It’s no small feat to chronicle the story of Marilyn Monroe’s life in a film, but it looks like Andrew Dominik has pulled it off. It has been discovered that Joyce Carol Oates, an American novelist, has watched the film Blonde, featuring Ana de Armas as Marilyn Monroe, and has given it a glowing review. Blonde is based on Joyce Carol Oates’ classic novel of the same name, published in 2000, about Monroe’s tragically short life and the price of celebrity. Having stated that she had already watched the film at the Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival in Switzerland, the author feels Dominik “succeeded” in portraying Monroe’s life: “Andrew Dominik is a really talented filmmaker. I believe he was successful in portraying Norma Jeane Baker’s experience from her point of view rather than the masculine gaze on a woman. He became completely absorbed in her point of view.”
Oates also praised Ana De Armas’ portrayal, stating, “I guess it took her like four hours of makeup, the amazing actress that portrays her. As a result, everything you see on TV is a figment of your imagination. Even while it seems amazing, making a living off of it means going through a lot of pain.” Author Oates described in her story how Monroe lost her sense of self-identity due to the horrific mistreatment that the movie business brought her, treating her as a commodity and not as the human being that she is.
However, prominence in the world is not an identity you can maintain. A lot of guys benefited from it, but she didn’t get a lot of money out of it. A decent funeral could not have been afforded for her when she died at the age of 36. Marilyn was embarrassed as she grew older and continued to be cast in roles that were meant for a young actresses. You can’t keep portraying this stupid 40-year-old blonde. According to some reports, she took her own life. I’m not sure about it. I’m inclined to believe she died of a form of terrible hopelessness. Blonde will be available on Netflix on the 23rd of September. Before deciding whether or not Oates is correct, we’ll have to wait and watch how Dominik portrays the life of the famed bombshell.