Part Eight

On June 13, N.B.C. had the final contract revisions with Schofield playing Davidson, and in a letter to M.C.A., they expressed the urgency of Monroe's approval of them so the production could move forward. However, with no control over co-star approval, notations from Frosch indicate they are to hold at least until the 19th to convince Richard Burton to take the role.

Currently appearing with Julie Andrews in Camelot appearing on Broadway, Burton feared he could miss the nightly 8:30 curtain, so he was hesitant to sign. However, it could've been written into his contract, like Gable's, that he was done with filming by 5 pm. A new production schedule was drawn up, with rehearsals to begin at N.B.C.'s Brooklyn studios on July 27, with completion of filming on August 19. Two days later, Marilyn met with Serling again to discuss the script.

On June 19, Marilyn spoke to Louella Parsons, who reported Marilyn was interested in purchasing a home "with a pool" in Los Angeles, that Harold Mirisch had offered her The Naked Truth directed by Andrea Lyvick, and that while Twentieth Century Fox hadn't come up with her next film, she had a commitment starting November 15 (per the Goodbye Charlie resolution") "I am free until then, after I do Sadie Thomson in Rain for television, hopefully opposite Burton." She finished with, "I start back to actor's school on Monday. My vacation is over."

On the 21, she meets with Strasberg and Frosch in her Sutton Place apartment. The "Artistic Control" issues are discussed in depth, with Strasberg feeling more comfortable in that capacity rather than directing. The original approved director, George Roy Hill, is an excellent choice. However, during Marilyn's meeting with N.B.C. executives the next day, she stands behind her faith in Strasberg, stating: "I want to do it because of Lee's concept. If I can't, then there's no point in going into it. It's not that I have any concern about the director or any criticism of the director, but I don't know what his ideas are or will be. I only know what Lee's ideas are, and those are the ideas I want to put into the thing. I don't again want to go into something and then find myself in something totally different from what I expected or hoped for."

For the largest possible audience, the network scheduled its premiere for Sunday, October 29, following a new 60-minute Bob Hope Comedy Special. Per Monroe's contract, forbidden products included alcohol, laxatives, medicines, and feminine hygiene, making Grey Advertisting's sponsor hunt difficult. Revlon's make-up company agreed to cover the entire estimated $350,000 cost of production. Even though there were less than one million color sets by February 1961, N.B.C. had 179 affiliates broadcasting in color. The bulk of N.B.C.'s broadcasting day was in color and had been since November 1960.

On June 23, Parsons informs her readers, "Within a matter of hours, a contract will be signed for Richard Burton to play Reverend Davidson in Rain with Marilyn Monroe. That is a coup if I ever heard one."

On June 26, Monroe attempted to add a rider to her contract regarding Strasberg's title and control. "The Artistic Coordinator shall have supervision over the artistic and creative elements of the program, subject to N.B.C.'s right of final approval. In exercising such supervision, the Artistic Coordinator shall give recognition to the functions of and due consideration to the views of the other members of the production staff." N.B.C. rejected that immediately, wanting the position to be "advisory versus supervisory."

 

Marlowe gives it one last shot and sends a June 26 telegram to Marilyn at the Beverly Hills Hotel: "Before I make final arrangements with another star, I would like to again offer you Rain for television spectacular Lee Strasberg told me you were a superb Sadie Thompson. I have an excellent sponsor. Taping depends on your availability." Perhaps stung by N.B.C.'s rejection of her mentor, Monroe's handwritten reply across the bottom is "I would only consider to if Lee Strasberg directed it." and ("Transmitted reply to Marvin Bendt(?) 6/27/61")

Marilyn's response conflicts with a June 27 note from Frosch stating that if Richard Burton is Davidson and Hill to direct, Marilyn will gladly sign, but N.B.C. stands firm and only agrees to proceed if these two demands are withdrawn. In an abrupt turnaround, another letter the same day to Marilyn Monroe Productions in care of Frosch cancels the project "immediately and completely."

On June 28, an internal MCA memo states, "Unless something new occurs, this is the kiss-off." Marilyn returns to Polyclinic Hospital for emergency gall bladder surgery, where she will remain until July 11. On July 16, Shelia Graham informs her readers that Marilyn's future projects with Fox depend (per Marilyn) "on the director and script -- notice I put the director first." and that Rain is up first with Monroe, explaining why she took part "Because Lee Strasberg will be in charge of the artistic arrangements." And telling Hedda Hopper on July 18, "I'm very anxious to do Rain. I'm going back to New York to talk about it. The problem now is a leading man. Frederic March would have been wonderful, but now he's going to do a play." (March opened on Broadway in Gideon in early November.)

But on July 22, she tells Louella Parsons she won't be able to fulfill her commitment due to delays caused by her recent illness/surgery and film commitments with Fox, in the same column in which Susan Hayward is announced to take over the role of Sadie. However, by December 29, Dorothy Kilgallen has Monroe's Don't Bother to Knock co-star, Anne Bancroft, now up for the part.

Though Rain was no longer forecast for Marilyn's future, there was another Maugham story she was very interested in.

Of Human Bondage was Maugham's first story, bringing him to prominence. Abandoning artistic ambitions, sensitive and club-footed Philip Carey enrolls in medical school and falls in love with a waitress, Mildred Rogers. She rejects him, runs off with a salesman, and returns unmarried and pregnant. Philip gets her an apartment, and they become engaged. Mildred runs off with another medical student. Philip takes her back again when she returns with her baby. She wrecks his apartment and burns the securities he needs to pay tuition. Forced to get a job as a salesman, Philip is relatively successful once he has surgery on his foot. Upon receiving an inheritance, he returns to school, where he learns Mildred is dying. Bette Davis starred opposite Leslie Howard in R.K.O.'s 1934 film.

On June 30, Shelia Graham predicts "Marlon Brando and Joanne Woodward for a remake of Jerry Wald's Of Human Bondage if he has his way, and he usually does."

In an August 7 letter from Aaron Frosch to Monroe, he mentions Strasberg meeting with Joe Moskowitz and her interest in only one project - Of Human Bondage. If Marlon Brando will co-star, Fox is prepared to acquire the rights and assign a writer to the project, but only after a "direct expression of interest" from Marilyn. Moskowitz suggests she rejected Rain's leading man, Paul Schofield, but Monroe wants Brando. - even though he's not available at the moment, I feel he would be an interesting co-star."

In June, the local Hutchinson, Kansas paper had a front-page story of Celebration coming to town to film and the possibility of Monroe as its star. But two months later, an August 9 letter from Frosch to Monroe has him passing along the information that she isn't interested in filming Celebration with former Rain director George Roy Hill at the helm. On August 30, Louella Parson told her readers Woodward was "set for Celebration" after Monroe had rejected the part. (It's often been reported that Joanne Woodward took the role after Marilyn's death, but an April 28, 1962 article mentions Woodward's casting in the now re-titled The Stripper as one of four films Fox is putting into production, one of the others being Monroe's Something's Got to Give.)