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MM's first main role

Don't Bother to Knock (1952)

After 17 attempts at stardom, Marilyn Monroe finally got a breakthrough this 1h37m thriller film. Here she plays the role of a babysitter from hell who has issues with depression after her pilot boyfriend dies. Her acting proved to Hollywood that she is not just a bimbo, but one who could act. Sadly, we later discover that she was fighting these same problems in her personal life.

The movie is set in a hotel in New York where a pilot (Jed) is trying to reconcile with his bar singer girlfriend (Lyn). She wants to end their relationship after finding out that he is actually not so caring.

In the same hotel, Mr and Mrs Jones who is to attend Mr Jones' celebratory dinner, receive Nel (Marilyn Monroe), a babysitter. The elevator man, Eddie, her uncle, is trying to get a new start for Nel, a country girl.

The courteous, soft-spoken Nel gets on her business. She is impressed with the lavish lifestyle of the Jones. She dons Mrs Jones attire and perfumes.

Meanwhile, Jed who failed to patch up with his beau returns to his room. He lays his eyes on the pretty girl across his room (Nel). The naive Nel calls him over.

She plays along the tune as the occupant of the room till the sleeping child blows the cover! Soon Jed realises that the girl is not normal. When Jed mentions that he is a pilot, Nel insists he is her boyfriend who did not die after all!

One thing leads to another, and she becomes more irrational. She almost pushes the child she is babysitting and later gags her away. Eddie is also hit on the head.

Finally, after much melodrama, Nel is sent back to a sanatorium where she was discharged from. Seeing how Jed handled the whole situation in a caring manner, Lyn changed her mind and reconciled with Jed.

This low key movie did not stir a great rave, but it did manage to cast Monroe in meaty roles in subsequent films.

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