Elizabeth Taylor v’s Marilyn Monroe, as according to photographer Bert Stern —
Photographer Bert Stern, who worked with both Monroe and Taylor in 1962, later wrote in his book, The Last Sitting, ‘Marilyn was totally the opposite of Elizabeth Taylor. Liz Taylor’s already “there.” All she has to do is turn exactly straight and be still. Her beauty is formal. Liz is the fact of beauty. Marilyn was the fantasy. If Marilyn were still for an instant, her beauty would evaporate. With her it was like photographing light itself.’
Quote taken from -
https://tarahanks.com/2011/03/23/elizabeth-taylor-1932-2011/
2nd quote by Bert Stern where he scrutinises the beauty of the various famous women he has photographed:
"My eye roved her face, searching. I couldn’t find the secret of her beauty in any one feature. She didn’t have a great nose like Liz Taylor, or perfect lips like Brigitte Bardot. She didn’t have gorgeous almond-shaped eyes like Sophia Loren. And yet she was more to me than all of them put together."
—
Bert Stern
Photographs both taken by Bert Stern.
~
Edit: I deleted the two photo collages I posted that shied MM and ET side by side as a comparison. But the shots of MM went against the forum rules due to showing just a bit too much breast.
Also, I forgot to add astrology.
However, it struck me as very interesting that MM’s shots were indeed very sexual (I hadn’t noticed it before).
I think it is indicative of MM’s state of mind in 1962, when the shots were taken. The series of shots ate called ‘The Last Sitting,’ as they were the final professional shots Bert Stern took of MM.
If you want to look up the ET photos I shared, if you just type in, ‘Elizabeth Taylor, Bert Stern, Cleopatra, 1963.’
MM was 36 years old when these shots were taken by Bert Stern. Her career was on the wane and, by Hollywood standards, she was considered aged.
The fact that MM was still using her sexuality at the sunset of her career shows her severe lack of self-esteem and also her inner sense of failure, and having not progressed from a ‘Cheesecake model’ and into a Diva.
The lack of self-esteem can by seen by her Moon in 7th, opposing Neptune and squaring Saturn, which is also part of a Water Grand Trine, which was the ‘Norma Jeane’ aspect, and her hidden, insecure and shy self.
In other words, Marilyn Monroe was acting like a model on her 20’s and not a successful diva in her 30s. Her movie star persona still relied on sexuality and had not progressed and as such, it would be difficult to market her.
I think this is indicative of where MM’s career was headed - she had not had a successful movie since 1959’s Some Like It Hot, and had not managed to transition from a sex kitten to something that could be marketed for more mature roles.
I suspect, had MM not died so young, which struck at the heart strings of the public, she probably would have been forgotten and ended up in an asylum (her worst nightmare).
Marilyn did take some more high fashion and mess cheesecake style photos with Bert Stern in the same sitting, but she was quoted as having been anxious to take her clothes off after being tempted with some champagne.
This photo illustrates where MM’s could have headed, but she seemed to think she only had value with her clothes off, which is a-shame to have low self esteem like that.
For Elizabeth Taylor, what gave her a sense of a strong inner identity?
Well, besides that she had not had to fight and struggle to make her place on the world like MM had, even if her gilded movie studio childhood upbringing brought its own problems - I think her Moon in Scorpio is a powerful secret weapon, capable of putting up a shield against the world, that the public could not penetrate or emotionally effect her.
You can see it in her eyes and attitude in this photo —
