Marilyn Monroe is often depicted as a helpless dumb blonde.
In reality, she was a powerful businesswoman.
Monroe gets the latter treatment in the latest film to tackle her life,Andrew Dominik’sBlonde.
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She also dealt a grievous blow to the Hollywood studio system in the process.
She was joined by friend and photographer Milton Greene.
On Jan. 7, 1955, she announced the formation of her production company to the world.
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There wasn’t really a way for her to do it in a smaller way."
Over an entire year of negotiations, they eventually struck a deal between Fox and her production company.
“She was basically powerless before,” adds Winder.
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“They’d say ‘Take this role,’ and she’d be stuck.
Being to be able to do all that was a complete switch.
She just wanted to live her life.”
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But in spite of their casually sexist language, journalists weren’t exaggerating the impact of Monroe’s victory.
“The culture that we live in reduces women to these caricatures,” adds Winder.
She would travel to London to film it.
It became one of only two films her production company would make.
“She’s been frozen in time,” Winder says.
“People are so resistant to taking another look at her.
Especially one like Marilyn, who had extreme vulnerability.
They’re mutually exclusive.”
“She really understood directing,” Winder says.
“She would have had confidence in her own opinions, and that would have grown and solidified.
I like to imagine her as a producer.”
