Modern Screen (Jan-Dec 1960)

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1 Am Going to Adopt a (Continued from page 29) lame and fortune here in Hollywood. Since she married Arthur Miller and moved to New York and Connecticut to live, we do not see one another as often as we did in the beginning of her career when her agent, Johnny Hyde, was deeply in love with her (he was my good friend, too) and the powerful and influential producer Joseph Schenck befriended her and gave her the advantage of his wisdom and understanding. Yet, we have never lost touch. When she comes to Hollywood to work, not too frequently in the past years, she always calls me, "because you are my friend." Last year she telephoned to say hello on a day when I was giving a garden party and I invited her to come, hardly expecting she would accept as she had just flown in that morning. But she came — a ravishing creature in a black cocktail dress, delighting my guests, posing for pictures, laughing in that soft child-like voice of hers — truly a 'social show-stopper.' And, when she returned to the West Coast to start (the currently strike-struck) Let's Fall In Love for 20-Century Fox, she had called to invite me to a studio party she was hostessing to introduce her friend and co-star, the talented Yves Montand. I hadn't been able to accept because of an early dinner appointment. So what happens? Marilyn left her party before it officially ended to come over to my house, catching me with my hair in pin curls just before I got under the hair dryer — a strange and weird time to be receiving the world's most glamorous woman, you must admit! Marilyn wasn't in the least fazed and we chatted and gossiped, as women do, in that short time we had before both of us were due for other engagements. A real heart-to-heart It wasn't until later that it occurred to me that Marilyn and I had not had one of our real heart-to-heart talks that so frequently marked our early friendship in a long, long time. Deciding to put the thought into action, I called the studio and asked if it would be convenient for me to see her that very afternoon on the set of Let's Make Love. She sent back word for me to come at my convenience (and this is the star who has frequently been accused of being so difficult and aloof?). I hadn't, however, exactly been prepared for Marilyn to meet me at the entrance to 20th, accompanied by none other than Arthur Miller, their arms linked as they walked forward to greet me! Marilyn had taken the short stroll from the Let's Make Love set wearing her costume for the scene, a black tight-fitting ballet outfit with a touch of deep pink and slippers with high pink heels. She looked slender, far more slender than when she first arrived, and even the heavy screen make-up and the exaggerated beading of her eyelashes couldn't hide that she looked well, healthy and happy. Miller was in casual sports attire and some of the California sun had tanned him. He looked younger than I had expected, standing there with his famous wife, his arm now around her shoulder. Marilyn's introduction was simple, "I want you two to know each other and be friends," she said. Arthur shook hands, "Don't you remember we met at Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh's party for Marilyn and me 64 in London?"— which, of course, I did. Baby He told me he had just returned from Ireland where he had conferred with John Houston who is going to direct Miller's independent picture starring Marilyn, The Misfits. We chatted for a moment about Ireland which we both love and then Arthur excused himself. "I'm on my way back to the hotel to work on the story — and besides you two don't really want a man around," he laughed. And this tall, dark, intelligent and brilliant man didn't worry about spoiling his wife's make-up as he kissed her goodbye. Luckily, Marilyn was not immediately needed in the scenes as we returned to the set and found two comfortable chairs where we could sit and talk uninterrupted. As we sat down I said to Marilyn, "It's only fair to warn you that I am going to ask you a lot of personal questions as to what it's like being Mrs. Arthur Miller and how Arthur fits into your life of glamour." Everyone knows that Marilyn's private life with Arthur Miller has been a well-guarded secret and I believe this is the first time she has discussed her personal life with her husband with anyone. She gave me one of those 'upswept looks' so famous in her screen close-ups. But she was smiling, and waiting — so I took the plunge. "Do you think you would be so madly in love with Arthur if he weren't Arthur Miller, the brilliant author of Death of a Salesman, The Bridge and other Broadway successes?" I started. She didn't hesitate. "Of course I would. I am in love with the man, not the mind. When I first met Arthur I didn't even know he was the famed writer of