Movies News Talk
Though Marilyn Monroe is most known for her captivating presence and comic timing in Movies like "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" and "Some Like It Hot," "Don't Bother To Knock" highlighted her dramatic ability and range. Released in 1952, this movie was her first major dramatic part and among her most underappreciated and forceful performances.
The movie centers on Lyn Lesley, a lounge singer caught in a conflicted reunion at the McKinley Hotel with pilot Jed Towers. Left alone to watch, young Nell Forbes starts to fix on Jed driven by her fragile mental state and need for glitz. The story is driven by Nell's unstable emotional terrain, which results in a chaotic confrontation and finally a sloshful of hope for atonement.
Early evaluations of "Don't Bother To Knock" were dubious of Monroe's dramatic talent. For instance, the New York Times questioned whether Twentieth Century-Fox had made a strategic mistake by casting her in such a demanding role, contending that her appearance eclipsed her acting ability. She was shown as a mentally unstable babysitter, which they found unconvincing and depending just on "a childishly blank expression." But modern critics have since reassessed Monroe's performance and seen its impact and depth.
Thanks in part to Monroe's subtle and vulnerable portrayal of Nell, "Don't Bother To Knock" shows a startling degree of sensitivity regarding mental health for a film set in the 1950s. Her performance is not quite "childishly blank," as early evaluations claimed. She shows Nell a range of emotions in a few minutes, reflecting the character's instability without turning to stereotypes or stigma by bringing a layered and sophisticated approach. From meek and scared to far-off and desperate, Monroe remarkably authentically captures Nell's changing emotional condition.
Monroe's performance in "Don't Bother To Knock" shows her capacity to vividly and sympathetically represent a difficult character. She stays away from melodrama and presents Nell's emotional struggle with a subdued but powerful technique. From the terrible calm of her commands to the heavy-lidded glance of disassociation, her subtle expressions expose a person struggling with trauma and loss. Monroe's performance of Nell is a monument to her dramatic ability and merits respect for its complexity and emotional resonance notwithstanding early criticism.
Although Monroe's legendary image is well-known, her dramatic roles—like Nell in "Don't Bother To Knock" and Roslyn in "The Misfits"—have gone underappreciated. She deliberately tried to reject typecasting and investigate more demanding roles. Her dedication to her trade drove her to study under method actor Lee Strasberg and to keep developing her skills. Her performance in "Don't Bother To Knock" reminds us strongly of her dramatic range and reputation as a multifarious artist.