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15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
lukewarm--as far as it goes, that is... (three and one-half stars), April 5, 2008
Let's Make Love is, sadly, not one of Marilyn Monroe's better films. I feel bad about it because apparently this film was essentially a contractual obligation and Yves Montand doesn't even look right for her onscreen--I find it hard to picture the off-screen... oh, oh, well.
Anyway, the action begins when the French billionaire Jean-Marc Clement (Yves Montand) finds out his life and playboy scandals are being publicly spoofed in an off-Broadway play. Upset about the possibility of negative press, Jean-Marc hurries down to the theater with his main PR man Alexander Coffman (Tony Randall). Naturally, he does find out he IS being made fun of--but his worries are sidetracked when he lays his eyes on Amanda Dell (Monroe), the female lead in the show.
Jean-Marc and his associates set things up so that he can masquerade as an actor to be closer to Amanda; and as time goes by Jean-Marc forgets about his reputation being slandered. He only wants Amanda for his wife. Of course, the fact that Amanda is involved with another actor named Tony (Frankie Vaughan) doesn't help much.
Look for some wonderful songs by Frankie Vaughan; and Marilyn at least scores one big one with her song and dance classic number, "My Heart Belongs To Daddy." It's not that she looks tired in this film; it's that she's grossly underused. That surprises me because George Cukor, the director, was particularly well known for bringing out the best acting from his leading ladies during production.
After several silly plot twists, Jean-Marc realizes he's got to hire some professionals to help him get Amanda's attention. We therefore get some wonderful cameos by Milton Berle, Bing Crosby and Gene Kelly. They do a wonderful job although Milton Berle wasn't as funny as I hoped he would be.
Of course, from here the plot can go anywhere. Will Jean-Marc ever disclose his true identity to Amanda--and how will she react when she knows he's been a faker all this time? How will Tony handle it if Amanda leaves him for Jean-Marc? Watch the movie and find out--I don't give plot spoilers!
The DVD has a couple of interesting but very brief comparisons between what the film looked like pre-restoration and after restoration; but that's about it. Sigh.
Overall, Let's Make Love is a tepid motion picture to be saved for when there's nothing good on television and you want to see a Marilyn Monroe movie. The acting is only fair; in fact Montand looks more weathered than Marilyn! It's a good movie; but nothing that you should go too far out of your way to see. Sorry, guys.
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12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Save it for a rainy day..., August 12, 2004
This review is from: Let's Make Love (DVD)
There are two types of movies, #1: the kind you have high expectations of and go rent it or see it in theaters or rent etc. etc.; & #2: the kind you come across one day and go "What's this?" and watch it.
"Let's make love" was fit for #2 (which is how I first saw it,) yet has follen a victim to #1.
I had first seen "Let's make love" on TV and found it rather entertaining and found the characters likable, maybe even lovable. I could relate to Clement (not for having all that money but) his feeling for the Monroe character. The scene where I could most relate to him is when the cast of the musical is notified that the musical doesn't have to worry about money anymore, with that Monroe gives a BIG graciouse hug to her friend Toney (NOT Clement [Yves Montand]) the look on Clement's face is a pretty anguished one.
Others don't like this film because of the supporting role Marilyn has, it's rather arguable if her role was a supporting one or not. Yet if this is a supporting role for her it shouldn't really be a bad thing, let's face it, Monroe's best film's have her in (do I dare say it:) supporting rules, such as "The Seven Year Itche," there is only four major segments of the film she is in (five at the most), and in "Some Like it Hot," the audiance has to wait a lenthy thirty minutes (the waiting is made easier by a chaming Toney Curtis & Jack Lemon) until we see Marilyn. It's not to bad though, after all, absence does make the heart grow fonder.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Marilyn's Last Musical, July 20, 2006
This review is from: Let's Make Love (DVD)
When "Let's Make Love" was first released by Twentieth Century Fox in 1960, it was eagerly awaited because of the original teaming of superstar Marilyn Monroe with the French actor Yves Montand. Directed by the legendary George Cukor, who certainly could handle musical comedies as his work on the 1954 "A Star Is Born" and the 1964 "My Fair Lady" demonstrates, there was every reason to believe this would be a very entertaining film.
However, even in 1960, when the film seemed rather daring in many ways, it was just not quite as good as one had hoped. Looking at it again, after many years, this writer had hopes that there might be something I missed when I first saw it. Sadly, the film misfires on a number of things. The magic between Monroe and Montand is just not there, and that's remarkable because we all heard about their offscreen love affair (which Montand's wife, actress Simone Signoret, tolerated, believing it would quickly end as it actually did). Nevertheless, one can see glimpses of the talents of both stars and I still remain impressed with Montand's very capable dancing and his competent singing.
Marilyn seldom looked as beautiful and sexy as she did in this film. Her costumes were quite sensational in 1960. Her hair had been changed to the popular bouffant style of the time. Her best singing in the film is in an updated version of the Cole Porter classic, "My Heart Belongs To Daddy." Her voice, however, had become increasingly husky and it often made it hard to understand the lyrics of the songs written for the movie, including the title song.
In the story, Montand's character is aided by Milton Berle, Bing Crosby, and Gene Kelly, in rather delightful cameos. They try to help him with his comedy, his singing, and his dancing and, typical of Hollywood magic, he does succeed in impressing Monroe's character, who is so taken with singer Frankie Vaughan. However, it is still difficult to believe that she would actually drop Vaughan for Montand, despite learning the truth that he really IS a billionaire. By the way, I was quite impressed with Vaughan's smooth, sophisticated singing.
Almost lost in the shuffle with the wonderful Tony Randall, who did so well in dealing with another Fox sexpot, Jayne Mansfield, in "Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter." Randall turned in one of his typically delightful performances, as he tried to help Montand in his efforts to attract Monroe.
This film proved to be the last production that Marilyn Monroe completed for Twentieth Century Fox, where she had made most of her films. It was followed by the intriguing drama "The Misfits," directed by John Huston, the only time she worked with Clark Gable (in his very last film), and another musical comedy at Fox, "Something's Gotta Give," also directed by Cukor. It has been well-documented how Monroe's increasing dependency on prescription drugs interferred with her work and led Fox to fire her, only to reconsider it just before she died in early August 1962, at the age of 36.
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