Enchères  "Icons of Hollywood"
des 15 & 16 décembre 2011
- 49 lots avec Marilyn Monroe -
- Partie 2 : Films

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15/12/2011, PROFILES IN HISTORY: Icons of Hollywood: Vente et Catalogue

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Film: Something's Got to Give

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lot n°695: Collection of (4) oversize photos of Marilyn Monroe
nude swimming pool session, printed ca. 1970
On 5/28/1962, photographers Lawrence Schiller and William Woodfield were allowed onto the closed set of Something’s Got to Give to shoot Marilyn Monroe’s nude swimming scene for her never-completed final film role. Some of those shots appear in “Playboy” magazine shorthly after her death. Lot comprised of (4) gelatin-silver double-weight semi-gloss 11” x 14” prints from that session, printed ca. 1970 from the original negatives. Tiny corner pinholes and minor bumping and handling, else generally Fine.
Estimate: $300 - $500

Film: There's no business like show business

lot n°708: Marilyn Monroe camera negatives
from There’s No Business Like Show Business
(TCF, 1954) Nine (9) original 4 x 5 in. camera negatives on safety film of Marilyn Monroe from There’s No Business Like Show Business from the “Heat Wave” number.
Estimate: $200 - $300

Film: Don't bother to knock

lot n°712: Marilyn Monroe original camera negatives from Some Like It Hot
(UA, 1959) Two (2) original 8 x 10 in. and (9) 2 ¼ in. camera negatives on safety film of Marilyn Monroe with Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon from Some Like It Hot. 2 ¼ in. negatives feature some candid shots taken on set. Very good to Fine.
Estimate: $200 - $300
 
  

lot n°1186: Original painting of Jack Lemmon as “Jerry” from Some Like it Hot
Original portrait of Jack Lemmon as “Jerry” from Some Like It Hot accomplished in oil on canvas. Stands 69 ¼ in. tall x 19 in. wide. Exhibits some cracking and moisture damage at the top edge. Includes a candid framed color print of Lemmon and Marilyn Monroe on the set of the film. Special shipping arrangements will apply.
Estimate: $300 - $500
  

lot n°133: The Misfits 6 original negatives:
Marilyn Monroe production shots, plus 7 small-format negatives
(UA, 1961) Six (6) original 8 x 10 in., (6) 2 ¼ in. and (1) 4 x 5 in. negatives on safety film of Marilyn Monore, Arthur Miller and Clark Gable on set of The Misfits. Fine; one with cropping tape at the borders.
Estimate: $400 - $600
 
 

lot n°713: Marilyn Monroe and Clark Gable original
camera negatives from The Misfits
(UA, 1961) Eight (8) original 8 x 10 in. negatives on safety film of Marilyn Monroe and Clark Gable in publicity portraits and on set candids from The Misfits. Two with cropping tape at the borders. Fine.
Estimate: $400 - $600
 
   

lot n°715: Marilyn Monroe, Montgomery Clift and Clark Gable
original camera negatives from The Misfits
(UA, 1961) Seven (7) original 8 x 10 in. negatives on safety film of Marilyn Monroe, Montgomery Clift, Clark Gable and other cast members in publicity portraits and on set candids with Arthur Miller from The Misfits. Fine.
Estimate: $400 - $600
 
 

lot n°720: Marilyn Monroe extensive archive of production
and publicity material from The Seven Year Itch
(TCF, 1955) Extensive archive of production and publicity materials representing all facets of the film, The Seven Year Itch. The archive contains significant correspondence and consultations, with 1,000+ individual pieces including Billy Wilder’s 5 pg. contract signed three (3) times and dated June 1st, 1954, author George Axelrod’s 10 pg. contract signed, Billy Wilder’s signed payment agreement, copy of producer Charles Feldman’s letter sent to “Mr. and Mrs. Joe DiMaggio” framing the reasons he, the director and the studio want Marilyn in the film, confidential correspondence between Wilder and Zanuck with heated exchanges at times, a pair of scripts bearing numerous annotations in Darryl Zanuck’s hand, together with extensive collections of copies of legal documents, inter-office memos, and telegrams, intimate exchanges between Zaunck and Charles K. Feldman, as well as other correspondence to and from Harry Sokolov, Irving Cohen, Irving “Swifty” Lazar, Spyros Skouras, and many other studio heads.