plays and the Arthur Miller I became attracted to was the man — a man of such charming personality, warmth and friendliness." Marilyn went on slowly, "I won't say that later I didn't fall more in love with him after I grew to know him and to appreciate his great talent and intellect. But I would have loved him for himself without his fine achievements." Life with a brilliant man "But living with even a brilliant man can't be all aesthetic," I said, beginning to feel a bit like a dissecting surgeon. "There must be quarrels, at least differences between you." "This may be hard to believe — but we do not quarrel at all! I mean by that — we don't indulge in ugly scenes and words. Of course, any marriage has to have some adjustments, but why can't they be made in good temper? Neither Arthur nor I are quarrelsome — we aren't quick to fly off the handle about trivial things. True, we do not always agree — but we always adjust these problems with our voices lowered," she smiled again. "In your private life do you prefer to be called Marilyn Monroe or Mrs. Arthur Miller?" She didn't have to think about this — "Mrs. Arthur Miller!" and her voice tingled with pride. "In any marriage, one of the partners usually dominates," I said. "In yours, which one is the boss?" Someone had brought us two papercups of tea and I had decided if this query got lost in the pleasantries of thank yous, I would repeat it. But Marilyn waited only until we were alone again before she said: "Well, now I suppose in New York, Arthur is the boss. And here, everything centers around me when I am working." I had heard that Arthur babied, pampered and petted Marilyn almost as though she were a child. "He does baby you, doesn't he?" I said. She really laughed now — leaning over to pat my arm. "Of course he doesn't, nor does he treat me like a child. I am his wife in every sense of that word. "We meet on common and congenial ground but as a man and a woman!" — and you just know she meant it! "Of course Arthur advises me and helps me to adjust myself. It has always been a problem with me that I am too easily frightened, retiring, unsure of myself — and he has helped me very much toward overcoming this feeling," Marilyn added. "You know," I told her, "a psychiatrist said the reason you become ill before starting a picture and during the shooting is that you don't really want to be a motion picture star!" All this time we had been talking, Marilyn had shown no displeasure or impatience. But she did now. Obviously, she had heard this charge before and it was just as obvious that she resented it. "You, perhaps as well as anyone I know, know how very hard I have worked to become a motion picture star. I love my work; it has brought me much happiness and satisfaction. Any psychiatrist who would make a statement like that cannot be much more than a headline seeker. Such things are supposed to be secret and held inviolate." She repeated, speaking hurriedly (for her) in her sincerity, "I do love acting — and when I am in New York between pictures I attend the Lee Strasberg School and study all the time Arthur is busy on his plays." When in New York . . . The mention of her life in New York gave me a rather welcome chance to change the subject and I did with, "Tell me something about the way you and Arthur live in New York." Her good humor restored, Marilyn seemed happy at the opportunity to discuss her life in the East. "We have really a wonderful set up — an apartment in the heart of New York and a house with beautiful gardens in Connecticut. We actually live a very homey life— we aren't 'night-people,' either of us. "Our most frequent visitors are Arthur's two children, Janie, fifteen, and Bobby, twelve." (Marilyn actually glowed when she spoke of the Miller children whom she had previously told me she likes very much.) They come to us for dinner every Tuesday, every other week end and for a third of their vacation. They are such nice, well-mannered children and I am very fond of them. I think they like me, too," she said softly but proudly. I smiled, "Sounds like you run quite an establishment— rather, two establishments, Marilyn. Do you have a great deal of help?" She answered, "To the contrary. We employ one permanent maid, we share a secretary and a cleaning woman comes in as often as we need her depending on how much entertaining we do. When we are in the country — I very often do the cooking." This was almost too much! The idea of the beautiful, glamorous Marilyn, who looked like she could be kept under glass she was so lovely this day, laboring over a red hot stove was more than I could take. I had to laugh — and for the first time, even she gave that little giggle for which she used to be famous. But she stuck to her guns. "You'd be surprised— honest. And whether anyone believes it or not. I can do more than scrambled eggs and prepare frozen foods.