Netflix released The Mystery of Marilyn Monroe: The Unheard Tapes on April 27, 2022. The documentary follows Anthony Summers, best-selling author and journalist, as he investigates his recorded interviews with the star's inner circle. The interviews were part of his research for his 1985 biography Goddess: The Secret Lives of Marilyn Monroe.

For over 50 years, Monroe's life and mysterious death have intrigued fans, and circulated various rumors and conspiracy theories. The audiotapes have just been released to the public for the first time and highlight shocking details from Monroe's life.

Despite The Drama, She Aspired For Greatness

Pola Debevoise smiling in How to Marry a Millionaire.

The documentary explores how Marilyn Monroe may have been America's sex symbol, but she was also highly respected in the film industry. Many of those she worked with often described her intelligence, grace and immense talent onscreen. Al Rosen, a Hollywood agent, mentioned how women were often exploited when trying to become actors -- but Marilyn was no pushover. She used this to her advantage.

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Despite the controversy that tended to follow her, Monroe's drive, passion, and desire for greatness will also be associated with her name. To date, Monroe's films have made over $200 million. Marilyn Monroe may be considered a controversial Hollywood icon, but she will also be one of the greatest actors of all time.

Monroe Had A Challenging Marriage With DiMaggio

Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio

Marilyn had a wild and passionate romance with baseball player, Joe DiMaggio. Many of Monroe's closest friends suspected that DiMaggio had difficulty being married to the "nation's pinup girl." Several interviews in the documentary revealed a dark experience while filming the infamous skirt scene in The Seven Year Itch, one of Marilyn Monroe's best movies. Jealous of the attention, DiMaggio later assaulted Monroe in their hotel room.

DiMaggio was retired for three years when he married Monroe, while she was at the height of her career. In addition to his jealousy, their opposite schedules and priorities may have played a part in their sudden divorce. Monroe's dedication to her career couldn't slow her down, and she often chose her career over her marriage.

She Was Close With Her Psychiatrist's Family

Marilyn Monroe in a car looking over her shoulder in The Misfits

Marilyn began seeing the psychiatrist, Ralph Greenson, several years before her death. Because she was a high-profile client, the two would often meet at her house, and she would also have dinner with his family. It's no secret that Monroe had a difficult childhood. Greenson wrote in his notes that "Marilyn's troubled childhood was a time that the grown woman was never going to forget."

Greenson took it upon himself to take care of Monroe and this included his family, as well. Marilyn was often quoted longing for love and stability, more than her desire for fame. His family provided support, love, and encouragement through the conflicts of her career and substance abuse. Many have often wondered about the intimacy of Greenson and Monroe's relationship, but Greenson's wife and children's interviews in the documentary made it clear that she was just part of the family.

Arthur Miller's Influence

Arthur Miller and Marilyn Monroe smiling.

Marilyn's final marriage was to the famous playwright, Arthur Miller. Monroe saw potential in this relationship and wrote: "hope, hope, hope" on the back of their wedding photo. The two were married for less than five years before they divorced.

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This was the longest marriage Marilyn had, and it was clear that she wanted it to work. Despite having several miscarriages and learning of Miller's disappointment in her, she stuck with him as long as she could. It became clear that Marilyn wanted a family more than success, but, in the end, her failed marriage to Miller was another heavy influence over her life.

The FBI Was Keeping Tabs On Monroe

Marilyn Monroe feature

Summers also dug up an FBI file on Monroe that stated that she was a "Security Matters Communist." The FBI tracked her travels to Mexico where she visited her friends, who were also known Communists. There were even several recorded conversations where she described her talks with the Kennedys.

Although Monroe was never officially declared a Communist, her ties made the U.S. government uneasy. With her controversial ties to Communism, it's clear why the Kennedys wanted to break off their ties with her. With her childhood memories of abandonment, Monroe again felt alone and unloved. The downfall of the Kennedy relationship was the beginning of the end for her.

Her Death Was Predicted

Perce and Roslyn in the desert in The Misfits.

During the filming of The Misfits, Marilyn was constantly late to set. She had a known issue with narcotics and sleeping pills. At one point, John Huston, the director, recalled mentioning one day that "If she went on at the rate that she was going, she'd be in an institution in two or three years, or dead!"

The Misfits, one of Marilyn Monroe's best movies, finished filming in 1960. Marilyn died two years later from a drug overdose. Over that time span, she had several miscarriages, her third divorce from Arthur Miller, and heartbreak from the Kennedy brothers. She numbed all of the stress and drama by using narcotics, which led to her eventual overdose.

Men Were Central To Monroe's Final Outcome

Lorelei Lee singing Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.

Greenson wrote in his notes that Marilyn would "act out of orphan girl rejections." When Marilyn was young, her mother was hospitalized for her mental health. Marilyn never knew her father and was also sexually assaulted as a child. She also experienced divorces, multiple affairs and childloss throughout her life.

The documentary explored how Monroe's relationship with men was central to her death. Experiencing abandonment, loss, and distress throughout her life all tied into her untimely end. Bobby Kennedy's rejection was the final push and while the exact details of his involvement are unknown, he had a heavy influence on her final day.

Bobby Kennedy Was In Town The Day of Marilyn's Death

Bobby Kennedy talking to a mic.

Reed Willson, a surveillance expert, described how Bobby called Marilyn at her home on the evening of her death. He was at Lawford's mansion in Malibu and wanted to see her. She fought for him to leave her alone and the two had a violent argument. Willson mentioned she felt "taken advantage of" and "used by him."

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It's no secret that Marilyn had a long-standing relationship with the Kennedy brothers. Speculation and rumors have created theories about their involvement with her death for decades. With evidence of a vicious fight and high emotions, it's clear that Bobby Kennedy's presence had a strong influence on Marilyn's well-being in the final hours of her life.

Confusion About Monroe's Final Moments

Marilyn Monroe talking on a telephone

Monroe's housekeeper found her deceased in her bed at 3:00 am. The police arrived and Marilyn was pronounced dead at 4:25 am. Summers was immediately intrigued by the gap in the timeline. Through additional interviews with the ambulance company, he learned that she died in the ambulance on the way to the hospital, so they turned around and went back to her home.

In any other case, this would cause immediate suspicion, but this was quickly covered and concealed. More guilt is pointed to the Kennedy brothers in this timeframe, as Bobby fled to the airport and all connections tied to the Kennedys were destroyed in Marilyn's home. Their exact involvement in her death is still unknown, but it is abundantly clear that they destroyed their tracks.

Her Death Is Still A Mystery

Nell Forbes looking in the mirror in Don't Bother to Knock.

Henry Hall, a law enforcement officer, mentioned there was "not an investigation, but rather a hush-hush" when it came to the mystery of Marilyn's death.

Although her death is still determined to be a suicide or accidental overdose, the circumstances surrounding her death remain a mystery. Her connection to the Kennedy brothers, her desire for belonging and love, and the obstruction of recorded audio files from her home are all evidence that there are still details about her death that still remain unknown.

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