Marilyn: 2the Last Take

I bought this book at a used book store and loved it. Now, of course since most of us weren't there we can never really know what happened to Marilyn for sure now can we. After reading this book I was satisfied in knowing that it was at least 100% believable, unlike some of the other Marilyn books that end up being 400+ pages of seemingly random gossip from friends of friends of Marilyn strung together to make a half-baked story. This is a great book and worth at least one read through.

This book details the account of the final months of the legendary screen actress Marilyn Monroe. The Inside Power Struggles between her and 20th century fox studios. The studio that originally launched Marilyn into superstardom and enormous fame was now trying to ruin her career. Something's Got To Give was the film which caused so much tension between Monroe and the studio. She didn't even want to make the film, but Fox studios forced her to. This book also chronicles her diffuculties on the set with director George Cukor and other crew members as well.Her Professionalism on the set despite all the headaches and unprofessional behavior by the studio. The controversy between Cleopatra and Something's Got To Give. Why Elizabeth Taylor was exonerated and Marilyn Monroe was shunned. Marilyn's 36th birthday celebration on the set, and why the crew members wouldn't let her have a party until she put in "a full day's work." Her devastating ordeal with "Tippy", and finally her public humiliation after being fired from the movie. Why The suicude theory is hard to believe because of all the evidence at her death scene. I even saw a picture of Marilyn after she died, and she looked terrible. She looked nothing like she had when she was alive. Her hair was all scraggly and she looked like she'd been beaten up. I have a very hard time believing that Monroe committed suicide, because she was planning on going back to work on Something's Got To Give at the time of her death. The Kennedy brothers were a big part of Marilyn's life. They eventually ended up tossing her aside like a used kleenex. Joe Dimaggio was the only person who seemed to have respect for Marilyn and her memory. He never desecrated her life or treated her like dirt as so many others had. Marilyn was truly one of a kind, and there has never been anyone like her before or since.

I know what you're thinking...Ummmmm - another Marilyn Monroe biography...there are 100's of them, & no matter how much you love Marilyn, some of them are monotonous and repeat each other...but Marilyn the Last Take is a WONDERFUL~WONDERFUL~WONDERFUL book - I can't stress that enough. It gives you sooooo much information and proof of what happened during the last 5 months of Marilyn's life as well as detailed accounts of her experience on her last movie, "Something's got to give". It shows how and WHY the studio lied about Marilyn's behavior on the set, then fired her. You won't believe the information you will learn from this book. I can't believe how 20th Century Fox just used her to their convenience. It also gives us info on how former President John F. Kennedy, as well as his brother, the Attorney General Robert Kennedy, USED, manipulated, and threw Marilyn aside as if she were a piece of garbage without even a lousy goodbye. But through all of this Marilyn prevailed, threatening to blow the lid off of the Kennedy scandal since Robert wasn't man enough to break off his affair w/ her face to face. Also Fox was in works of REHIRING Marilyn a little before her death. If you ever believed the hype of the so-called "SUICIDE", this book WILL change your mind! I'm surprised that this book doesn't seem to be as popular as some of the others...people claim that its not researched, and that it's not "believable"? I totally disagree...No, it's not your average Marilyn biography...this is the account of her last months (starting at April all the way through to August) it was well written also. I URGE you to get this book - the TRUTH needs to be heard! Not only does this tell about Marilyn, it also includes 2 chapters on Elizabeth Taylor and the whole Cleopatra scandal. Anyone who is a fan of Marilyn, this book is A MUST for your collection!! Even if you aren't a fan, this book tells you about the corruption of the movie business! Too bad its out of print, do whatever you can to find this book...its worth it!

I just finished this book, and I must say it's very well researched and put together. My question is: why didn't anyone help this poor woman?

Having been a fan as a younger man, I lost interest in Marilyn once the onslaught started of Biography after Biography hit the bookshop's. But then I bought this book for further information into the Something's Got To Give filming which I haven't been fortunate enough to see for myself though from the shorts shown in documentary's Marilyn does indeed look beautiful. The author had me hooked instantly. Brilliantly written, intriguing new "Studio" information and a heartrending account of her last few weeks. My congratulations to the author on his investigations and my sincere thanks on behalf of Marilyn's fans like myself for finally coming deadly close to the awful truth.