Norma Jean and Marilyn
 
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Norma Jean and Marilyn (2004)

Steven Culp (Actor), Ashley Judd (Actor), Tim Fywell (Director) | Rated: R | Format: DVD
3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (44 customer reviews) |

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Product Details

  • Actors: Steven Culp, Ashley Judd, David Dukes, Mira Sorvino, Peter Dobson
  • Directors: Tim Fywell
  • Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, NTSC
  • Language: English (Stereo)
  • Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  • Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
  • Number of discs: 1
  • Rated: R (Restricted)
  • Studio: Hbo Home Video
  • DVD Release Date: September 14, 2004
  • Run Time: 138 minutes
  • Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (44 customer reviews)
  • ASIN: B0002ERXB8
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #29,114 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

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  • Learn more about "Norma Jean and Marilyn" on IMDb

Editorial Reviews

Mira Sorvino and Ashley Judd star as two sides of the woman America loved, but who struggled to love herself: Marilyn Monroe. Sensuous, shocking, sensational, this is the secret life and loves of the girl called Norma Jean and the woman who became Marilyn.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
45 of 49 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Why are people so harsh a Mira Sorvino's performance? It's called "ACTING"! Everyone complains about Mira's ditzy accent, but she clearly makes that choice as a kind of armor shielding her from outside forces, creating a new "persona" to protect herself, shield her from all the pain she experienced before as Norma Jean - it's clear that Norma/Marilyn was smart in real life, but was smart enough to "act dumb" - get it?! Although I love Ashley Judd and think she does a terrific job conveying Norma Jean's hunger and drive to make herself a star, Mira actually has the harder role, trying to make the cliche we all know as "Marilyn" into a flesh in blood person - watch the way she takes drugs and then "turns on" the Marilyn charm - and how about the bitter/funny monologue in the mirror where she calls her pills her "best friends" that sometimes scream "Get out of bed, b*tch!" Great stuff. I like how the film re-created moments in Marilyn's career (calendar nude shoot, white-dress blowning over grate) - like many stars (Madonna, Michael Jackson), you get the idea Marilyn doesn't really "live" unless she's on camera or in front of the paparrazzi - This movie always plays late at night on HBO and every time it comes on, I am compelled to drop everything and watch it again! It's THAT GOOD! Give both Ashley and Mira a chance, this should have won some Emmys!
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
There are some insightful reviews here already. This movie is thoughtful and, interestingly, attempts to show us the perspectives of Norma Jean and Marilyn in the same scenes at the same time.

It's not a terribly detailed account of her life but it gives us quite enough to realise what a terrible psychological struggle it must have been to become and sustain Marilyn Monroe. One reviewer here has spoken about the inner rage Marilyn must have carried with her. I think that's right and we see it in this movie.

I thought Ashley Judd and Mira Sorvino were both excellent. Ashley gets to play it more or less straight; Mira has the harder more complex job and I think she pulls it off really well.

The movie doesn't show us that much of the charming Marilyn that the world fell in love with but that's difficult because Monroe was truly exceptional and no biopic so far has captured her astonishing presence. This movie trys to show us what was behind that presence. I appreciated this try at glimpsing her inner life. But I can also see why some would be offended at, what is at times, a one dimensional portrayal of Marilyn as stupid and then a seriously disturbed, alcoholic junkie (I was irritated too). The movie assumes the viewer already knows a lot and can fill in the gaps and find a balance for themselves. There's enough information out there after all. Overall I liked this movie.
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7 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:VHS Tape
Norma Jean and Marilyn is a fresh, interesting approach to Marilyn's life story, focusing on her inner life rather than just being a straight bio. This film, while somewhat factually inaccurate, is a powerful portrayal of Marilyn's inner world, and I like the device of having Judd's Norma Jean confront Sorvino's Marilyn as a way of showing the internal struggle Marilyn might have felt between different facets of herself. Ashley Judd is just dynamite as Norma Jean, starring in the beginning of the movie as a spunky, ambitious starlet and later appearing every so often as the personification of Marilyn's hidden rage once Mira Sorvino takes over the lead role as Marilyn. Although Sorvino doesn't much physically resemble Marilyn and is somewhat hit-and-miss at replicating Marilyn's voice and mannerisms, she does a wonderful acting job and conveys Marilyn's feelings very convincingly. Judd's later appearances in the film, as the phantom Norma Jean that represented those facets of herself that Marilyn disavowed and rejected, but couldn't rid herself of, made me think about the enormous well of rage Marilyn must have had inside of her over being abused and neglected as a child (her childhookd is affectingly shown in a series of well-integrated flashbacks) and later over being treated like a dumb blonde after she had painted herself into a corner with the sex symbol image she participated in creating. Marilyn couldn't express her rage in an era when nice girls didn't get angry, especially as it seemed that she felt people loved her for her sweet, funny, touchingly vulnerable persona. The movie avoids the whole "Who killed Marilyn?" controversy and depicts her death as a straight overdose caused by Marilyn's taking more and more pills to try and drown out the voice of her inner self Norma Jean. Overall, I thought this was a very good film, well worth a look, an interesting idea done well by an excellent cast.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
GOOD STORY ABOUT A TROUBLED WOMAN
I don't know why this film received bad reviews. I thought Ashley Judd and Mira Sorvino's performances were great. I'm sure Mira's role was tougher to play. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Sandra Granato
loved the movie... thought it was engrossing
thought it was engrossing...and i was prepared not to like the acresses in this role and i was surprised their acting won me over. Read more
Published 8 months ago by veronica
trash
As i watch this movie I started to dislike Marilyn. And I love her. Watching this garbage would have you to believe that Marilyn was a tramp and some kind of a nut. Read more
Published 18 months ago by Michele Greene
Norma Jean & Marilyn
Ashley Judd & Mira Sorvino played Marilyn so good, you believe they are really her.
Published 23 months ago by Lisa Stone
What I learned about Marilyn
I heard about this movie from a friend a couple years ago and thought I would buy it since it was a little more than renting it. I learned a lot Marilyn/Norma Jean from this movie. Read more
Published on October 13, 2009 by Heather Contreras
Norma Jean and Marilyn DVD Review
An entertaining HBO film about the life of Marilyn Monroe. Lindsay Crouse has a good role as Marilyn's coach and is fine as usual. Good picture and sound.
Published on July 26, 2008 by Manny M. Agah
Ashly Judd
I wasn't over the moon on this DVD and had expected more from Ashly Judd.
However, it gave a different point of view of Ms. Monroe.
Published on July 20, 2008 by A. Freeman
Entertaining to a point, but totally inaccurate.
The HBO movie is entertaining to a point. I just couldn't get through the inaccuracies. I found this movie referenced under documentary of Marilyn Monroe's life, but it is not a... Read more
Published on June 28, 2008 by Peachy
batcall
A great story of what could have been going through Marilyn Monroes' mind. Great acting by Ashley and Mira.
Published on June 27, 2007 by Joseph M. Raymond
I wouldn't ever watch this movie again!
When I saw this movie, I knew that all of the truth wouldn't be in the film. I just didn't know they would bend the truth that much! Read more
Published on March 13, 2007 by Jessica
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