Monday, October 4, 2010

Marilyn Monroe: Nude Pool Scene from The Unfinished 'Something's Gotta Give'


I'm watching a TV-documentary called 'Marilyn Monroe: The Final Days' (2001). It is primarily about the debacle of shooting the now infamous and unfinished film titled 'Something's Gotta Give' (1962), co-starring Dean Martin and Cyd Charisse. It was later retitled 'Move Over, Lover' and recast with Doris Day and James Garner. Due to Marilyn's constant tardiness and absence, the film went ghastly over budget. And considering other problems they were dealing regarding the money vacuum with Elizabeth Taylor at the same time (Cleopatra), Monroe was fired, after which Dean Martin promptly quit. She was found dead in her home in Brentwood about 2 months later.
The over 9 hours of footage that was shot but never completed during 1962 lay dormant in an old studio lot until a group of archivists and editors dug it up for this documentary. They took whatever George Cukor had managed to shoot, and eventually pieced it together (much like was done with Dryer's 'Passion of Joan of Arc'). What remains is a pretty dull film; the only spice of which being this infamous nude pool scene that Marilyn shot over 3 days on the soundstage. The entire crew was ready to forgive Monroe pretty much all of the delays, pay cuts, and headaches she caused them because they got to hold an omni for hours while she swam naked in a pool. It is some of the most rare footage that exists of her. Enjoy!

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