Marilyn Monroe’s Mother Gladys Pearl Baker – “Blonde” on Netflix offers an emotionally captivating, dramatized depiction of Marilyn Monroe, one of America’s iconic actresses. Based on Joyce Carol Oates’ biographical novel with the same title, this series takes a fictionalized approach to Monroe’s story. Marilyn Monroe shined brighter than most in Hollywood during the 1950s. Following her tragic, untimely death, it has spawned documentaries, movies, and analyses detailing her emotional struggles and their roots.
Dominik masterfully depicts these emotional issues through “Blonde.” Watch as Ana De Armas describes Norma Jeane on her remarkable journey as she transforms into Marilyn Monroe – but be prepared for an eventful transformation process! In “Blonde,” we witness Gladys Baker (Julianne Nicholson), as represented by her daughter Norma Jeane (Norma Jeane). These emotionally charged outbursts of Gladys Baker have an immense effect on her daughter Norma Jeane, ultimately leaving a permanent mark upon her personality that can take years to overcome. Furthermore, “Blonde” depicts Norma Jeane’s haunted memories from her past that cause similar emotional outbursts as her mother (Gladys Baker) did.
What Happened To Marilyn Monroe’s Mother In Real Life?
Gladys Pearl Baker entered a small room, carrying her daughter Norma Jeane tightly in her arms and gesturing towards a portrait on the wall containing an attractive man she revealed was her father. However, in this episode, Gladys needs help pronouncing his name correctly. Norma Jeane was forbidden from touching the picture, as its owner considered it sacred; when she told of his true identity and the fatherhood of their daughter, an overwhelming feeling of regret emerged regarding its exposure.
According to her account, Norma Jeane’s father (an unidentified husband) resided far away, prompting her to become increasingly concerned for his well-being. Although uncertain about their marital status, they felt connected in her heart. Gladys was clearly feeling restless; her face betraying an appearance of fear and suspicion as she expertly baked a delicious cake for her daughter’s special occasion, yet she couldn’t resist the lure of an aromatic beverage to refresh herself after finishing up. With one sip, she fell deep into sleep once again. INT. BEDROOM – DAY The phone rings repeatedly, but only our protagonist hears it; nervously, she hands the cake to her daughter while her hands shake excitedly. As her body trembled, Gladys noticed an unsettling vibration in her home.
In this episode, Gladys attempts to maintain normality; however, an unexpected reveal by Norma Jeane exposes Gladys’s mother’s darker side. Gladys awakens at midnight and leads Norma Jeane out of an explosive room. As she neared the scene surrounded by law enforcement officers, Gladys passionately voiced her wish to meet her husband, who shall remain anonymous, while conversing unintelligibly with police officers. Police found her agitated mental state, instructing her to return. However, as soon as Norma Jeane inquired about their return, Gladys became violently upset and assaulted Norma Jeane physically before finally heading home and contemplating such an awful deed – drowning Norma Jeane in the bathtub! However, maternal instincts took over and stopped this from taking place.
Gladys attempted to harm her daughter but failed. Instead, she lashed out against Norma Jeane, blaming her for his departure and accusing her of having caused it all herself. According to this dramatic tale, it is widely assumed that Norma Jeane’s father left after Gladys became pregnant, as he did not want her having children outside of marriage; perhaps Gladys’ mental instability also played a part in his departure. Little Norma Jeane sought refuge at her neighbor’s house, only to be met with an unexpected response: the heroic couple who came to her aid made the difficult decision to place her into foster care, despite both parents being alive. Meanwhile, Gladys was forced to seek treatment for her severe mental illness at a hospital.
Our protagonist, Norma Jeane, experienced a difficult childhood living between foster homes. At an early age, she entered into modeling, dreaming of becoming an actress and finding her long-lost father. She faced multiple obstacles and physical abuse while making her way from modeling to the big screen. It culminates in her arriving at Norwalk State Hospital to visit her ailing mother. An astounding discovery has surfaced that confirms medical professionals’ beliefs: the protagonist’s mother had an undiagnosed mental illness during the 1950s. Gladys would sometimes show an attentive ear toward her daughter, while other times, she completely disregarded her presence. Regardless of her fame, Norma Jeane remained committed to fulfilling her duty to Gladys and refusing to repeat what had come before. She was determined not to become another statistic in their cycle of violence and abuse.
Meanwhile, her heart longed to play the roles of a loving spouse and nurturing parent. Norma Jeane wanted nothing more than to provide exceptional care for her child while cultivating an enjoyable family life. As she realized her mother’s mental illness could potentially pass down to her, it left her feeling mixed emotions. While contemplating her mother’s illness, she couldn’t help but wonder if it were genetic and could impact future progeny. Early in her acting career, Norma Jeane was drawn to Cass, commonly called Charlie Chaplin Jr.
However, she became embroiled in a love triangle involving Edward Robinson Jr. In an unexpected turn of events, Norma Jeane finds herself pregnant for the very first time, although the father remains unknown. There has been some speculation that Cass might be involved, adding more drama and intrigue to an already captivating storyline. Unfortunately, she couldn’t keep the child due to preventing the genetic inheritance of mental illness between mother and offspring. After many failed attempts to stop this from happening, she ultimately underwent her first abortion.
On the show, it is revealed that Norma Jeane’s mother suffered from paranoid schizophrenia and made the difficult choice to give up her daughter for adoption during her childhood years. Gladys Pearl Baker made an agonizing choice: giving up Norma Jeane to another couple. Our protagonist, Norma Jeane, had an uneven upbringing in various foster homes throughout her childhood. Gladys stopped by to visit as she made her way from the orphanage to the foster family home and tried to retrieve our protagonist Norma Jeane, but all were futile.
At the climax, our protagonist is admitted to Metropolitan State Hospital and given a life-altering diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia. As Norma Jeane embarked on her journey in the entertainment industry, she also reconnected with her mother while attending auditions at various studios – an effort that helped improve their strained relationship. Gladys’s mental state declined, so her daughter’s pursuit of acting only exacerbated the situation. Their relationship was unstable, with multiple breakups and reconciliations occurring over time. As Marilyn Monroe achieved stardom, major studios demanded she keeps quiet about her mother’s death to maintain their contracts.
Meanwhile, Norma Jeane grieved her loss before marrying John Eley, only for them to later divorce each other. While Marilyn Monroe enjoyed success in Hollywood, studios demanded that she keep mum about this tragedy. Reports initially indicated that Gladys Baker had tragically lost both parents, yet in 1952, it was discovered she was actually still alive! Marilyn reached out to her mother one last time before Gladys Pearl Baker suddenly passed away from an unexpected heart attack in 1984, leaving Marilyn’s identity and father unknown until today.
“Bleed for Me” is an engaging fictional adaptation of Marilyn Monroe’s life based on a novel. Unfortunately, Marilyn’s childhood did not involve being cared for by either biological parent; even with both being alive, she found safety with foster families. As time progressed, her mental state worsened further as her mother’s health declined, as did hers. Our protagonist was subjected to several painful procedures, such as three abortions, which took an enormous toll on both her physical and emotional well-being.
In an unsettling depiction, this film presents Marilyn’s gradual fall into depression. Love has long been an intermittent aspect of her life; its appearance and disappearance became more frequent with age. Unfulfilled ambitions of motherhood led her into an emotional breakdown. Like her mother before her, she too was soon haunted by an endlessly ringing telephone despite no calls coming in. After numerous trips to doctors for mental check-ups failed, her situation quickly worsened until it culminated on August 4, 1962, when finally relief was found. Tragically, her life abruptly ended due to a barbiturate overdose.
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