Marilyn Monroe at 100: Beyond the Icon

Few icons stand frozen in time quite like Marilyn Monroe. A woman whose short life has her immortalised in moving pictures and an instantly recognisable image. It is easy to reduce her to a single frame. The white dress, the breathy voice, the tragedy. But generations have flattened one of cinema's most dynamic performers into a pinup or a cautionary tale. Monroe was so much more than the mythology that surrounds her.

She was sharp, ambitious and deeply instinctive as a performer. She knew exactly how to use her intelligence, her physicality and her carefully constructed image as creative instruments. She challenged the studio system head on, going on strike to protest poor quality scripts. She became the first woman since the silent era to set up her own production company. That is not the story of someone who had things handed to her. That is real grit.

This summer, Showroom Cinema marks the centenary of Monroe's birth with a season celebrating some of her very finest work. A real chance to see these films as they deserve to be seen. On the big screen, with an audience, and with fresh eyes.

The season includes a stunning new 4K reissue of The Misfits, her final completed film and a raw, bruising performance opposite Clark Gable. There are screenings of Niagara, the noir thriller that first proved she could carry a picture, and Some Like It Hot, which remains one of the greatest comedies ever made. Her timing in that film is just extraordinary. Every single beat is deliberate. Our monthly Dementia Friendly screening shows Some Like It Hot on 30 June.

Tickets are £12, or £10 concession, and just £6 with a free CINE26 membership for under 26s. Book two or more films in the season and the price drops automatically. Two films for £11 each, three for £10.50 each. Best value is all three. Showroom members skip the online booking fee and save even more. Memberships start from just £4.99 a month.

If you’re left craving more of Hollywood’s golden age, join our costumed life drawing session on 1 July.

We think we know Monroe. The blonde, the bombshell, the heartbreak. But sit in a dark cinema and actually watch her work and you will see something else entirely. A woman in complete control of her craft. This season is your rare chance to look again.

All tickets on sale now at https://showroomcinema.org.uk/festivals/marilyn-at-100

By Salli Greaves, Head of Marketing for Showroom Cinema