MY ORIGINAL COMMENT: This compilation does less than justice to the memory and talents of Marilyn Monroe in three principal ways:
(1) Photographically. The CinemaScope extracts of course look good. The SuperScope 55 reprint from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes it must be admitted looks fabulous (though the original choreographer and photographer would hardly approve). The other Technicolor prints are likewise most acceptable. But the black-and-whites look awful. Printed on color stock and reprocessed to sit in the center of the CinemaScope frame, they appear washed-out, grainy, dupey-looking, with an odd but unbecoming bluish tinge.
(2) Historically. No mention is made of Marilyn's movies that are not represented here, aside from Fox's own Let's Make Love, which is presumably not included in this anthology, fully deserving though it is, because its initial box-office take was disappointing. This gives the impression that Marilyn made all her photo-plays for Fox when in point of fact some of her best work was released by other studios, particularly The Asphalt Jungle, Clash by Night, The Prince and the Showgirl, Some Like It Hot and The Misfits. Even the Fox line-up is shy of three of her important movies, namely As Young As You Feel, Let's Make It Legal and the already mentioned Let's Make Love.
(3) Personally. No insight into the real Marilyn is provided here. The emphasis is entirely on Monroe's physical charisma. The approach is bland, superficial and uninvolving to the point of appearing uncaring. The choice of Rock Hudson as presenter/narrator is a curious one. Professionally, he never appeared on camera with Marilyn. Privately, he was never a friend, nor even a member of the most outer circle of her acquaintances. I've read many books on Marilyn but from all of them I could only find one oblique comment that could in any way refer to Hudson — and that was disparaging. Isn't it typical Hollywood that when almost all her Fox co-workers were available, the producers of this anthology should look outside the studio to search out someone least qualified for the job?
OTHER VIEWS: Above is my original view. Seeing the movie again on TV recently, I've changed my mind. In fact, I now regard "Marilyn" as a smashing compilation of nothing but the best! In fact, with so much rich fare to choose from, it was inevitable that a few personal favorites were omitted. I particularly missed Marilyn torching the title song from "River of No Return", but just about every other highlight from a fabulous career is spotted: the famous Walk from Niagara, a chorus step with Dan Dailey in "A Ticket To Tomahawk", grand entrance with George Sanders in "All About Eve", sidewalk encounter with "Soapy" Laughton in "Full House", and the final, alas! all-too-brief clips from "Something's Got To Give", which show her at the height of her powers, more beautiful, more seductive than ever! The anthology concludes with the "Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend" production number from "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes", fabulously reprinted in SuperScope 55.
(1) Photographically. The CinemaScope extracts of course look good. The SuperScope 55 reprint from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes it must be admitted looks fabulous (though the original choreographer and photographer would hardly approve). The other Technicolor prints are likewise most acceptable. But the black-and-whites look awful. Printed on color stock and reprocessed to sit in the center of the CinemaScope frame, they appear washed-out, grainy, dupey-looking, with an odd but unbecoming bluish tinge.
(2) Historically. No mention is made of Marilyn's movies that are not represented here, aside from Fox's own Let's Make Love, which is presumably not included in this anthology, fully deserving though it is, because its initial box-office take was disappointing. This gives the impression that Marilyn made all her photo-plays for Fox when in point of fact some of her best work was released by other studios, particularly The Asphalt Jungle, Clash by Night, The Prince and the Showgirl, Some Like It Hot and The Misfits. Even the Fox line-up is shy of three of her important movies, namely As Young As You Feel, Let's Make It Legal and the already mentioned Let's Make Love.
(3) Personally. No insight into the real Marilyn is provided here. The emphasis is entirely on Monroe's physical charisma. The approach is bland, superficial and uninvolving to the point of appearing uncaring. The choice of Rock Hudson as presenter/narrator is a curious one. Professionally, he never appeared on camera with Marilyn. Privately, he was never a friend, nor even a member of the most outer circle of her acquaintances. I've read many books on Marilyn but from all of them I could only find one oblique comment that could in any way refer to Hudson — and that was disparaging. Isn't it typical Hollywood that when almost all her Fox co-workers were available, the producers of this anthology should look outside the studio to search out someone least qualified for the job?
OTHER VIEWS: Above is my original view. Seeing the movie again on TV recently, I've changed my mind. In fact, I now regard "Marilyn" as a smashing compilation of nothing but the best! In fact, with so much rich fare to choose from, it was inevitable that a few personal favorites were omitted. I particularly missed Marilyn torching the title song from "River of No Return", but just about every other highlight from a fabulous career is spotted: the famous Walk from Niagara, a chorus step with Dan Dailey in "A Ticket To Tomahawk", grand entrance with George Sanders in "All About Eve", sidewalk encounter with "Soapy" Laughton in "Full House", and the final, alas! all-too-brief clips from "Something's Got To Give", which show her at the height of her powers, more beautiful, more seductive than ever! The anthology concludes with the "Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend" production number from "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes", fabulously reprinted in SuperScope 55.