People Are Mad About the Marilyn Monroe Biopic, Here’s the Truth

People Are Mad About the Marilyn Monroe Biopic, Here’s the Truth

Larry Holzwarth - October 20, 2022

People Are Mad About the Marilyn Monroe Biopic, Here’s the Truth
Publicity poster for Some Like it Hot, 1959. Wikimedia

Some Like it Hot

In 1957, Marilyn suffered an overdose of barbiturates which required hospitalization and rest for over a month. Despite her remaining away from Hollywood and filming her marriage to Miller was strained. Her mental condition continued to deteriorate, her reliance on drugs and psychiatric care increased. In 1958 she returned to acting. During the production of Some Like It Hot, with Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis, she often arrived late to the set, too drugged to remember her lines. She demanded multiple retakes of her scenes, antagonizing her fellow actors and director Billy Wilder. Curtis claimed he had an affair with Monroe during the filming.

People Are Mad About the Marilyn Monroe Biopic, Here’s the Truth
Tony Curtis and Marilyn Monroe in Some Like it Hot. Wikimedia

Despite the difficulties Some Like It Hot proved a major success with the public and critics, and remains in many lists as one of the greatest American films ever made. Marilyn followed it with Let’s Make Love in 1959. During filming of Let’s Make Love Marilyn had an affair with Yves Montand, with whom she appeared in the film. The affair was not a discreet one. Widely reported in the press and denied by neither participant, it helped bring about the end of her third marriage.

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