The Truth About Marilyn Monroe's Divorce From Arthur Miller

Marilyn Monroe and Arthur Miller were a surprising pairing from the start, but that didn't mean there wasn't real love between them. Quite the contrary; Monroe spoke openly about the last of her three husbands being the great love of her life. Even so, the two parted ways just a few years after tying the knot. In a 1960 interview with Georges Belmont, translated from French to English for "Marilyn Monroe and the Camera," the Hollywood icon revealed that she first met the esteemed playwright in 1951. Though they didn't begin a relationship for several more years, Monroe confessed that she was smitten right away. "I don't know how to say it, but I was in love with him from the first moment," the legendary actor shared. Elsewhere in the interview, she elaborated that it was Miller's own sensitivity as well as his ability to see her sensitivity that drew her to the writer. 

Sadly, though, what seemed promising at first wasn't built to last. In November 1960, the couple announced that they were splitting up, and early the following year, Monroe filed for divorce in Juarez, Mexico. According to reports, the court was opened by the judge specifically so she could file as quickly as possible. Ironically, given her subsequent links to him, Monroe arrived in Mexico the day of President John F. Kennedy's inauguration. No coincidence there since the "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" star reportedly hoped to slide under the radar while everyone was focused on something else — a quiet, yet speedy end to what had once seemed like a genuine love story. However, after their divorce was finalized, details emerged suggesting that Monroe and Miller's marriage was no fairytale. 

As seen in "Marilyn Monroe and the Camera," the iconic star mused in her interview with Georges Belmont that both her feelings and her work were equally important to her. However, it seemed as though Arthur Miller wasn't entirely onboard with the latter. In fact, not long after they wed, Miller confidently told reporters, "Marilyn will only make one film in every 18 months or so, which will take her about eight weeks," (via The Guardian). Pressed for what she would get up to the rest of the time, he quipped, "She will be my wife. That's a full-time job." It bears mentioning that the actor hinted to Belmont that she enjoyed certain aspects of her newfound domesticity. In fact, on the days their chef didn't come in, Monroe insisted on doing all the cooking, because the iconic star didn't feel it was appropriate for Miller to make his own meals. 

Nevertheless, her impressive career continued apace, and she churned out a number of films during the short-lived marriage to Miller. In fact, he actually wrote the screenplay for her film "The Misfits." That said, the project ended up being the straw that broke the camel's back. As diehard fans will already know, one of the many tragic truths about Monroe is that she dealt with addiction, and during the production, that sadly only intensified. Speaking to the BBC back in 1987, Miller recalled of Monroe at the time, "Marilyn was ill, physically, she was distraught psychologically." He added that the heat at the filming location became unbearable for her and the rest of the cast and crew, too. But it also probably didn't help that Miller met photographer Inge Morath during the production, whom he went on to marry not long after Monroe's death. 

Marilyn Monroe was drawn to Arthur Miller because of his sensitivity toward her when so many others (read: pretty much everyone) treated her like an object. And, sure enough, as the playwright wrote at one point, "With all her radiance she was surrounded by a darkness that perplexed me," (via More Stars than in the Heavens). Further, Miller explained to the BBC that just as Monroe had a tragic childhood, he had his own past heartaches to contend with too, and that played a crucial role in their initial bonding. However, not long after marrying, it turned out Miller wasn't as prepared for the realities of Monroe's life as he may have thought. 

Devastatingly, the "Some Like It Hot" star discovered this when she found his notebook — and in it, Miller's ruminations about being embarrassed to be married to her. Monroe was understandably shattered, explaining how heartbreaking it was to learn the truth. "I felt he knew and loved all of me. I wasn't sweet all through. He should love the monster too. But maybe I'm too demanding. Maybe there's no man who could put up with all of me," she was quoted as saying. As for Miller, Monroe is said to have told friends that his writings revealed that he felt just as betrayed by her when he realized she wasn't the innocent he believed her to be. 

A little bizarre, considering the "Death of a Salesman" scribe had previously spoken about knowing there was a "darkness" to her. Sadly, Monroe died the year after divorcing Miller. Though she was also linked to John F. Kennedy, the screen legend never re-married. Miller, meanwhile, remained with Inge Morath until her death in 2002. He died three years later, while engaged to artist Agnes Barley.