A warning, this episode contains discussion of suicide and sexual assault.

In the Netflix movie, Blonde, on a day armist steps into the billowing white dress of one of

the most iconic figures of the 21st century, Marilyn Monroe. It's a striking performance in a

nearly three-hour feature, but the film finds no shortage of ways to paint its subject as a

tragic figure with daddy issues. The movie also stars Bobby Connavali and Adrian Brody as just

two of the men in Marilyn's life. I'm Ayusha Harris and today we're talking about Blonde

on Popculture Happy Hour from NPR.

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$100 off your first month. Joining me today is NPR senior editor Barry Hardiman. Welcome Barry.

Hi, so the first act of Blonde depicts the unstable childhood of Norma Jean Mortensen,

who would eventually become movie star Marilyn Monroe. Her mother struggles with mental illness and

is eventually committed to a psychiatric ward and then Norma Jean is sent to live in an orphanage.

But the bulk of the movie focuses on Anna DeRamesh as Norma Jean slash Marilyn, her ascendance

in Hollywood and her romantic relationships with abusive and uncaring men. She doubles in a triad

with the sons of actress Charlie Chaplin and energy Robinson, who are played by Xavier Samuel

and Evan Williams. There are unhappy marriages to a thinly veiled version of baseball player Joe

Demaggio, played by Bambi Kanavali, and an obvious stand-in for playwright Arthur Miller,

who's played by Adrian Brody. And of course, there's her infamous affair with President John

...