PAYING TRIBUTE TO MARILYN MONROE SURROUNDING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF HER FINAL MOMENTS, VIRGIL DIGITAL PRESENTS THE UNTOLD STORY OF STRENGTH, COMFORT, AND CONTROL PROVIDED BY THE CITY OF NEW YORK
MARILYN IN MANHATTAN
FEATURING RARE FOOTAGE AND NEVER BEFORE SEEN PHOTOS
AVAILABLE ON DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, STREAMING DIGITAL
Premieres On Digital Platforms July 31ST
Trailer Available Now On YouTube
NEW YORK CITY (June 7, 2012) – At the height of her fame with Hollywood wrapped around her fingertips, Marilyn Monroe ditched the west coast for the cultural capital of the world: New York City. Within the streets of Manhattan, the Hollywood icon found her inner strength and engaged in the city’s elite world of the arts, founded her own production company, and took her career into her own hands. Featuring never before heard personal stories with friends, archival footage, home movies, and exclusive photographs, Marilyn In Manhattan will make its digital debut on July 31st. The biopic will be distributed to virtually every major digital platform through the company’s newly amped division, Virgil Digital. The announcement was made today by Joe Amodei, president of Virgil Films & Entertainment.
“Marilyn Monroe had that raw quality about her that has lasted the test of time. Her untimely death has made her an icon and this film spotlights a particular moment in the actress’ life that few know about,” said Amodei.
Viewers are given an illuminating look at the starlet’s brief stint in NY through personal reminiscences of friends, including Oscar® winning actress Ellen Burstyn, actor Ben Gazzara, Amy Greene, Susan Strasberg, agent Jay Kanter, NY publicist, John Springer, and presenting archival footage with Joe DiMaggio, Arthur Miller, Lee Strasberg, and Milton Greene. Marilyn in Manhattan reveals the untold story of a secret landing in New York that would soon serve purpose as the icon took pivotal steps that changed her life forever.
Virgil Digital proudly pays tribute to the life of a pop culture legend with the digital debut of Marilyn in Manhattan beginning July 31, 2012 to be available on digital platforms across the country to coincide with the August 6th anniversary.
The year was 1954 and Marilyn was distraught from her failed marriage to Joe DiMaggio and unsettled with her snubbed earnings for dumb blonde movie roles. With the help of celebrity photographer and friend Milton Greene, the blonde sensation walked away from her lackluster contract with 20th Century Fox and announced the newly formed Marilyn Monroe Productions helmed by Greene. Through MMP, she nabbed two breakaway roles in the acclaimed films, Bus Stop and The Prince and The Showgirl.
Throughout the big apple, the buxom bombshell walked among the crowds, drifted through the village, listened to jazz in Harlem, and even spent time in Fire Island with only a pair of sunglasses and a scarf. While focusing on her intellectual side, she cultivated her acting skills by enrolling in the famed Actor’s Studio and studied theater from the master, Lee Strasberg. These moments and more are shared on screen, along with her famous courtship with acclaimed playwright, Arthur Miller, whom she wed in White Plains, NY.
With the city’s help, Monroe paved her own road to substantial roles, bolder films, and challenging characters. Marilyn in Manhattan presents a charming side of the iconic beauty boasting newfound courage and a level of serious undertaking that would be forever influenced by the city of New York. Although she eventually went back to Hollywood, we are presented with Monroe’s rare moments of solidarity, anonymity, control, and confidence – much like a New Yorker.
The trailer for Marilyn in Manhattan is available on the Virgil Films YouTube channel at: http://youtu.be/vRFrVFJnqgE
MARILYN IN MANHATTAN – synopsis
An exclusive look at Marilyn Monroe just before her tragic end… Set in New York City in the ‘50s, it’s a surprising documentary that captures the movie legend as she runs with Broadway pals from the Actors Studio. Ben Gazzara and Susan Strasberg tell of their nights studying with her while she tried to shake the Hollywood “dumb blonde” image. She befriends singer Ella Fitzgerald and goes to Harlem for jazz, in the “Village” Marilyn and Brando find young actors to share coffee and movie tales and home movies give us rare footage into her marriage to Arthur Miller. And, Milton Greene’s rare black and white still photos are a collector’s delight. But, at its heart this documentary is filled with stories told by people who’ve spoken for the first time about a Marilyn “conspiracy…” Secret midnight plane flights from LA to NYC . . . Studio contracts dumped . . . Powerful men challenged. In the end, the film discovers a desperate Marilyn unable to sustain a new life without Joe DiMaggio, Frank Sinatra and JFK.
VIRGIL FILMS & ENTERTAINMENT
Virgil Films & Entertainment was founded in 2003 by Joe Amodei to acquire, market and distribute DVD, TV and Digital product in the theatrical feature film, documentaries, special interest and sports categories. The company has built partnerships with OWN, Sundance Channel Home Entertainment, National Geographic Cinema Ventures, ESPN, MLB Productions, Morgan Spurlock’s Warrior Poets and other high-profile entertainment brands since their inception. Recent releases from Virgil Films & Entertainment include the documentary, Ayn Rand and the Prophecy of Atlas Shrugged; the award winning My Run, The Last Lions and the hit documentary Forks Over Knives. They have also successfully released last year’s Oscar® nominated documentary Restrepo. For more information, please visit www.VirgilFilmsEnt.com
