The Marilyn Monroe Movie Made Before Her Death — And Why It Vanished

Long before Marilyn Monroe’s tragic death on August 4, 1962, a film quietly emerged that eerily mirrored her life—but without the shadow of her eventual fate. The Goddess, released in 1958, stands as a haunting, largely forgotten cinematic portrait of a woman strikingly like Monroe, offering an unflinching look at the pain behind the glamour.

A Thinly Veiled Portrait of Marilyn Monroe

Directed by John Cromwell and penned by Oscar-winning playwright Paddy Chayefsky, The Goddess stars Kim Stanley in her film debut as Emily Ann Faulkner, who transforms into Hollywood star Rita Shawn. Though Stanley maintained the character was not directly based on Monroe, the parallels are unmistakable. Both women shared fractured childhoods, troubled relationships with single mothers, early marriages and divorces, battles with addiction and mental health, and the iconic transformation from brunette to blonde.

The film unfolds in three acts—Portrait of a Young Girl, Portrait of a Young Woman, and Portrait of a Goddess—charting Rita’s journey from childhood trauma through failed relationships to the lonely glare of fame. Unlike typical Monroe biographies focusing on her film career, The Goddess zooms in on the personal turmoil behind the spotlight, including a distant mother, tumultuous marriages, and isolation amid Hollywood’s exploitative industry.

A Performance Rooted in Authenticity

Kim Stanley’s portrayal is both heart-wrenching and intimate. Having trained alongside Monroe at the Actor’s Studio, Stanley brought a unique empathy to the role, embodying Rita’s fragile innocence and emotional struggles. Yet, despite her powerful performance, The Goddess was marred by behind-the-scenes strife. Chayefsky, inexperienced with film editing, demanded final cut privileges and excised much of the script’s lighter moments. Stanley later called the film “my least favorite out of any work I’ve ever done,” lamenting the loss of comedic balance that might have eased the film’s heavy tone.

A Misstep in Moralizing

While The Goddess provided a rare window into the complexities of a Monroe-like figure before the actress’s death, its stark, moralizing tone drew criticism. The film’s bleak portrayal of Rita’s personal failures, coupled with one-dimensional depictions of those around her, rendered it a stifling experience for some viewers. Monroe’s husband at the time, Arthur Miller, reportedly considered legal action over the film’s unflattering resemblances.

A Forgotten Chapter in Monroe’s Legacy

Overshadowed by the tragedy that would soon define Monroe’s legacy, The Goddess faded into obscurity, becoming a curious footnote in Hollywood history. Yet the film remains a fascinating artifact—a daring exploration of fame, trauma, and identity that predated the public’s knowledge of Monroe’s untimely death.

Kim Stanley’s haunting debut and Chayefsky’s ambitious script remind us that behind Monroe’s dazzling exterior was a complex, vulnerable woman. Though The Goddess never achieved critical or commercial success, it endures as a poignant meditation on the cost of stardom and the elusive search for self beneath the glitz of Tinseltown