Marilyn: Something's Got to Give

Judging from the footage in this documentary ´Something´s got to give´ would certainly not have been a step forward for Marilyn: a silly comedy which would have taken her right back to her early days. During the late fifties Marilyn had proven to be a very fine actress, able of playing high standard comedy (Some like it hot, The prince and the showgirl) as well as dramatic parts (Bus stop). Then her personal life got in the way of her film career. While 20th Century Fox gave Elizabeth Taylor the star treatment and the budget that goes with it (for portraying Cleopatra), Marilyn got stuck with this stinker. She got fired during the shoot and died just before the studio rehired her to finish the job. Though this documentary shows a couple of touching scenes (f.i. Marilyn´s character meeting her children for the first time in years - this was to be the first time Marilyn played a mother), I think ´The Misfits´ is a much more suitable swansong for this beautiful child (as Truman Capote once called her).

The film Somethings Got to Give shows rare footage of the tragic film icon Marilyn Monroe just months before her death, with Marilyn looking radiant and beautiful. The film also includes interviews with the cast and crew of Somethings Got to Give who lend an insight into the filming of Monroe's final and unfinished film. I would have enjoyed more footage from the film as I believe the film would have benefited had it been longer. However, the footage of Marilyn was still beautiful to see.

Marilyn Monroe was a great money maker for 20th: Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, How to Marry A Millionaire, Niagra, The Seven Year Itch, Bus Stop. 20th had only 1 movie Lets Make Love between 1956 and 1962. 2oth had the biggest star under contact but. Only had 1 picture. Marilyn had a 'play or pay " provision and was paid off for The Blue Angel, and Wild River because the studio could not have the pictures in production by a certain date. MM out foxed Fox. MM had her greatest hit at UA Some Like It Hot and made a. Reported $2 Million. MM's estate continues to reel in money for that classic comedy. MM gave a great performance in John Huston's the Misfits at UA.

I am surprised a 20th shareholder never sued 20th for malfeasance. I repeat thy had a living legend under contract but never came up with a suitable property for MM. After the worldwide success 20th demanded a film and what they came up with was Let's Make Love. Marilyn wanted to do Brothers Karamazov at MGM and was Truman Capote's choice for Paramounts Breakfast At Tiffany's but her requirement to make a 20t Century Fox movie forced MM tomato Lets Make Love.

MM reported to 20th for the final film under her existing contract Somethings Got To Give with Dean Martin and directed by George Cukor with whom she made Lets Make Love. 20th gave MM a star bungalow on the lot, a dressing room on the sound stage and an office in the admin building for Marilyn Monroe Productions.

Much has been made that MM was absent a lot: Why didn't 20th schedule her scenes in the afternoon as MM was not a morning person. Cukor as never a MM fan and the movie was supposed to be finished in the fall of 1962 with Jean Neguelsco as Director whom MM approved. (David Selznick wrote 20th requesting afternoon and late evening shoot for "Tender Is The Night" starring hits great love Jennifer Jones who apparently wasn't;t a morning person either but 20th turned down the Selznick's plea for. Later day schedule.)

MM was outstanding looking on this movie she hd slimmed down and was gorgeous simply gorgeous.

Marilyn had a select list of only the top Directors: Wilder, Lean, Hitchcock, Wyler, Stevens, Cukor, Huston, Zinnenman. Neguelesc,Hawks: MM would only work in a film with one of the great Directors on her list.

MM did a takeoff on Garbo looking fantastic.his film would have been a smash hit

The movie was a remake of Irene Dunne's My Favorite Wife with MM returning home after being on a desert island. Franz Planer a great cinematographer filmed MM looking glorious.

Cyd Charisse, Wally Cox, Phil Silvers and Tom Tryon had supporting roles.

" There was rumor that 20th would cast MM in a sexy suspense film "Illicit" but nothing came of it! Again 20th dropped the ball when dealing with MM. MMin I"llicit" wow what a catch title what a great movie!

20th knew that MM was not a morning person. Why didn't they schedule MM scenes to be shot from 12 noon to 5pm? The other scenes featuring Dean Martin, and the other players could have been done in the morning. Cukor was antagonistic to MM and the producer Henry Weinstein was in talks with Kim Novak and Shirley McLaine to take over for MM. Both stars declined. Kim wantted to do movie with MM. Which would have been great box office And been a super hit!

Marilyn began the film looking better than she had in 10 years ar 35 she looked 25! MM was giving a great performance but was fired. For being late or a no-show. 20th also claimed and Cukor concurred that MM was not giving a good performance. Seen today MM was fantastic in her scenes. Her impersonation of Garbo in a scene is priceless.

MM was rehired at 5 times her old salary and with a new Director Jean Neguelesco whom she had worked before . MM once again out foxed Fox.

Marilyn Monroe (1926-1962) never looked as beautiful, sensual and enchanting as she did in this screwball comedy, which had to remain unfinished because of her untimely death. The few scenes that had already been shot show her as Ellen Arden, who was missing for five years after a plane crash and, after her accidental rescue, reappears with her husband (Dean Martin), who is about to get married again. Marilyn's nude (leotard) appearance in the swimming pool is simply great and still well worth seeing!

But there was someone else on the deserted island. The good Ellen Arden was stranded there with a striking male Adonis, who was played by Tom Tryon (1926-1991). As is well known, the film could not be finished. That same year, Tryon had a small appearance in "The Longest Day." Things got better in 1963 when he landed the title role in "The Cardinal" alongside the German-Austrian world star Romy Schneider (1938-1982). There was also a Golden Globe nomination for the attractive actor.

But Tom Tryon not only had an enviable body, but also something on his mind. In the 1970s he developed into a successful writer. Based on his own short story "Crowned Heads", he wrote the script for "Fedora" (1978) by Billy Wilder, which was intended to help Hildegard Knef (1925-2002, of course under her international star name Hildegarde Neff) make a big comeback. It didn't quite work, but the film is well worth seeing. The story of the filming of this film has just been made into the novel "Mr Wilder & Me" by Jonathan Coe.

Something's Got to Give was Marilyn Monroe's last and uncompleted film. Though the film is a light comedy, it nevertheless showed Marilyn as a sensitive woman and mother seeing her children for the first time in five years. The film would not have been great, but it would have shown Marilyn after a nearly two year absence from the screen. The footage shows her to be ethereally beautiful and by no means the drug-hazed woman some depicted her to be at the time. When she was on the screen, the other actors simply did not matter. Though The Misfits might have been a more substantial film, this viewer held his breath at the final glimpse of his most favorite star, one Marilyn Monroe.