Charles K. Feldman (1904-1968) was one of the most powerful agents in Hollywood and had notable creative input as executive-producer on several important films, Pittsburgh, Red River, A Streetcar Named Desire, and notably, The Seven Year Itch. The archive begins with early correspondence regarding George Axelrod’s screenplay being purchased by Feldman and negotiating with Billy Wilder to direct. Lew Wasserman was acting as agent for Wilder and numerous exchanges are present with drafts of agreements including a fascinating dialogue on Wilder having no interest in Tom Ewell or Walter Mathau as the lead, but instead he wanted Jamest Stewart, Gary Cooper or William Holden. Wilder’s 5 pg. contract is present, dated June 1st, 1954, signed three (3) times and initialed five (5) times, as well as his signed payment agreement dated November 23, 1954.

An official secretarial copy of a fantastic 5 pg. letter, dated May 17, 1954, from Feldman to “Mr. and Mrs. Joe DiMaggio” frames the reasons that he, director Billy Wilder and Twentieth Century-Fox want Marilyn Monroe in the film, “When all of us met, you, Marilyn, expressed a repeated and definite desire to appear in THE SEVEN YEAR ITCH. I bought the play for over $250,000 and as I would not sell it today for a million dollars, it is conceivable…this film could show profits in the millions – for everyone believes it will be a tremendous hit!” Numerous secretarial copies of typed letters sent to Wilder from Zanuck about the lead male role include a number of insights, “If I had read the script at the time we were casting…I would never have recommended Holden or anybody else except Ewell. No one I can think can play this particular script. I didn’t quite understand at the time but in re-reading I believe that Holden would have been as big an error as Gary Cooper. That is a great play…but I tell you that in spite of the enormous success of this play on the stage it would not be, in my opinion, fifty percent of the picture it will be with Marilyn Monroe. She is an absolute must for this story…nothing would make up for her personality in this subject.” Another telegram from Zanuck states, “Monroe was particularly outstanding. Keep up the tempo of the dialogue…I’m really impressed by everything I saw.”

A pair of Zanuck’s personally hand-annotated scripts are present, one a Temporary Incomplete with 11 pages of annotations with an interesting note during the scene Richard is scrutinizing the cover design for Little Women, where he Zanuck pens, “? The Scarlet Letter – play off the Adultress later.” Another Final script bears 24 pages of handwritten notations with suggestions for cutting the reading scene way down. Another Zanuck TLS to Charles Feldman, dated Sept. 20, 1954, advises against the “voice over” scenes and sends along his 10-page breakdown of differences between the play and the script and 12 pages of annotated dialogue with Zanuck’s suggestions stapled to the margins on small strips of blue paper.

When principal filming began and just after Marilyn and DiMaggio’s divorce, some exchanges become heated between Feldman and Zanuck, including a 2 pg. office memo from Oct. 22, 1954, “There have been tough days – rough days - immediately after the divorce proceedings, the 18-takes have only happened on rare occasions with the girl…For the last two weeks this girl has worked as hard as anyone I have known in my life. Incidentally I don’t know how Kazan worked with you but I can tell you that on STREETCAR, it was a daily occurrence for us to have 25 to 30 takes with Marlon Brando and Vivien Leigh. This has not been happening on ITCH. In my opinion, and I think you agree with me, Billy is probably one of the most cooperative of all the directors in the business, and he has never been accused, to my knowledge, of taking unnecessary time – certainly not on ITCH.” Five days later Feldman writes to Zanuck reiterating Billy and Marilyn’s hard work, the tightness of the script and requesting some retakes, including the dress blowing scene. There is criticism though, with some correspondence that relates to Wilder taking too long to film scenes and difficulties with Marilyn taking company time to rehearse.

