Marilyn Monroe reportedly was very difficult to work with on the set of the 1959 movie classic “Some Like It Hot,” which turned out to be one of her most recognized roles. Her co-stars Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon had to work with Monroe who didn’t remember her lines or never learned her lines in the first place resulting in retake after retake. Angry, they had to stand around in high heels that were hurting their feet, Curtis was quite negative about Monroe when the movie was completed.
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Director Billy Wilder saw a movie climbing over budget and not being completed on time. He too, was angry with Monroe. Here are some comments made about actress after the film was completed in a feature on the production of "Some Like it Hot"
on Turner Classic Movies online.
1. “We were in mid-flight, and there was a nut on board,” said Wilder.
2. “I think Marilyn was as mad as a hatter,” remarked Curtis.
3. “She knew she was limited and (expletive) well what was right for Marilyn,” noted Lemmon.
4. Years after the movie was hailed by critics and audiences alike, Wilder forgave her for going over budget: “It takes a real artist to come on the set and not know her lines and yet give the performance she did.”
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5.
Roger Ebert praised Monroe’s work in the movie: “What a work of art and nature is Marilyn Monroe. 'Some Like It Hot' has no problems with its musical numbers because the singer is Monroe, who didn’t have a great singing voice. But she was as good as Frank Sinatra at selling the lyrics."
6. Curtis said in the TCM article that kissing Monroe was like kissing Hitler, but Ebert said: “You remember what Curtis said but when you watch the scene, all you can think is that Hitler must have been a terrific kisser.”
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