Let's Make Love (1960) - Star of the month... Gene Kelly

Let's Make Love is the 1960 romantic musical comedy starring Marilyn Monroe with French actor Yves Montand and funny man Tony Randall. The supporting cast includes British singer Frankie Vaughan and Wilfred Hyde-White. The film was directed by the legendary George Cukor and features surprise guest cameos by three Hollywood greats appearing as themselves: Gene Kelly, Milton Berle and Bing Crosby.

Yves Montand stars as Jean-Marc Clement, a billionaire who is advised he is about to be parodied in an off-Broadway revue. Jean-Marc visits the theatre to find out more about it, but is mistaken as an actor auditioning for the role. He is offered the role due to his uncanny resemblance and real life performance. He is bewildered by the show's star Amanda Dell (played by Monroe), and decides to play along with the charade. Jean-Marc hires Milton Berle to teach him to tell jokes, Bing Crosby to teach him to sing, and Gene Kelly to teach him to dance. Despite this first rate tuition, Amanda teaches Jean-Marc money can't buy you love.

Upon release the film was not a critical or commercial success, and was one of Marilyn's only films to lose money.

Musical highlights

Let's Make Love features quite a few unmemorable and unexciting musical numbers. There are fortunately two stand out numbers: "My Heart Belongs To Daddy" and "Specialisation".

Song: "My Heart Belongs To Daddy" - Marilyn Monroe

Did you know...

• Marilyn was not satisfied with the script and had her then-husband Arthur Miller review and rewrite it.
• The following actors all turned down the role of Jean Clement: Gregory Peck, Cary Grant, Charlton Heston, Yul Brynner and Rock Hudson
• Montand and Monroe reportedly had an off-screen affair during the filming of this film

Concluding remarks

Despite its unrealistic plot and very predictable ending, overall the film is amusing to watch with quite a few laughs. The highlight for me was Milton Berle, who gets more laughs in his 8 minutes cameo than any of the other lead actors. Worth watching if you're a fan of Marilyn or Milton Berle.

Everything You Always Wanted to Know About... - Spotlight on... Trailblazers

***Note, some readers may find the content of this blog offensive**


"You hear these strange stories, you know, like there's a pill these women take, or sometimes guys will slam their head against a wall of hard rubber." - Woody Allen (as Sperm in 'Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex* (*But Were Afraid to Ask)')


'Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex* (*But Were Afraid to Ask)' is a 1972 comedy directed by Woody Allen. Based on the book of the same name by Dr. David Reuben, the film is an anthology of short episodes featuring cameo appearances by some of the biggest stars of the day including Tony Randall, Lynn Redgrave, Louise Lasser, Burt Reynolds and of course, Woody Allen (who appears in no less than 4 different roles). 


I have structured my blog into short episodes to mirror the structure of the film:

Main titles - 'Let's misbehave'

Woody Allen is a big fan of jazz, so it's no surprise he chose to open this film with a recording of Cole Porter's 'Let's Misbehave'.  I find Allen's interpretation of the song rather amusing, as we see thousands of breeding rabbits.


Watch the opening sequence - 'Let's Misbehave'

Woody Allen as The Fool in
'Do aphrodisiacs work?'

#1 - Do aphrodisiacs work?
Woody Allen plays The Fool to the King. The Fool finds out if aphrodisiacs work after he gives the Queen (played by Lynn Redgrave) a love potion. One problem... the Queen is wearing a chastity belt, complete with a padlock. While trying to remove the Queen's chastity belt, the Fool gets his hand caught, with fatal consequences.










#2 - What is sodomy?

Gene Wilder as Dr. Ross

The most disturbing (and possibly most unforgettable) of the seven episodes.  Dr. Ross (played by Gene Wilder) falls in love with one of his patients, Daisy... only thing is Daisy happens to be a sheep.


