The Rose By Any Other Name Affair by Mercedes M (G)

[theladyrose.livejournal.com]

Title: The Rose By Any Other Name Affair
Fandom: The Man From UNCLE
Pairing: Illya/Marilyn Monroe, sort of...
Author on LJ: unknown
Author Website: Check out file40's gen page
Why this must be read:

I can guess what you're thinking - seriously, a MFU/RPF crossover involving the woman who so memorably sang "Happy Birthday" to JFK? Believe it or not, it works beautifully, especially when you consider how many celebrities starred on the actual TV series. This mission proves to be more than a glorified babysitting job for Illya, though. It's a whimsical and melancholy portrait of one of Hollywood's most misunderstood stars and a believable story of how friendship can develop between people of different backgrounds. Both characters are enigmatic zeitgeists of the era, Monroe as a legendary sex symbol fetishized by and for celebrity and Illya as the cool "Russian Beatle" heralding a new era of cosmopolitanism. It's truly inspiring to see the two interact so believably with each other.

The Rose By Any Other Name Affair

Comments

[azdak.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad you found this one! I read it yonks ago and really enjoyed it, but had forgotten all about it.

[theladyrose.livejournal.com]

This story's one of the most amazing "crossovers" I've ever written. There was definite potential for farce, but even with all the good-natured humor you have this compelling emotional undercurrent that gets to you because you're not really expecting it. I have to admit, I've never been a fan of Monroe's and never really understood the celebrity hype, but after reading this story I felt a lot more sympathetic towards her. Plus Napoleon's reaction at the end was simply priceless; this story only works with Illya and Monroe.