MovieChat Forums > There's No Business Like Show Business (1955) Discussion > MM'S WORST FILM

MM'S WORST FILM

posted 14 years ago by snsurone
32 replies | jump to latest

While I haven't seen all of Marilyn Monroe's films (I'd love to see LADIES OF THE CHORUS), I'd have to say that this film contained her worst performance (LET'S MAKE LOVE is a very close second).
While the whole screenplay was pretty silly, still, Marilyn came off very badly compared to such heavyweights as Ethel Merman, Dan Dailey, Donald O'Connor, and even Johnnie Ray and Mitzi Gaynor.
Apparently, someone failed to tell her that purring and undulating is no substitute for singing and dancing. Her ineptness in the "Heat Wave" and "Lazy" numbers is cringe-inducing!
In this movie, Marilyn had only her good looks to sustain her.

[–] 14 years ago

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[–] kathleencurley1 14 years ago

At last! Someone who agrees with me that MM was definitely the worst part of this film. I'm not a fan of hers either - her voice drives me crazy - but "Some Like it Hot" was OK. It really annoys me that she seems to get so much publicity over the other, much better, actors. Even IMDB have her in 6 out of the 7 pictures at the top of this board!

[–] 14 years ago

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[–] lorrie152 14 years ago

Having seen all of Marilyn's movies (yes I'm a die hard) I can safely say this is far from her worst movie (that title should go to either Love Happy, Dangerous Years or Right Cross.)
I genuinely don't understand the complete hatred for this film, it's just what it is, a fluffy musical comedy, I really enjoy watching it.

[–] tnikkane 14 years ago

I'd say LET'S MAKE LOVE is her worst film (and she look's there little overweight).

But here, in SHOW BUSINESS she is on her peak, she look's gorgeous and i love the musical numbers, especially the HEAT WAVE and though not a very funny part she does it beautifully. I always loved her in early 50ies/mid 50ies.

[–] zuzupetal_99 14 years ago

I've seen many of MM's movies, although not all yet, and this is the one I've HATED the most. Others here say MM was the worst part of the film, but for me, she was the only ray of sunshine in the whole darn thing. I liked her musical numbers; I hated the guy she was supposed to be in love w/. The whole family of Donahues were pretty annoying & boring to me, and I didn't care about any of them or their singing of the songs (that could be b/c I've seen several of the songs performed in other movies such as Blue Skies which I love, before seeing this one). The movie seemed twice as long as it was.

"Are you going to your grave with unlived lives in your veins?" ~ The Good Girl

[–] katy05 14 years ago

I agree with you.
(Hey, you're up early!)

http://www.frugalsites.net/911/attack/

[–] imightbedesperate 14 years ago

I found the rest of the actors were entirely frigid compared to Marilyn whose scenes are enjoyable. That said I still agree this isn't a good role for her or her best. Also I couldn't tell the difference between the mother, father and children - the actors all looked the same age to me.

[–] enfilmigult 8 years ago

I found that trivia note hilarious about how in real life, a woman left Donald O'Connor for Dan Dailey while this was being filmed (or was it the other way around). Not exactly a huge age gap between them, ha ha.

[–] enfilmigult 8 years ago

I'm with you on that one. The entire cast was enormously talented, but the script is second-rate at best and most of them don't get even one believable moment as characters.

In her case, after they inexplicably have her warm up to Tim Donahue, even her scenes don't work...but the first couple, when she has no patience for this belittling jerk and very gracefully kicks him out of her dressing room, those work. And her performance of "After You Get What You Want You Don't Want It" in between is so much funnier and sexier than everything else in the movie it's not even close.

[–] willjohn 8 years ago

O'Connor and Dailey were both ham sliced thick.

[–] enfilmigult 8 years ago

After finding them delightful in other movies it was an ugly education in what they could be like with a bad script, ha ha.

[–] HarlowMGM 13 years ago

Add me to the list that thinks LET'S MAKE LOVE is the worst MM movie.

THERE'S NO BIZ isn't in a class with Marilyn's best films but she is wonderful in her music numbers and HEAT WAVE is one of her best movie segments of all.

Ethel Merman is excellent and Mitzi Gaynor is cute; didn't care for the male cast in this film however and a lot of people (including Merman) felt Marilyn and Donald O'Connor were badly mismatched.

[–] amaster88 14 years ago

its not Marilyn that's bad its the whole darn movie that's bad. Marilyn is an icon and last time i checked icons don't need talent all they need is good looks and the ability to capture peoples attention to which is why she gets so much publicity. Marilyn does so have talent she had the talent to capture billions of peoples attention that speaks for itself she captured yours didn't she? No one in hollywood during her time had her charisma aura and glamor and even today people have tried and still failed miserably. Leave her alone she fought like hell to get to where she got and im sure it wasn't easy in that time of a male dominated era..Her true purpose in this world was to become a world icon and she did and then passed away she didn't know it herself at the time and people like you Marilyn haters don't see it as well. Show some respect and bow down. Anything of negatively spoken about Marilyn are fighting words in my book.

[–] naja12168-7 8 years ago

You serious with this comment??? Wow. You are one major Monroe fan. Wow.

its not Marilyn that's bad its the whole darn movie that's bad. Marilyn is an icon and last time i checked icons don't need talent all they need is good looks and the ability to capture peoples attention to which is why she gets so much publicity. Marilyn does so have talent she had the talent to capture billions of peoples attention that speaks for itself she captured yours didn't she? No one in hollywood during her time had her charisma aura and glamor and even today people have tried and still failed miserably. Leave her alone she fought like hell to get to where she got and im sure it wasn't easy in that time of a male dominated era..Her true purpose in this world was to become a world icon and she did and then passed away she didn't know it herself at the time and people like you Marilyn haters don't see it as well. Show some respect and bow down. Anything of negatively spoken about Marilyn are fighting words in my book.

[–] judith-mcgee1025 14 years ago

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 13 years ago

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/title/tt0044557/combined

--
Drake

FYI

[spoiler][/spoiler]

[–] Piperson 12 years ago

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.

[–] denis-38 12 years ago

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!

[–] 12 years ago

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[–] enfilmigult 8 years ago

I thought she was pretty shaky in that one, despite some good moments. So was the movie for that matter.

[–] theduchess86 12 years ago

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.

[–] 12 years ago

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[–] lnoft97 11 years ago

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.

[–] naja12168-7 8 years ago

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 11 years ago

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.