Dr. Ross wines and dines Daisy behind his wife's back at a fancy hotel, ordering "a chilled white burgandy, some cavier and some plain green grass" from room service. His fetish for sheep-loving eventually destroys his medical career, his marriage and every other aspect of his life. 


Here is a memorable clip from the 'What is sodomy?' segment

#3 - Why do some women have trouble reaching an orgasm?

Woody Allen & Louise Lasser as Fabrizio & Gina

A homage to the perversions of Italian cinema, this segment is spoken entirely in Italian (with English subtitles). Fabrizio (played by Woody Allen) is having trouble pleasing his wife Gina (played by Louise Lasser). After some experimentation he discovers Gina is only able to reach an orgasm in public. 


This segment drags on a little, but does have some very funny moments. 

#4 - Are transvestites homosexuals?

Sam Musgrave (played by Lou Jacobi) is a middle aged man who visits his daughter's fiancees parents. While visiting Sam feels the need to experiments with women's clothes. This is one of the funniest sketches in the film.

#5 - What are sex perverts?

Game show spoof of 'What's my Line?', called 'What's my Perversion?'. Filmed in black and white, four contestants must accurately guess the perversion of the panelist, in this instance, "likes to expose himself on subways". There is even a mock TV commercial for a hair product.
This is the most offensive of each of the chapters, ending with an image of a rabbi eating pork.

#6 - Are the findings of doctors and clinics who do sexual research and experiments accurate?

Sex researcher Victor (played by Allan) and reporter Helen (played by Heather MacRae) visit the evil and psychotic Dr. Bernardo (played by John Carradine), who is conducting sexual experiments on abducted humans. One of his experiments goes horribly wrong, generating a "gigantic tit", which terrorises the local town, crushing the innocent and spitting milk. This spoof of the scifi b-movies of the 1950s in my opinion is the slowest and least enjoyable segment within the film.

#7 - What happens during ejaculation?

Woody Allen as Sperm

Amusing segment positioning a man's brain as a NASA-like mission control centre operated by Tony Randall and Burt Reynolds. Woody Allen makes his fourth appearance in the film as a nervous and scared Sperm. 


A memorable and rather appropriate conclusion to the film.

Deleted segment - What makes a man a homosexual?

A photograph from the deleted sequence -
The Black Widow (Lasser) prepares to eat
the Common Spider (Allen)

An eighth segment filmed but cut from the film was called "What Makes a Man a Homosexual?" and featured Woody Allen as a common spider, with Louise Lasser playing a black widow. After making love, the black widow ate the common spider. The segment was not included in the final film as Allen was unable to write an appropriate ending. 

Controversy

Very funny and highly inappropriate, 'Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex...' was a very controversial film at the time of it's release. Although not visually graphic or explicit, the clever innuendo and provocative subject matter caused a stir.

Closing remarks

This film welcomed the world to the perverted yet intelligent mind of Woody Allen. After watching this film, it would come as no surprise to anyone when Allen later married his stepdaughter. Although not Allen's best film, 'Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex...' makes for an entertaining and amusing spectator experience.

Let's Make Love - Star birthday... Milton Berle

Milton Berle

Milton Berle singing 'The Entertainer' with The Muppets

Milton Berle was born on 12 July 1908. Beginning his career in vaudeville, Berle enjoyed a very prolific career as an actor/comedian in on stage, on radio, on television and on film. He is best remembered for being the first major American television star, and was known throughout his career as "Mr. Television" and "Uncle Miltie". 


Milton Berle died on 27 March 2002 at the age of 93 after a battle against colon cancer.

Recommended viewing

• Lil Abner (1940)
• Always Leave Them Laughing (1949)
• Let's Make Love (1960)
• It's a Mad, Mad. Mad, Mad World (1963)
• The Loved One (1965)
• The Oscar (1966)
• The Muppet Show (TV SERIES - guest appearance) (1977)
• The Muppet Movie (1979)
• Broadway Danny Rose (1984)
• 
  Pee Wee's Big Adventure (1985)

Let's Make Love (1960)

Let's Make Love is the 1960 romantic musical comedy starring Marilyn Monroe with French actor Yves Montand and funny man Tony Randall. The supporting cast includes British singer Frankie Vaughan and Wilfred Hyde-White. The film was directed by the legendary George Cukor and features surprise guest cameos by three Hollywood greats appearing as themselves: Gene Kelly, Milton Berle and Bing Crosby.

