Marilyn Monroe

Not a bad biopic - though, not being a fanatic, I can't vouch for the accuracy. Although long (over 3 hours) time passed quickly - borne along by the appealing performance of Poppy Montgomery as MM.

I've never see her before, but will look out for her in the future after this convincing performance. Interestingly, her portrayal of the younger Norma Jean seemed to better capture the essence of Marilyn's fragile appeal than the later scenes when she became "Marilyn".

As for the production itself, the script was effective (if a bit tame) and the inhumanity of the Hollywood Machine was well portrayed. The supporting cast gave workmanlike performances too - but with Poppy on screen in almost every scene, who's going to waste time looking at them?!!

I read Marilyn Monroe's biography when I was 20.

Her life is so dramatic and she is very humane, intelligent, artistic and sensitive,susceptible.Her pain and dream, eagerness for life, family, love,,, all of things touched my mind.

She is full of contradiction, and so many faces,,, her image betrays her inner self-like many others actually,,,but She exposed other people's eyes, always center of rumor.

This film is better than "Norma Jean& Marilyn' . That was boring. Ashley Judd, Mira Sorvino can't express effectively Marilyn's character. Poppy Montgomery reflects Maryilyn's more humane side, her loneliness and sensibility more persuasive.

This film's strong point is well describing her childhood. Her childhood formed, explained her later life. But her adult life, so many things abbreviated. And Marilyn is described as just very weak, nervous breakdown person. I'm sorry about that. I think She always struggled, made effort to overcome her obstacle. She is nervous but at the same time, very strong.

Anyhow this movie is a catalyzed of memory. I remind of her once again.

Watch it for Poppy Montgomery's performance. She was as spot-on as Marilyn as anyone could be. She had Marilyn's voice and giggles, her quiet contemplative stares, her fearful anxiety, and all her body and facial mannerisms down pat. Poppy was so believable there were moments I completely forgot I was watching an actress, I felt I was watching the real Marilyn. For example her face while asleep in bed with first hubby James Dougherty, or in the backseat of the limousine talking with Darryl Zanuck, or giving a reading at the Actors Studio with Lee Strasberg. I could go on and on. That's the highest praise anyone could give a performer, especially an actress hired to do the impossible -- accurately and sympathetically portray such a well-known international icon and complex woman as Marilyn Monroe. Everyone else in the cast of this made-for-TV movie is just okay at best, and look nothing like the real people they were supposed to represent.

The intention of this film was not to be a bio-pic. It's not a chronology of her life like the many other Marilyn films. The purpose of this film was to do a psychological study of this woman and her life. I thought it was exceptional concept and very well executed. It was a refreshing derivative from the trite superficial Marilyn bio-pics that are too numerous to mention. If you want to understand the real human being beneath the celluloid and make-up...this is the one to watch.

This may be called a fictional account of the life of Norma Jean Baker, and there appears to be mixed reviews on the accuracy of the events, as well as on whether or not Ms. Montgomery's performance truly represented Marilyn Monroe's hardships. I think the naysayers are paying more attention to the difference in the two women's physical attributes or lack thereof in Poppy Montgomery's walk and sexiness.

I have seen enough of Marilyn Monroe's movies and it is my opinion that Poppy Montgomery nailed Ms. Monroe's emotions and voice perfectly. The mini series itself was not very deep but some times a persons true to life story is not all that appealing. Having a mother who could not even take care of herself, is not a real endearing event to have to portray through a 36 year period which was the time of Ms Monroe's actual death.

What we did glean from this mini series is the physical and sexual abuse Norma Jean tolerated from most of the men that came (and went) in to her life. Drug and alcohol dependency was her escapism and Poppy's portrayal of the torment experienced by Ms Monroe came through as close to reality as possible.

I did notice the absence of any portrayal of either of the two Kennedy brothers (John F. and Robert Kennedy) who were strongly rumored to have both shared her bed. This may be a result of the strength that politicians and the Kennedy name still maintained over the studio to this day to keep the good name of the Kennedy's out of the tabloids and may well be the reason for Ms. Monroe's premature demise as alluded to near the end of the movie.

In summary, Poppy Montgomery may not have the physical attributes of Marilyn Monroe, but she studied well the mannerisms and speech of the famous star to provide a very accurate portrayal of Norma Jean Baker through her adult life, and the relationships with the key men in her life.