As she fixes her makeup during a flight to Chicago, the Marilyn Monroe of this stunned image is a world apart from her appearance in the publicity photos released by the Hollywood studios.
Taken in 1955, at the height of her fame, by legendary photographer Eve Arnold (and included in a new book Marilyn Monroe*), the photo gives a glimpse into the actress’s private life.
Monroe, then 29, had called Arnold at 4 a.m. that day to ask if she would accompany her to Illinois with her hairdresser Leonardi.
“Wherever we went, the crowds were so large that, to ensure her privacy, I stood guard at the ladies’ room at the airport,” Arnold writes.
‘I had long decided that I would try to document the madness of her junket and the kind of mass hysteria it caused.
“And if I could get the vibe of her behind the scenes, it would add immeasurably to the story.”
*ACC Art Books, £40. To order a copy for £34 with free UK delivery to November 10, visit mailshop.co.uk/books or call 020 3176 2937. Magnum