There is a strong concentration of material on the risqué nature of the publicity done for the film, specifically relating to large promotional billboards that featured the iconic billowing white dress scene, “They’re replacing a big cardboard cutout of Marilyn outside Loew’s Theatre in Times Square. It was showing Marilyn with her skirts blowing above her waist. Not good taste…Some papers refuse to accept wind blowing ad because of Kefauver investigation and pressure groups…this is a very delicate situation…sensational business so far at opening.” Much difficulty arose with censors upon the film’s release, including a complete rejection by the Irish Censor & Appeal Board stating, “this film is incapable of cutting without destroying its continuity. It is indecent and unfit for general exhibition.” Even a telegram from Wilder to the president of the Catholic Legion of Decency states, “I do not have the reputation of having ever been connected with pictures of a lascivious character. Obviously, the picture deals humorously with a man’s temptations but they are very human and utterly harmless. As one reviewer put it quote the play has been laundered snow white unquote. Am afraid that additional bleaching will make the picture disintegrate into an incomprehensible nothing.”

All in all, a rich trove and fascinating glimpse into the project’s inception, it’s transformation from stage to screen, all the various legal wrangling between agents, producers, directors and other studio heads during filming, and finally the fallout over the overt sexuality that faced cinema goers after the film’s release. Interested parties are strongly encouraged to view this material in person.

Estimate: $30 000 - $50 000 

lot n°726: The Seven-Year Itch German R’65 A-0 oversize
poster by Fischer-Nosbisch
(TCF, 1955/R1965) Executed in the very early style of Andy Warhol’s fashion illustrations (the smaller size German poster for this release is in his full pop-art style) by the husband and wife design team of Fischer and Nosbisch. Distinctive enough to have graced the pages of “In Style” magazine some years ago as a recommended décor suggestion. Near-Mint, unused folded condition, 33” x 47”.
Estimate: $200 - $300
 

lot n°714: Pair of Marilyn Monroe 8 x 10 color transparencies from How to Marry a Millionaire
Pair of color 8 x 10 in. color transparencies, one of Marilyn Monroe with Betty Grable and Lauren Bacall from How to Marry a Millionaire and one with Yves Montand from Let’s Make Love. Very good and Fine.
Estimate: $200 - $300
 

lot n°719: Marilyn Monroe’s personal annotated
working promptbook-script for The Sleeping Prince
(aka The Prince and the Showgirl) - (Warner Bros., 1957) Clasp-bound in crimson paper covers, and intentionally printed in half-size (5” x 8”) for ease of use on set, especially considering the elaborate costumes required for this drawing-room comedy starring, and co-produced by, Marilyn Monroe and Laurence Olivier. This example is identified on the specially-printed titled front cover as “PERSONAL COPY OF MISS MONROE”. Many pages inside exhibit not only scene and dialogue notes attributed to Monroe’s own hand, but many personal thoughts and observations by her as well, namely “What am I doing here with this man/I can’t believe my eyes, ears/ watch him/’oh no’/this idiot/ Chanel #5/ I just think it’s a joke/ don’t take anyone else’s tone/ affective memory/ heart breaking” plus at least one slightly naughty joke, “like a music box: a tinkle”, among other ‘notes to self’. Accounts from the time agree that Marilyn had more trouble working with Olivier than with any other male lead in her career. At least (31) of this small, character-dialogue promptbook-script’s (68) pages exhibit anywhere from one to numerous notations by Miss Monroe, making this one of the most intensely personal artifacts extant from her professional career. Covers are significantly tattered all around the margins, and front cover, together with first (2) pages, are torn 2/3 down from top near spine, else intact and complete as originally issued.
Estimate: $30 000 - $50 000
   

lot n°268: Marilyn Monroe, Jayne Mansfield, & Mamie van Doren
9 1-sheet posters & 4 stills
(Various, 1952-56) Gelatin-silver prints (4) from Kiss Them for Me; together with 27” x 41” one-sheet posters (9) for: We’re Not Married; O’Henry’s Full House; Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?; Girls Town; The sheriff of Fractured Jaw; Private Lives of Adam and Eve; Platinum High School; The Misfits; and Kiss Me, Stupid. Some have minor losses or stains, overall Very Good to Very Fine.
Estimate: $300 - $500
 
