Let me take you back to February 6, 1956. That’s the day legendary photographer Eve Arnold was at a press event at New York’s iconic Plaza Hotel for Marilyn Monroe’s new film with Laurence Olivier. Now, halfway through the press conference, something unexpected happened. One of the very thin straps on Marilyn’s dress broke, causing total chaos as everyone scrambled to find a safety pin. But here’s the kicker—according to Eve’s grandson, Michael Arnold, this wasn’t an accident. “Afterward, she winked at Eve,” Michael tells Closer. “Marilyn had planned the mishap to create a frenzy.”
What’s fascinating is that Marilyn felt comfortable enough to let Eve in on the joke. Why? Because these two powerhouse women had been friends since the very start of their careers. Now, there’s a new book out called Marilyn Monroe: By Eve Arnold that shares over 100 newly discovered and restored photographs of the legendary actress. Published by ACC Art Books, this collection lets readers dive deep into a more personal, intimate side of Marilyn Monroe—one that most people never got to see.
According to Michael, his grandmother first met Marilyn at a Hollywood party back in early 1952. Marilyn was already a rising star, and she was really impressed by the photos Eve had taken of Marlene Dietrich in a recording studio. “She said to her, ‘If you could do that with Dietrich, just imagine what you could do with me!’” Michael recalls with a smile. That moment sparked a friendship that would last for years, leading to some of the most iconic and candid shots of Marilyn Monroe ever taken.
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Over the next decade, Eve and Marilyn worked together on multiple photo sessions. Eve was even present during the filming of the 1961 classic, The Misfits. “Because of her close relationship with Marilyn, Eve was able to capture a more natural, candid side of her,” Michael explains. “These images are much different from the formulaic, flirtatious shots taken by many male photographers of the time.”
Exploring Marilyn Monroe’s Enduring Legacy
After Marilyn’s untimely passing, Eve held onto her photographs for years before finally releasing Marilyn Monroe: An Appreciation in 1987. “When Eve saw all the books and photos that reduced Monroe to just a sex symbol or a dumb blonde, she felt she had to speak up about the real Marilyn she knew and cherished,” Michael says. The new book is a perfect complement to that earlier work. “We carefully selected the photos that told a story,” he explains. “We wanted to show something that hadn’t been seen before—a side of Marilyn that was raw, authentic, and deeply personal.”
