coach each night. "She was interested in everything to help her control her career," she said.

Perhaps one of the saddest parts of Marilyn's story is that she will never know the profound impact she has had on both men and women. John Huston, who directed Marilyn in Asphalt Jungle and The Misfits, said Marilyn's appeal "wasn't just a sex thing."

"Women felt just the same as men," Huston said. "There was something deeply moving about Marilyn, always."

2. An "unorthodox" treatment plan.

In her final year of life, Marilyn was treated by psychiatrist Dr. Ralph Greenson. Marilyn became close with his family, and after he passed away in 1979, his wife, daughter, and son all spoke to Anthony Summers, who was researching Marilyn's last days.

Dr. Greenson's son Danny said that his father had never treated someone as "unorthodoxly" as he did Marilyn. "His feeling was that because of who she was, she could never be hospitalized," Danny said.

"So given that he couldn't do that, his feeling was the best shot he had was to try to treat her in this highly unusual, unorthodox kind of way that he did." This included making house calls.

Danny said he always liked Marilyn. He respected her and appreciated that she shared his political opinions.

3. She was told to stay away.

Marilyn was heartbroken when Bobby Kennedy warned her never to contact the Kennedy's again shortly after her famous "Happy Birthday" performance for President Kennedy at Madison Square Garden. "She was hurt, terribly hurt when she was told directly never to call or contact Robert or John again," Arthur James said.

"That was an order," he said. "Jack didn't contact her, Bob did, and that's what killed her."

4. "Nothing but love."

Multiple sources claim that Marilyn's affair with JFK continued well into his presidency. Kennedy would travel to California to visit Peter Lawford, who would throw wild parties, which the pair attended.

Marilyn would also often refer to "the General," who is believed to have been John's younger brother Robert Kennedy. "Peter would obviously be sort of pimping for both Kennedy's," said Dean Martin's ex-wife Jeanne of Peter's elaborate parties.

"They would do it just as soon in front of anybody; wives could be in the other room," she said. Marilyn was also open about her esteem for Bobby Kennedy.

"Oh, nothing but love," said Arthur James. "Nothing but admiration."

5. A tangled web.

The FBI kept tabs on Marilyn, primarily because of her left-wing political stance. They wanted to ensure she didn't have any Communist ties.

At the same time, Marilyn was in the middle of the Kennedy administration's feud with Jimmy Hoffa. Jimmy hired a private investigator to find dirt on the Kennedy's, and as a result, Marilyn's house was bugged.

In the meantime, Marilyn had purchased her own home in Brentwood. "She was excited about establishing her own sort of family," said Joan Greenson.

6. Her biggest heartbreak.

Perhaps Marilyn's biggest heartbreak came in 1956 when she experienced a miscarriage. Marilyn wanted to be a mother more than anything.

She became pregnant again in 1958 during the filming of Some Like It Hot. But sadly, Marilyn miscarried again later that year.

7. "She was a problem."

When filming for The Misfits began, Marilyn was abusing drugs and drinking heavily. She would take pills to stay up and more pills to sleep.

"Very soon, we were aware that she was a problem," director John Huston said. "She'd be late on the set always."

"Sometimes, the whole morning would go by," he said. "Sometimes, she'd be alright."

Huston warned Arthur Miller of how dangerous Marilyn's condition had become. "I remember saying to Miller one day, I said, you know, that if she went on at the rate that she was going, she'd be in an institution in two or three years, or dead," he recalled.

"And I said anyone who allows her to take a drug ought to be shot." Monroe and Miller later divorced in January 1961.

8. "Have you seen him?"

Marilyn was madly in love with Arthur Miller. When asked what attracted her to him, she said, "Have you seen him?"

Marilyn's friend Arthur James recalled that Miller saw potential in Marilyn. "Arthur Miller thought she was really intelligent and had a brain that was never cultivated," he said.

"And that's where he courted her," said James. Marilyn loved that Miller saw her for more than just her looks.

However, Marilyn was devastated when she found some of Miller's notes stating how "disappointed" he was with his wife. He wrote that he had thought Marilyn was "some kind of angel," but that he was wrong.

9. "I feel wonderful, thank you."

When Marilyn spent four days in the Payne Whitney Psychiatric Clinic, reporters were waiting for her to capture the moment she was released. When asked how she was doing, she replied, "I feel wonderful, thank you."

10. An unsolved mystery.

After all the research Anthony Summers conducted over the years, he still concluded that Marilyn died from an overdose of sleeping pills. But whether or not the overdose was an accident or Marilyn intended to kill herself is still a mystery.

Either way, there is no denying that Marilyn was unhappy. "To be happy is almost as difficult as trying to be a good actress; you have to work at both of them," she said.

11. The most famous actress of her generation.

Something's Got to Give director George Cukor predicted that Marilyn would be the most famous actress of her generation, and perhaps the whole century. "She had a great, untapped dramatic talent," he said.

12. "I'll finally get to see Marilyn."

Marilyn married Joe DiMaggio in 1954; however, their brief marriage ended that same year. DiMaggio was notoriously jealous and would often blow up, sometimes even getting physical with Marilyn.

The Seven Year Itch hairdresser Gladys Whitten recalled Marilyn coming to work with bruises on her shoulders. "With a little makeup and everything, she went ahead and worked," Whitten said.

"Our marriage wasn't a happy one; it ended in nine months, unfortunately," Marilyn said of the marriage. "I don't know what else to say."

DiMaggio never remarried, and he died in 1999. It is reported that his last words were, "I'll finally get to see Marilyn."

13. Childhood trauma.

Although Marilyn never provided details, we know that she was sexually abused as a young girl. She lived in more than ten foster homes and even stayed in an orphanage as a child while her mother was in psychiatric care.

Marilyn never knew her father, and she was troubled by that for her whole life. "She knew people who were psychotic from, and she felt that at least she'd survived that," her friend Peggy Feury said.

"I knew it was wrong, but to tell you the truth, I think I was more curious than anything else," Marilyn once said of her abuse. "Nobody ever told me about sex, and frankly, I never did think it was all that important.'"

Marilyn's friend Henry Rosenfeld said that Marilyn made a disturbing comment one night during a party game. He claimed she "said she'd want to put on a black wig, pick up her father at a bar, have him make love to her, and then she'd say, 'Well, how does it feel now to have a daughter that you've made love to?'"

14. Conspiracy theories.

Marilyn's housekeeper Eunice Murray claimed that Marilyn retired to her bedroom at 8 pm on August 4th, 1962. She said she woke up at around 3 am and noticed Marilyn's light was still on, which prompted her to check on the actress.

When she got no answer at Marilyn's locked bedroom door, Eunice called Dr. Greenson. When Dr. Greenson arrived, he could see Marilyn slumped on her bed through the window.

But it has also been said that Marilyn was still alive during her ambulance ride to St. John's hospital. Some people believe that Marilyn was returned to her house after she died.

Marilyn certainly led a fascinating life. There is something so incredibly sad about the fact that she was perhaps the most beautiful woman in the world but was so plagued by sadness.

Marilyn craved love, normality, and acceptance. She just wanted to be acknowledged for her talent and intelligence.

If only she knew how loved she truly was, not only for her looks but for her inner beauty. Her legacy has and will continue to live on.

Stephanie