 
 
 
   

lot n°725: Marilyn Monroe collection of (10) portrait and scene stills, 1950-1963
Gelatin-silver glossy prints (9) and (1) color still, of Marilyn Monroe from the following films: Asphalt Jungle (1950, 1); Home Town Story (1951, 1); We’re not Married (1952, 1); Don’t Bother to Knock (1952, 1); The Seven Year Itch (1955, 1); The Prince and the Showgirl (1957, 3 including special cheesecake publicity pose); Something’s Got to Give (1962/uncompleted, 1); and Marilyn (1963, 1). Two trimmed slightly for publication, generally Very Good to Fine.
Estimate: $200 - $300
 
 

 lot n°727: All About Eve British Quad poster
(TCF, 1950) British Quad, 30 x 40 in., folded and unrestored. Very fine. Remarkable, unused condition.
Estimate: $500 - $700
 

 lot n°728: Gentlemen Prefer Blondes poster
(TCF, 1953) British Quad, 20 x 40 in., folded and unrestored. Faint ½ in. creased tear at upper center margin; otherwise, Very fine. Remarkable, unused condition.
Estimate: $500 - $700
   

lot n°733: Marilyn Monroe signature camisole top
by Travilla from River of No Return
(TCF, 1954) For Marilyn’s studio-imposed adventure in the Canadian wilderness, director Otto Preminger chose to bless film-goers with the joy of watching her, for a large part of the screen time, in this simple yet highly erotic camisole designed by Travilla. Complemented on screen by skin-tight blue jeans, and accented at one point with a good soaking in the river rapids, this little bit of cotton muslin with lace embroidery has become over the succeeding decades one of Marilyn’s most recognized, iconic, and exploited fashions. With interior label inscribed “1-81-2- 4739 A713-05 M. Monroe”. A few very minor stains, otherwise virtually identical to condition as worn on screen, including the off-white coloring, and the intentional rough-hewn bottom margin. A precious and immediately identified artifact from this great star’s career.
Estimate: $40 000 - $60 000

   

 lot n°734: Marilyn Monroe 2-piece dance costume
by Dorothy Jeakins from Let’s Make Love
(TCF, 1960) For Marilyn Monroe’s singing and dancing character “Amanda Dell” in Let’s Make Love, Dorothy Jeakins designed for her this sheer, sexy two-piece pink silk shirt/ black dance-brief combination, worn for rehearsal scenes in the stage musical set within the film. Both pieces bear internal TCF labels inscribed “F-13 M. Monroe” and apart from a few scattered minor to moderate stains in the shirt and minor separations in the brief, they remain essentially intact and presentable. With the long sleeves casually rolled up and shirt tucked into brief, this was a lovely and happy look for her in what was to be her penultimate film.
Estimate: $80 000 - $100 000
 
 

lot n°735: Marilyn Monroe “Vicky” green cummerbund
from There’s No Business Like Show Business
(TCF, 1954) The stylish “color” accent to a very simple though effective costume designed by Travilla for Marilyn Monroe in There’s No Business Like Show Business, being a large green cummerbund-sash which she wears over a Capri-style black full-body leotard for her languorous and eminently sexy performance of “Lazy”. Bears internal studio wardrobe tag inscribed in cursive “Marilyn Monroe A729-38” with a few faint stains or fading spots, generally Fine.
Estimate: $6 000 - $8 000
 
  

lot n°762: Warner Brothers Large bronze key ca. 1950"s,
a symbolic key to the studio 11 inches x 4 inches
A tradition existed for some years at Warner Bros. Studio of welcoming dignitary and celebrity guests (like major stars on loan from other studios) with one of these commemorative “keys to the studio” in a publicity event for the benefit of promoting Warner’s largesse and standing in the industry. One such key was presented to Marilyn Monroe by Jack Warner when she filmed The Prince and the Showgirl with them, and that key was sold at her estate auction by Christie’s in 1999 for $32,200. Polished cast bronze, 11 in. x 4 in. and weighing 12.2oz.
Estimate: $2 000 - $3 000

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