Marilyn Monroe - a British Love Affair

Jack Cardiff, British cinematographer, director and photographer

Sunday 24th March saw the end of a boutique exhibition of Marilyn Monroe - a British Love Affair at the National Portrait Gallery. The NPG has a very specific aim; "‘to promote through the medium of portraits the appreciation and understanding of the men and women who have made and are making British history and culture, and ... to promote the appreciation and understanding of portraiture in all media.’" One icon who made a significant impact on the world's media was was Marilyn Monroe. 

The exhibition focused on the time when Monroe visited Britain at the height  of her glittering career in 1956 to film The Prince and the Showgirl, a Laurence Olivier film.

Celebrating the life of Marilyn Monroe through her connections with Great Britain, the small exhibition covered her journey from pin-up to renowned Hollywood actress. This was shown mainly through photos by British photographers Antony Beauchamp, Baron, Cecil Beaton, Larry Barrows and Jack Cardiff (pictured above). A few magazines from a private collection provided a rare snippet of publishing in context.


If you missed the chance to see this gem of an exhibition then perhaps the film My week with Marilyn, 2011 will give you an idea of how us Brits fell in love with the most famous woman on Earth on her first trip to our island. Watch the trailer for a taster.  

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