I’ve said before that if Hollywood is going to remake movies, they should consider remaking bad ones. Find a good idea that someone screwed up, take it, fix it, and shoot it. For once someone listened, because The Hollywood Reporter says Fox has hired Nicole Kidman to star in a remake of the 1953 movie How to Marry a Millionaire.
Now I know what you’re thinking: “You’re crazy Josh! How to Marry a Millionaire is a classic! It’s a Marilyn Monroe movie!” Monroe movie, yes, classic… maybe. But here’s the thing: Marilyn Monroe could not act. She was terrible. Oh I understand why people liked her at the time. She was a novelty, an aberration. Every time she shows up on screen she oozes sexuality. In the sexually repressed 50s, that was a pretty big deal. She couldn’t act, but she was hot and vaguely slutty and there wasn’t anyone else out there in the mainstream who the same could be said for. She was the first, and so people paid attention. Were she born today, where that sort of thing is more commonplace, she’d be kind of a national joke. She’d be Pamela Anderson.
What I’m saying here is that Marilyn Monroe movies just don’t age very well. She’s a terrible actress, so any film she’s been in can automatically be improved by remaking it with someone who actually knows how to act. Nicole Kidman, whatever you think of her, can indeed act. The question is, will Kidman be replacing Marilyn? Fox is keeping the plot of their remake under wraps, and the original had three female leads. How to Marry a Millionaire starred Betty Grable, Marilyn Monroe, and Lauren Bacall as three New York models tired of cheap men and poverty who decide to use their considerable feminine talents to land rich men.
Terminal scribe Sacha Gervasi has been hired to write the script, and will have the job of contemporizing the original movie to fit modern views on feminism. All he really has to do is watch a few episodes of ‘Sex in the City’ before writing.
Note: This website is not meant for use by minors. The views expressed in the comments section below are not our own. This section is intended for discussion of the topic in the post above. Disagreement is encouraged, however comments which attack, insult, or threaten the author in a personal manner won't be published. Similarly, comments that we deem to be poorly worded, or wildly off topic will also not be approved and may be mocked. For free, uncensored, unfettered, and possibly dangerous discussion visit our forum.
Marilyn Monroe can't act? Have you seen a little film called "Bus Stop"? Many people thought she would be nominated for an Oscar for her acting in that film. Additionally, Monroe did in fact receive the French and Italian equivalent of the American Oscar for her acting in "The Prince And The Showgirl." What you probably don't realize is she was bullied into portraying the dumb blonde by Fox Studios, and at a salary often ten times less than her co-stars. Did you know Marilyn received the Golden Globe in 1959 for best actress in a comedy for "Some Like It Hot"? Marilyn could act. I suggest you take a second look.
Yes, I have seen Bus Stop. She gives a performance which can only be described as inebriated on set. It may be the worst performance I've seen in any single movie ever.
Anyone who though she would be nominated for her performance in Bus Stop was clearly as drunk as she appeared to be while filming it.
I did know Marilyn won a Golden Globe. She didn't deserve it. She got it for being hot.
Clearly Mr. Tyler has misunderstood the plot of Bus Stop, How To Marry A Millionaire, and several other other Monroe vehicles... the vacuous expressions, the "dim-bulb" personas taken on for these movies were creations of character, pure and simple. The difference here is that off-screen, Ms. Monroe was quite opinionated, witty, and smart as opposed to Pamela Anderson or any other "dumb blonde." In personal interviews, where she is not "playing Marilyn," if you will, it is plain to see that this woman wanted and knew enough to earn respect. Yes, she was gorgeous, but that does not make a woman dumb, or continunously drunk. The author of this article should study up a little on those he is critiquing prior to putting his thoughts down on paper... all Ms. Monroe wanted in life was to be taken seriously, to not be made into a joke, and unfortunately there are still people- even 45 years after her death- who are still doing just that.
Please Nicole do not do it, you will ruin a classic...your track record in movies have not been that great lately, actually for some time now, leave Marilyn Monroe alone Nicole. Concerntrate on your marriage instead.....
Before you say Marilyn can't act, give us an example of her "bad" acting. You have no basis in which to stand. The point is, there are PLENTY of hot chicks out there. Why is everyone still so drawn to Marilyn Monroe? She is obviously a good actress. Not only that, but she CREATED her own character. People believed she was stupid not because she was, but because she made it so damn convincing! She actually a very smart woman, if you have read any of her qoutes or interviews before.
Nicole Kidman will NEVER be able to portray the image that Marilyn does in "How to Marry a Millionaire." She could never be Polla, and the idea of her even trying to be Polla is absouletly ludicrous.
You are an idiot, and I hope you get run over by a truck for total lack of asthetic sense.
Wake up people! Marilyn Monroe was hopelessly addicted to prescription medications (Nembutal, Seconal)<----those are barbituates for anyone that doesn't know. And she was an alcoholic too. She would open up the Nembutal capsules and mix them in her Dom Perignon champagne! This is, I believe how she died. Guess what? She looked inebriated in her movies because she was on drugs. Her eyes were perpetually glazed over and she always seemed to be on verge of slurring her words. Sorry if I'm sounding a bit harsh; it's just the truth. Not really her fault; she just got caught up in the "Hollywood/Celebrity/Substance Abuse Problem" thing. People did before her and a million other celebrities have had the same type of problem. One last thing, mixing barbituates and alcohol is ESPECIALLY dangerous compared to other drugs. People tend to die when they mix them.
Facts must be corrected, according to the finally published cororners report there was NO findings of ANY substance in Marilyn Monroe's digestive tract. No food, and no prescriptions. She did not take the prescriptions that supposedly killed her.
As for mixing them with alcohol, we know this is a bad thing NOW, but was it common knowledge in the 50's? Nope, just check old medical texts.
Plus, if you were hired to play a blond sexy bimbo in a 50's movie, how else would it have been portrayed?
She may not have been a top accress, but she did what was asked of her, and did it well.
We could sit and pick apart all the great classics and find MAJOR acting flaws.
How about Casablanca? I'm not knocking Bogart, but his lines don't flow too easily either. It's 50's acting and that's part of the reason they are classic movies.
In my opinion, If they do remake this movie, I hope they do it in a way that does not discredit the original.
Many of us love these old films just the way they are.
Marilyn Monroe made her contribution to American cinema and deserves a lot more credit and respect than given by Josh Tyler. Mr. Tyler is entitled to his opinion, but clearly can't comprehend the depth of Ms. Monroe's performances. Her performance in The Prince and the Showgirl was nothing short of brilliant. Regardless of her offscreen troubles, her beauty and perpetual portrayal of the "dumb blonde", Marilyn Monroe is an icon. There several other blonde actresses of that era who possessed equal beauty to Monroe but still lacked what she had. Regardless of the sexuality, physical attributes and limited roles offered to her at the time, Marilyn Monroe was and forever will be a star.
This site is operated by Cinema Blend LLC. For advertising inquiries, contact Gorilla Nation. CinemaBlend.com is a private, independently owned website which is intended only as entertainment. The views expressed on this website may or may not reflect those of its owner. Don't take us too seriously.
I’ve said before that if Hollywood is going to remake movies, they should consider remaking bad ones. Find a good idea that someone screwed up, take it, fix it, and shoot it. For once someone listened, because The Hollywood Reporter says Fox has hired Nicole Kidman to star in a remake of the 1953 movie How to Marry a Millionaire.
April 27th, 2007 at 02:06
Why, oh why???