Let's Make Love, 1960, Cukor, Monroe, Montand...
Maybe not the greatest film of all time, but nevertheless, a Hollywood cinema Landmark -- showcasing legendary French Singer/Actor, Yves Montand. and a mature Marilyn, in the best performance of her career... only two years before her shocking suicide in 1962 ... A day I remember well, as I was living in LA at the time and heard the news-on my car radio while driving around town.
Marilyn Monroe died on August 4, 1962, at the age of 36, from a barbiturate overdose in her home at 12305
Fifth Helena Drive, Los Angeles,
according to Wikipedia. Her body was discovered on the morning of August 5.
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......
An Outstanding Performance by Marilyn Monroe
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.
Marilyn Monroe was at the top of the Hollywood star ladder as the Star of Stars when assigned this movie by her home studio 20th. Marilyn Monroe had just had the smash hit of her career with Some Like It Hot (A United Artists film) and 20th wanted to cash in on the MM popularity. Marilyn Monroe had been announced for another UA film John Huston's masterpiece The Misfits co starring Clark Gable and 20th insisted on a Monroe film before MM was allowed to do another film outside 20th. (between 1956 to 1960 while having the greatest star in Hollywood under contract 20th Century Fox did not cast MM in a movie however the very shrewd MM had a play or pay contract and when the studio announced her for Wild River and The Blue Angel but those deals did not materialize MM demanded and got her salary for those films!) Much has been written about this film and when it was released I was disappointed, having seen it recently on the Fox Movie Channel, I now find Lets Make Love charming and Ms Monroe enchanting...
ME TOO,!
George Cukor among the "Approved Directors" on MM's short list ( others were Wilder, Huston, Hitchcock, Wyler, et al) was said to be a director aware of the nuances of a female star's personas ( Hepburn, Garbo, Crawford, Leigh, Holiday, Loren all raved over Cukor.
A legendary Fling during the Filming ---
Marilyn Monroe looks stupendous in this movie,and is given fine support by a cast of professional's ... such as Wilfrid Hyde White, Tony Randall and cameos by Milton Berle and Bing Crosby. Yves Montand, who had a legendary fling during the filming of the movie with MM, is fine as The Billionaire.
Tv comedian Milton Berle's extended cameo was a rich sequence, as he "teaches Montand,how to sing"--Uncle Milty's best ever screen appearance.
Then Montand goes into a wonderful comic dance routine -- Precious.
This may not have been a great movie, as such.... but it is a Great Star Time Capsule --and Both Montand and Monroe never looked better.
And the direction by Cukor was flawless.And then comes Gene Kelly giving Yves a Dancing Lesson ...
Hilarious!
And since both Monroe and Montand really did have the hots for each other Off Screen as well as On... their screen chemistry sizzles.
Meanwhile back in France Montand's real life wife, Simone Signoret, had to put up with this well publicized scandal. -- and wasn't exactly grinning while bearing it!
The. Main Drawback of the film was Twerpy British crooner Frankie Vaughan ...
The look on her face indicates that she was not exactly turned ON by Mr. Vaughan...
Montand and Monroe cuddling up in the elevator in the last scene of the movie.......
7