Wonderful Color Photos of Marilyn Monroe Taken by Reisfeld Bert for How to Marry a Millionaire (1953)-UST
There are photographs that document a movie.
And then there are photographs that capture the exact moment when a star stops belonging to Hollywood and begins belonging to history.
The wonderful color photographs taken by Reisfeld Bert during the production and promotion of How to Marry a Millionaire in 1953 belong to that rare category. At first glance, they appear to be glamorous publicity images designed to promote a major motion picture. The colors are vibrant, the fashion is elegant, and Marilyn Monroe shines with the effortless charm that would soon make her one of the most recognizable women on Earth.
Yet hidden beneath the glamour lies a story far more fascinating.
Because these photographs were taken during a pivotal moment in Marilyn Monroe’s life—a moment when she was transforming from a promising actress into a global icon. The world saw beauty. The camera captured confidence. But somewhere beneath those dazzling smiles was a young woman still carrying the emotional scars of her past, while unknowingly stepping toward immortality.
The story begins long before the cameras started rolling on How to Marry a Millionaire.
Born as Norma Jeane Mortenson, Marilyn Monroe rose from a childhood marked by instability, foster homes, and uncertainty to become one of the most celebrated figures in entertainment history. She was an actress, model, and singer whose image would come to define an entire era. Famous for portraying comedic “blonde bombshell” characters, she became one of the most influential sex symbols of the 1950s and early 1960s.
Yet reducing Marilyn Monroe to a symbol misses the deeper truth.
Behind the platinum blonde hair and dazzling smile was a woman driven by ambition, intelligence, and a relentless desire to be taken seriously as an artist. Even as audiences fell in love with her glamorous screen persona, she constantly sought opportunities to prove there was far more to her than beauty alone.
That desire would become especially important during the making of How to Marry a Millionaire.
Released in 1953, the film represented one of the most significant productions of its time. Directed by Jean Negulesco and written and produced by Nunnally Johnson, the screenplay drew inspiration from the plays The Greeks Had a Word for It by Zoe Akins and Loco by Dale Eunson and Katherine Albert.
At its core, the film told the story of three fashionable Manhattan models determined to marry wealthy men. The premise was lighthearted and comedic, perfectly suited to the tastes of postwar America. Audiences were fascinated by stories of romance, luxury lifestyles, social status, and glamorous city living. The film delivered all of these elements while showcasing some of Hollywood’s most beloved stars.
The cast included Betty Grable, Lauren Bacall, and Marilyn Monroe, alongside William Powell, David Wayne, Rory Calhoun, and Cameron Mitchell.
On paper, Marilyn was sharing the spotlight with established stars.
In reality, something remarkable was happening.
Although Betty Grable received top billing in the official screen credits, Marilyn Monroe’s name appeared first in virtually all advertising materials, including the movie trailer. Studio executives had begun to realize what audiences already sensed.
There was something irresistible about Marilyn.
She possessed a rare ability to dominate attention without appearing to try. Whether she was delivering a comedic line, standing silently in a scene, or simply posing for a photograph, viewers found themselves drawn toward her.
Reisfeld Bert’s color photographs capture this phenomenon perfectly.
Unlike black-and-white images, which often emphasize contrast and drama, color photography reveals warmth and intimacy. Looking at these photographs today feels almost like stepping into a time machine. Suddenly, Marilyn no longer appears as a distant historical figure. She becomes vivid, immediate, and startlingly real.
Her skin glows beneath the studio lights.
Her eyes sparkle with youthful confidence.
Her expressions shift effortlessly between playfulness and sophistication.
Yet perhaps the most fascinating detail is what remains unsaid.
The camera records the smile.
It cannot fully record the thoughts behind it.
And that is where the mystery begins.
By 1953, Marilyn had already experienced enough disappointment to understand that success could be fragile. Hollywood admired her beauty, but many executives still struggled to recognize her intelligence and talent. She often found herself cast in roles that emphasized appearance over depth.
Nevertheless, she continued pushing forward.
The woman captured in these photographs was not simply enjoying fame.
She was fighting for artistic legitimacy.
She was building a career.
She was attempting to create a future that would outlast temporary popularity.
Perhaps this hidden determination explains why the photographs feel so alive.
Many publicity images from the era appear carefully staged and emotionally distant.
Marilyn’s photographs feel different.
They contain movement.
Energy.
Possibility.
They suggest a woman aware that her life is changing rapidly, yet uncertain where the journey will ultimately lead.
This emotional complexity mirrors the significance of How to Marry a Millionaire itself.
The film was groundbreaking for technical reasons as well as cultural ones. Produced and distributed by 20th Century Fox, it became the studio’s first production shot using the revolutionary CinemaScope widescreen process. Although The Robe reached theaters first, How to Marry a Millionaire represented an important step forward in cinematic presentation.
Hollywood was entering a new era.
Audiences expected bigger screens, richer colors, and more immersive experiences.
Marilyn Monroe was entering a new era too.
The parallel is difficult to ignore.
Just as CinemaScope expanded the boundaries of filmmaking, Marilyn was expanding the boundaries of what audiences expected from a female movie star.
She was glamorous, certainly.
But she was also funny.
Sensitive.
Self-aware.
Ambitious.
Those qualities shine through Reisfeld Bert’s photographs in subtle ways.
The more closely one studies the images, the more they seem to reveal a woman standing between two worlds.
One world belongs to Norma Jeane, the insecure young woman who once dreamed of escaping hardship.
The other belongs to Marilyn Monroe, the international celebrity whose image would become immortal.
The photographs exist in the space between those identities.
That space is where the real magic lives.
Modern audiences often search for Marilyn Monroe photos, Hollywood legends, celebrity net worth stories, luxury lifestyle icons, classic movie stars, and vintage fashion inspiration. Yet the enduring appeal of Marilyn extends beyond any single category.
People continue returning to her story because it reflects something universal.
The desire to become more than circumstances allow.
The struggle between public identity and private reality.
The hope that success might finally heal old wounds.
Looking at Reisfeld Bert’s photographs today, one senses these themes quietly unfolding beneath the surface.
The images celebrate glamour.
But they also hint at vulnerability.
They celebrate success.
But they also suggest longing.
They celebrate a rising star.
But they also reveal a human being.
Perhaps that is why these photographs remain so captivating more than seventy years later.
They preserve a fleeting moment when everything still seemed possible.
Before the pressures of superstardom intensified.
Before history transformed Marilyn Monroe into an icon.
Before the legend became larger than life itself.
In 1961, How to Marry a Millionaire would achieve another distinction when it became the first color CinemaScope film shown on prime-time American network television as part of NBC’s Saturday Night at the Movies. By then, Marilyn Monroe was already one of the most famous women in the world.
Yet the photographs Reisfeld Bert captured in 1953 continue to transport viewers back to an earlier moment.
A moment filled with optimism.
A moment filled with promise.
A moment when a young actress sat on the threshold of greatness, unaware that her image would survive generations.
Perhaps that is the ultimate beauty of these photographs.
They are not merely promotional portraits for a classic Hollywood film.
They are visual records of transformation.
They capture a woman becoming a legend while still remaining wonderfully human.
And hidden within every vibrant color frame is a quiet reminder that the most fascinating part of Marilyn Monroe was never her fame, her beauty, or even her success.
It was the enduring mystery of the woman behind the smile—a mystery that continues to captivate the world long after the cameras stopped rolling.
