Let's Make Love

Unlike many others who have left comments about this film, I really enjoy it. This is definitely not high on the intellect scale, but it is a sweet romantic comedy. I agree this is not Marilyn's best film, but her performance in the role is better than anyone else could have done it; very cute and believable. Some of the writing really seems to target Marilyn's own personal life (I don't know if they did that on purpose), especially when she talks about going to night school. Also during the song "Incurably Romantic," Marilyn's dress is flying up (a parallel to "The Seven-Year Itch?"). Her performance of the song "My Heart Belongs to Daddy" is just great. It's really a lot of fun. The cameos are awesome, they really make the film into a "time capsule" of the most popular comedian, dancer, and singer of the time. Tony Randall has a nice supporting role throughout the film; he is great in the scene where he sees Jean-Marc Clement's "softer side." Yves Montand and Marilyn Monroe have the strangest relationship in the movie, and you have to feel bad for Jean-Marc! He is not used to NOT getting the girl! Yves plays this very well, I think. They may lack some chemistry, but the two characters are cute and likable and you really want them to get together. So what I'm saying is, this is well worth seeing, especially if you are a fan of Marilyn or Yves, just don't expect it to be intellectually challenging... it is a great rainy day flick. :-)

This film begins with a French billionaire named "Jean-Marc Clement" (Yves Montand) being informed that a small theater is hosting a play which makes fun of him. Naturally, being somewhat curious he goes to a rehearsal to see for himself. But as it so happens, while there he is accidently mistaken for an actor wanting to play the part and since he seems so natural for the role he is hired immediately. At first he has no inclination to accept the offer but upon seeing the lead actress named "Amanda Dell" (Marilyn Monroe) he begrudgingly acquiesces in order to get to know her better. And during this process he also gets to know himself better too. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that, even though the film centers around the character played by Yves Montand, the main attraction was clearly Marilyn Monroe who performed in an outstanding manner. Unfortunately, not only did none of the other actors perform up to her level but the plot lacked the humor necessary for a comedy of this type as well. That being said, while I enjoyed this film for the most part, I have to rate it as just slightly above average.

I read the comments in Imdb, and was prepared to dislike this film. And, parts of it were not very good. However, ... Marilyn Monroe had such magic. It wasn't that she was the best actress around, or the best singer, because she wasn't. But, ... Wow, she just electrifies the screen. So much more than a pretty face. Okay, enough slobbering over Marilyn. The rest of the film is quite forgettable. Yves Montand was adequate. Tony Randall did just fine. The cameos by Milton Berle, Bing Crosby, and Gene Kelly were OK. But Marilyn...

Without what we know about her now, this movie wouldn't be worth the time it took to watch it. However, now we know about what was going on while the movie was being shot, you can see the attraction between her and Msieu Montand, whose wife took him back afterwards. It's funny, since I've seen him in a French movie, where HIS wife was unfaithful and how he copes with that. What goes around comes around, I suppose.

Montand has to act silly, which must have been as painful for him as it was for his character, a multi-billionaire trying to win Miss Musical Star, Marilyn. Watching the male singer in this movie was funny, as it reminds you of the 40s and the Dean Martin style crooners. Watching Bing Crosby and Milton Berl teach Yves how to sing and be funny was a hoot!!! "Don't 'bubba-boo-boo', or you'll get arrested," Bing suggests. Watching Milton berl walk on his ankles wasn't all that funny, but this was the 60s after all.

I liked the musical numbers, and watching Yves' face do all its rubbery wrinkling numbers. He may have been a great actor because he could put on so many different expressions, but his best movie was the one where he's trying to run for office in a crooked Banana Republic (sorta like our present government), a Cost-Grava film.

See this one just to remind you of how beautiful, how vulnerable, Marilyn was: 2 years from her suicide????!!!! She really had some nice moves, and a great figure when a tummy wasn't considered obscene (in our day of anorexic sexy?? stars).

This has got to be one of the dullest films MARILYN MONROE ever did--and equally dull is her leading man, the French accented YVES MONTAND who must have left his heart and his talents in France for the duration of filming.

He's simply bland with a capital B and very unfunny. And when MILTON BERLE, GENE KELLY and BING CROSBY attempt to give him pointers on how to be an entertainer, they're impatience with him is understandable. Whatever magic Montand had in his homeland is obscured here by a witless script and poor direction from George Cukor, who even manages to make Marilyn look less than believable as a wistful showgirl.

The faults extend to the songs to. The only reasonably good one is "My Heart Belongs to Daddy" done in a rather coy and simpering style by Monroe but nevertheless, it's the only high point in the whole show. Everything else is better left unmentioned.

Summing up: A waste of two stars who, incidentally, have no chemistry together, at least on screen. Off is another matter.