February 2017 Auction Ends Thursday, February 23rd, 5pm Pacific
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/23/2017
An enthralling glimpse into screen legend Marilyn Monroe's creative process from her personal 149-page screenplay for her last and unfinished film, 1962's ''Something's Got To Give''. The script contains notes in Monroe's own hand in pencil and green ink on approximately 18 pages, serving as intimate snapshots about how she viewed the film and her character. Some of the highlights include notes Monroe made for Scene 168, in which she interacts with her children in the movie, who don't recognize her as they were too young when she became stranded on an island for five years and presumed dead. These hand-annotated typewritten pages were inserted into the script for this particular scene - one of the few that Monroe completed before her untimely death. Within these pages, Monroe writes a series of notes regarding her preparation: ''Real thought'', ''Mental Relaxation'', ''Look for the light'', ''Place the pain/feeling where it is not in the brow'', as well as specific sense memories to help find the emotional truth with her character's feelings toward her on-screen children, ''Substitute children - B & J if necessary'', perhaps referring to Arthur Miller's children Bobby and Jane. There are also some notes from Monroe regarding her work with a Swedish dialect coach. Peppered throughout the script are further dialogue notes, changes and line strikes. Interestingly, the script also includes notes in an unknown hand giving blunt, critical assessments and insights of the script's scene descriptions, direction and dialogue. These notes start on the script's first page, ''Note for Marilyn/He has to woo her not the way it is / new blue pages'' and continue in blue pen, ''Dull'', ''Naggy'', ''Make it funny!'' and ''Smugly''. Interestingly, Monroe reacts to some of these notes, either changing dialogue and scene direction or, in some cases, striking the note itself if she doesn't agree with it. The script also contains two paper-clipped inserts, memos from the production addressed ''To All Secretaries'', the first dated 23 April 1962 and the second 27 April 1962, each accompanying blue revised pages 91 and 92 for the script. Script measures 9.5'' x 11.5''. In worn condition by Monroe, but with pages present and intact. Script cover, marked ''FINAL / CONFIDENTIAL'', is torn slightly on spine. Overall in very good condition, a rare keepsake from Hollywood's most beloved movie star.
Marilyn Monroe's Very Own Hand-Annotated Script From Her Last Movie, ''Something's Got to Give'' -- Marilyn Writes Notes to Herself, ''...almost a whisper / I just want to tell you...''
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