Not even bad in a good way

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

This is a dark and sometimes deeply uncomfortable drama

"Something's Got To Give" was your typical 20th Century Fox designed Marilyn Monroe vehicle. Woman lost at sea, Husband and her Children move on with lives, Woman returns home after several years - can things ever be the same? So a very simple plot, which was in fact already done years before in a movie on which this was based. On paper, certainly not a very exciting picture - nothing original and nothing ground breaking. But as it turned out, "Something's Got To Give" became one of the most fascinating movie projects of the early 1960's and indeed the Hollywood Studio System. This was due, in part, to it's leading lady - Monroe - and the circumstances surrounding the picture. By the time of the movie, Marilyn's difficult behaviour had become somewhat legendary and she had been blamed for costly delays on nearly all of her pictures - unable or unwilling to 'get herself together' to go in front of the cameras, she was often late on set, distracted and a seeming nightmare to work around. Yet, her incredible charisma and unique connection with the camera would always prevail and the efforts it took to get the best from her were always, without question, worth it 100%. Billy Wilder once said of her - "Better Marilyn late, than all the others on time".During the time of this production, Monroe's personal life was in total chaos as it so often was in her life. Secretive Affairs with the Kennedy's were perhaps the most important developments of her life at the time, but other aspects like her continued manic depressive personality, dependency on sleeping pills and alcohol continued to play a major part in her apparent downfall and they ravaged the girl. The extent to which her personal life was seemingly destroying her is evident for all to see in the restored footage from the movie. Although, superficially she looks far better here than she had previously in both "The Misfits" and "Some Like It Hot". Monroe seemed to have regained some of that magical glow that appeared to have been lost in her previous few films - Wardrobe Screen Tests prove that. Looking vitalised and healthy, those close to the film would be forgiven in thinking that things may have started to change and perhaps, after all, Marilyn Monroe was back on form. But they were wrong.In several restored scenes, Marilyn looks confused and almost "doped up". She struggles with lines and at one point appears to almost break down into tears whilst trying to perform a scene in which she must silently emote. "I Can't....." she says before appearing to break down. In other scenes, she struggles with relatively simple lines over and over. It truly is a heartbreaking sight. A once masterful comedienne and fine dramatic actress, to see Monroe struggle so much - and appear to frustrated by it, is truly a sad sight to see. Yet, on the other end of the spectrum, in many other scenes she is excellent! One particular example is a scene in which she is trying to convince her ex-Husband that a total stranger she has just met is the main with whom she spent her time on the Island - to put her ex-Husband's fears at rest about her fidelity. Monroe is masterful, she goes through the entire scene without error and her timing is beautiful - it's a truly outstanding scene. There are other similar moments in which Marilyn is on form, but it would appear moments of excellence and despair came in even quantities in this picture.The one-off look it gives us at Marilyn Monroe in her final days is what makes "Something's Got To Give" so fascinating. For fans of the blonde bombshell, it's also a heartbreaking piece because it shows how truly ravaged and destroyed the beautiful Marilyn became. But yet, in even measure, it shows how despite everything that was happening in her personal life Monroe was still able to perform wonderfully in several scenes. Dean Martin is also to be applauded - his sheer kindness towards Marilyn when she got it wrong is heart warming. Attempting to encourage her - "That was good though, wasn't it George (Kukor)" - he says at one point and he means it. A genuine soul who wanted to help Marilyn out when she was so clearly in need of assistance, Dean Martin is to be thanked and applauded. "Something's Got To Give" is a fascinating unfinished movie that can also be very moving and even heartbreaking. Marilyn Monroe fans should do everything they can to try and catch a glimpse of it, at least, because what it shows of this Iconic actresses, who died before her time, is truly compelling.

Marilyn Monroe. Two words that sum up all that is bright, shining and glamorous about 50s Hollywood. No other actress in the history of cinema has the iconic status of Norma Jean Baker and it's doubtful anyone else will.Something's Got to Give was Marilyn's final film effort, an incomplete bedroom comedy in the vein that Doris Day would later make famous. The fact that Marilyn died part way through production makes the footage here extremely interesting for Monroe fans. In fact, from what is left of the film we get a good idea of what the finished product might have been like and had it not been for the untimely death of its lead, it is doubtful whether it would have been of much interest. What does exist leads one to believe that this would have been a rather weak, lifeless 'comedy' made on the cheap and intended to cash in on Monroe's box office clout to make Fox a buck or two at a time when the studio was in financial dire straits.However, it is open to conjecture what SGTG would have been had it been completed. What does exist is some of the most exquisite footage of Monroe we have. After looking somewhat bloated and tired in her previous couple of movies, here Monroe is svelte, her figure is gorgeous and her hair and make-up are a dream. Again, Monroe was breaking new ground by ditching the curvy, hour glass look of the 50s and paving the way for the sleek, slim line figure of the 60s which Audrey Hepburn popularised.However, Monroe was not to finish the movie and so what we are left with are some rather pretty snap shots of her in her final months of life. Although it was a terrible waste that she died, Monroe to me typifies the 50s and therefore the 60s weren't really her territory. Although how she may have redefined the era is anyone's guess. Something did give and unfortunately it was Monroe herself.

What a wonderful treat to watch this little gem of unfinished footage of a stunningly beautiful Monroe, looking a little out of sorts (according to "The Final Days" account - she was quite ill at the time) but quite in control of her faculties and looking quite stunning and very very thin! All of her scene's with Martin, Charisse, the children and the dog are excellent and it's hard to imagine the behind-the-scene's tensions that were actually going on. An enormous tragedy that the film wasn't finished so that Monroe would move onto meatier roles like she'd envisioned for herself. Just weeks before her suspicious death, she had signed an agreement to return to the set to finish the picture and had a three picture deal ahead of her - making suicide highly unlikely.But back to the film: Dean Martin, handsome and charming as always, sparring excellently with her and appearing the true professional he reportedly was on set.I wish so much that this was easier to get, but finally getting a copy of this was a dream come true for I'd read so much on the making of this film.For any doubters that Miss Monroe couldn't act, check this out and appreciate the 37 minutes of 'treasure'. I gave this 10/10.

This brief glimpse of Marilyn's last work is very interesting.She was trying a new look that actually made her look younger than her fiftie's image. It's strange everyone was talking about her age and an older Doris Day eventually played the part with a bleached white Marilyn do!It's well known Cukor hated the assignment and was determined to use his own script. Marilyn didn't have script approval and had to face Cukor's resentment every day. At least her bouffant sidesweep hair style swept the country,giving Marilyn one last hurrah.Cukor's attitude soured Marilyn on the project.She was anxious to leave Fox and get into better movie deals. Dean Martin and Cyd Charisse made good costars. It's one of those films I wish they had finished.Despite the ugly rumors Marilyn was staggering around in a drugged state,she looks wonderful. If they had to fire anybody it should have been Cukor.