MM'S WORST FILM
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judith-mcgee1025 — 15 years ago(September 01, 2010 04:39 PM)
I think that "There's No Business Like Show Business" is not a very good film to begin with; the writers had to deal with the plot lines for the Donohues so there's not much time left for Ms. Monroe. For some reason she is not photographed or costumed very well in this film. Concerning her musical contribution, she worked well with Jack Cole, who wasn't here - Robert Alton was (though I think Mr. Cole moonlighted on "Heat Wave" as it sure looks like a Jack Cole-choreographed musical number). I agree with your assessment of "Lazy": Gaynor and O'Connor are doing one thing, and Ms. Monroe another. Very odd!
I saw this film on cable recently, finally in the corrected color and Cinemascope dimensions. I liked Merman and Mitzi Gaynor and thought the story line was really threadbare. (This film was shown a LOT in Chicago when I was a kid.) -
DrakeStraw — 14 years ago(May 27, 2011 11:57 AM)
No one has mentioned my favorite. It was a breakthrough displaying MM's dramatic ability. "Don't Bother to Knock (1952)"
http://www.imdb.com/board/10044557/combined
Drake
FYI
[spoiler][/spoiler] -
Piperson — 14 years ago(February 13, 2012 04:50 PM)
The lighting isn't right for her or maybe it is the shade of blonde they use on her hair but she isn't as luminous and perfectly adorable as she is in The Prince and the Showgirl or Niagara. I quite enjoyed the Lazy Sunday song.
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denis-38 — 14 years ago(March 21, 2012 08:49 PM)
The makeup is harsh and the hair is too crimped. MM always looked better with kinda mussy hair. (At the end of the "Lazy" number she runs her hand through it and it looks a lot better.)
They positioned her in a very vulgar manner. The script degraded and insulted her. But the script said "sexy blonde" and our girl did her bump and grind best to meet that requirement.
I love her vocal on "After you Get What you Want You Don't Want It" but the choreography is bad. Jack Cole let her down. (She refused to work with Bob Alton, and that was probably a mistake.) I like ""Lazy" because she 's doing nothing and stealing the scene.
And yet she was adorable right after that in "Itch." Much, much prettier! -
theduchess86 — 13 years ago(September 15, 2012 12:03 PM)
Totally Agree,all of have Marilyns lack of talent was on display in this movie, the multi talented Mitzi Gaynor should have been, the multi talented Donald O'connor's love interest in this film not his sister.
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lnoft97 — 13 years ago(November 24, 2012 02:19 PM)
I thought the white dress with racy illusion cutouts (the one with the feather hat) was the most beautiful costume I've ever seen her in. Conversely, that Heat Wave costume was the ugliest costume I've seen her in.
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naja12168-7 — 10 years ago(January 31, 2016 07:14 PM)
Totally Agree,all of have Marilyns lack of talent was on display in this movie, the multi talented Mitzi Gaynor should have been, the multi talented Donald O'connor's love interest in this film not his sister.
Completely agreed. -
GinaRenee — 13 years ago(November 24, 2012 02:19 PM)
Marilyn does fine, but the only reason I really wanted to see this film was Donald O'Connor, and he's fantastic.
I haven't seen a lot of Marilyn's films, but of those I have seen, my vote for worst one would go to "Bus Stop." "Show Business" may not be one of the all-time greats, but it's a cute, enjoyable little film. -
dfw364-1 — 12 years ago(April 25, 2013 10:45 AM)
I've been a Marilyn fan for over forty years and love her. You have to divide her career into two sections: the sex kitten, older Marilyn films (1948-1954) to the Actor's Studio/Arthur Miller influenced later films (1955-1962). Her worst had to be, without equivocation, River of No Return. Her best, for me at least, was The Misfits. I also loved some of the early vehicles before she really erupted into superstardom, like Monkey Business (she had great chemistry with Cary Grant).
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Veltaine — 12 years ago(April 30, 2013 05:40 PM)
As far as I can see, Marilyn is the only reason to watch this film.
She stole every scene just by being there. The film itself, in my opinion, was an overly long and insignificant affair.
And as for her actual performance, she doesn't put a foot wrong. There isn't really much to work with.
"My car is outside."
"Naturally." -
shadycady — 12 years ago(January 12, 2014 11:42 AM)
I think she was fine in this film. She is a good dancer and singer too. I happen to love River of No Return, and I think her singing is fantastic in it. Those were her best songs which showcased her voice. Her worst rim, in my opinion, is "Let's Make Love". I agree with Harlow in most of her opinions.
The Divine Genealogy Goddess -
denis-38 — 11 years ago(April 20, 2014 11:57 AM)
I love her looks in "River"just at her absolute peak. And the songs and her voice were terrif. (She was really working on her singing at that time, and it's a pity after she left FOX, she didn't continue.)
But as a film, "River" is not bad, a typical Western that all stars under contract had to do. Her performance is stiff and that's the real problem.
Material-wise, "Let's Make Love" is her worst. There is NO character for her to play. And Cukor photographs her badly. (She was not in good shape at that point, but there's no excuse for some of those shots. The very worst close-up of her career appears in "LML") However, with the little bit she is required to do in "LML" she is charming and natural and appealing. I like that performance very much. But it's a dog, and shocking that this is what FOX chose for her after "Some Like It Hot."
As for "No Business" I've always found it very entertaining. It is what iscorny to the max. MM seems out of place because she's SO blatant and overdone. But, that's very entertaining as well. -
dollvalley — 11 years ago(December 28, 2014 02:12 PM)
Agree with lots of what denis said.
My favorites are definitely Bus Stop, Don't Bother To Knock and yes, even River Of No Return.
I also like Let's Make Love a lot, but agree the film itself is not so good., If MM wasn't in it I'd never watch it.
Her acting in this film is unusual, but I think it may be her part demanded it that way, because she didn't act this way in any other movie, before or after.
She hated having to do it, but I don't know if she would have risked sabotaging her career by delivering a careless performance just because she hated the movie. It doesn't look that way.
I will come out and say, that while I am a super MM fan, she might have been the only reason I watched this movie decades ago, but she kinda is not the reason I keep on watching it, because it's like she was pasted into the movie, which is actually how her part came to be.