The concept of the male gaze, introduced by feminist theorist Laura Mulvey in her 1975 essay “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema“, revolutionised men’s view of women’s portrayal in cinema. Mulvey explained that films, particularly in Hollywood, are predominantly structured through the eyes of the male protagonist and male directors, reducing women to objects of male desire. Marilyn Monroe, one of Hollywood’s most iconic figures, is frequently seen through the male gaze in her roles, where her body becomes the focus rather than her character development.
Objectification in “River of No Return”
In River of No Return (1954), Monroe plays Kay, a showgirl, and the male gaze is evident from the start. The camera often zooms in on her body, especially her legs, turning them into the dominant visual element of her character. This is a prime example of objectification, where Monroe’s body is fragmented into sexualised parts for the pleasure of the male viewer. The focus on her curves rather than her emotions reduces her to a passive object of desire. This aligns with the concept of scopophilia, or the “primordial wish for pleasurable looking” Mulvey identifies as central to the cinematic experience. The audience is invited to voyeuristically gaze at Monroe, detached from her inner life.
It can be seen that such objectification goes beyond the frame and determines how the viewers see Monroe herself. As Mulvey argued, the so-called ‘male gaze’ teaches some viewers to regard women as passive and to ignore their intricacies. As in many other roles, Monroe’s character in River of No Return has no meaning except to assist the story dominated by the male lead. While the male lead commands the stage, Monroe’s character is confined to being the object of his desire, reinforcing the traditional roles of male action and female passivity.
Bombshell
Monroe’s public image also invites the construction of self-objectification. The culture industry and society commoditised her personality as a woman of beauty whose worth was in her looks. For instance, the famous platinum blonde hair was not just a style but a standard of beauty envisioned as white and extremely feminine. Such an image presenting Monroe was produced by Hollywood, an industry run by men, so she had to conform to these externally imposed expectations to maintain her career.
Behind the Scenes
In addition, masculine dominance, the basis of the male gaze, was present throughout Monroe’s life. She was surrounded by male directors, producers, and editors who controlled how women were to be represented in the media, and this further embedded the ideology that women were merely dormant entities who existed primarily for male gratification. Media often reinforce sexualised femininity through patriarchal structures, as seen in figures like Marilyn Monroe. Her objectified image emerged from societal frameworks rather than being self-constructed, reflecting how mainstream media upholds traditional gender roles and reinforces patriarchal power (Hooks, 1995).
Monroe’s portrayal in River of No Return exemplifies the male gaze in Hollywood cinema. Through Mulvey’s theory, she is not a fully developed character but a sexual object, reduced to visual pleasure for the male viewer. While Monroe’s beauty may have empowered some women, it also reinforced harmful patriarchal ideals that value women primarily for their appearance. Mulvey’s work encourages a reconsideration of women’s representation and challenges us to subvert the male gaze for more authentic portrayals of women.
Reference
Bowman, J. (2019). 38 Rare Color Photos of ‘Smiling’ Marilyn Monroe That You May Have Never Seen Before. [online] Pinterest. Available at: https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/422916221256967732/ [Accessed 26 Nov. 2024].
Hooks, B. (2017). Feminist theory : from margin to center. [online] Boston, Mass.: South End Press. Available at: https://funceji.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/bell_hooks_feminist_theory_from_margin_to_centebookzz-org_.pdf [Accessed 24 Nov. 2024].
Loreck, J. (2016). Explainer: what does the ‘male gaze’ mean, and what about a female gaze? [online] The Conversation. Available at: https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-does-the-male-gaze-mean-and-what-about-a-female-gaze-52486.
Monroe, M. (2018). Marilyn Monroe In ‘River Of No Return’ – ‘One Silver Dollar’. [online] YouTube. Available at: https://youtu.be/MILQU_xcUvk?si=-4Trrv8V04wiK2_3 [Accessed 26 Nov. 2024].
Mulvey, L. (1975). Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema. [online] Available at: https://doubleoperative.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/mulvey-visual-pleasure.pdf [Accessed 25 Nov. 2024].
Vanbuskirk, S. (2022). What Is the Male Gaze? [online] Verywell Mind. Available at: https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-the-male-gaze-5118422
Hi Maria!
This blog does a great job of unpacking the male gaze using Marilyn Monroe as an example. Your analysis of River of No Return really highlights how Monroe’s character was framed more as a visual spectacle than as a fully developed individual. I particularly liked how you connected Mulvey’s idea of scopophilia to the way the audience is encouraged to view Monroe—detached and focused on her appearance rather than her emotions or actions. Your section on Monroe’s public image also adds an important layer, showing how the male gaze extends beyond the screen into her real-life persona. The idea that her image was shaped by male-dominated Hollywood and turned into a commodity is both compelling and heartbreaking. It’s a reminder of how societal structures influence not just characters but the lives of the actors themselves. Your blog is a thoughtful and engaging critique that challenges readers to think about how media representations of women are constructed and consumed. Great work!
Hi Maria ,This is an excellent and nuanced exploration of Marilyn Monroe’s legacy through the lens of the Male Gaze. You’ve done a great job of illustrating how Monroe’s image has often been reduced to that of the “blonde bombshell,” objectified and commodified by the media and male-driven narratives. It’s fascinating how you’ve drawn attention to the duality of her persona—how she was both a victim of objectification and a savvy, self-aware figure who at times played into or even subverted the Male Gaze for her own benefit.
What really stood out to me in your post was the discussion about Monroe’s own self-awareness of her image. She was often pigeonholed into roles that emphasized her beauty and sexuality, yet, as you point out, she used her persona strategically, controlling how she was perceived in some ways. This highlights the complexity of her relationship with the Male Gaze—not simply a passive victim, but also a woman aware of the power of her own image.
You also make an important point about how Monroe’s portrayal in the media has overshadowed her talents and intellect. It’s striking how her acting abilities and deep sense of vulnerability were often overshadowed by the sexualized image the media created for her. This is a clear example of how the Male Gaze doesn’t just objectify women’s bodies—it often erases their full humanity.
That being said, I’d love to see more discussion on how Marilyn’s image, especially in later years, has been reclaimed and reinterpreted in contemporary media. How have modern interpretations of her life and career worked to challenge or reinforce the Male Gaze? For example, films like My Week with Marilyn and Blonde (2022) offer different takes on her life, but they still grapple with the tension between her objectified image and her more complex personal life.
Overall, your analysis does an excellent job of showing the long-lasting impact of the Male Gaze on Monroe’s career and legacy. It makes us think about how the media continues to construct and reduce women to a singular image, rather than allowing them to be multifaceted individuals.