Yves Montand stars as Jean-Marc Clement, a billionaire who is advised he is about to be parodied in an off-Broadway revue. Jean-Marc visits the theatre to find out more about it, but is mistaken as an actor auditioning for the role. He is offered the role due to his uncanny resemblance and real life performance. He is bewildered by the show's star Amanda Dell (played by Monroe), and decides to play along with the charade. Jean-Marc hires Milton Berle to teach him to tell jokes, Bing Crosby to teach him to sing, and Gene Kelly to teach him to dance. Despite this first rate tuition, Amanda teaches Jean-Marc money can't buy you love.

Upon release the film was not a critical or commercial success, and was one of Marilyn's only films to lose money.

Musical highlights

Let's Make Love features quite a few unmemorable and unexciting musical numbers. There are fortunately two stand out numbers: "My Heart Belongs To Daddy" and "Specialisation".

Song: "My Heart Belongs To Daddy" - Marilyn Monroe

Did you know...

• Marilyn was not satisfied with the script and had her then-husband Arthur Miller review and rewrite it.
• The following actors all turned down the role of Jean Clement: Gregory Peck, Cary Grant, Charlton Heston, Yul Brynner and Rock Hudson
• Montand and Monroe reportedly had an off-screen affair during the filming of this film

Concluding remarks

Despite its unrealistic plot and very predictable ending, overall the film is amusing to watch with quite a few laughs. The highlight for me was Milton Berle, who gets more laughs in his 8 minutes cameo than any of the other lead actors. Worth watching if you're a fan of Marilyn or Milton Berle.

Let's Make Love

Star of the month.... Marilyn Monroe

Let's Make Love is the 1960 romantic musical comedy starring Marilyn Monroe with French actor Yves Montand and funny man Tony Randall. The supporting cast includes British singer Frankie Vaughan and Wilfred Hyde-White. The film was directed by the legendary George Cukor and features surprise guest cameos by three Hollywood greats appearing as themselves: Gene Kelly, Milton Berle and Bing Crosby.


Yves Montand stars as Jean-Marc Clement, a billionaire who is advised he is about to be parodied in an off-Broadway revue. Jean-Marc visits the theatre to find out more about it, but is mistaken as an actor auditioning for the role. He is offered the role due to his uncanny resemblance and real life performance. He is bewildered by the show's star Amanda Dell (played by Monroe), and decides to play along with the charade. Jean-Marc hires Milton Berle to teach him to tell jokes, Bing Crosby to teach him to sing, and Gene Kelly to teach him to dance. Despite this first rate tuition, Amanda teaches Jean-Marc money can't buy you love.


Upon release the film was not a critical or commercial success, and was one of Marilyn's only films to lose money.




Musical highlights
Let's Make Love features quite a few unmemorable and unexciting musical numbers. There are fortunately two stand out numbers: "My Heart Belongs To Daddy" and "Specialisation".


Song: "My Heart Belongs To Daddy" - Marilyn Monroe

Did you know...

• Marilyn was not satisfied with the script and had her then-husband Arthur Miller review and rewrite it.
• The following actors all turned down the role of Jean Clement: Gregory Peck, Cary Grant, Charlton Heston, Yul Brynner and Rock Hudson
• Montand and Monroe reportedly had an off-screen affair during the filming of this film

Concluding remarks

Despite its unrealistic plot and very predictable ending, overall the film is amusing to watch with quite a few laughs. The highlight for me was Milton Berle, who gets more laughs in his 8 minutes cameo than any of the other lead actors. Worth watching if you're a fan of Marilyn or Milton Berle.