Part Five

 That night, N.B.C. telecast Remembering the Great, hosted by Jack Benny, featured performances by Harry James, Connie Francis, the McGuire Sisters, Andy Williams, and Juliette Prowse, who performed a song and dance interpretation of Rain entitled "The Saga of Sadie Thompson." To avoid offending the clergy and to appease the censors and sponsors, Reverend Davidson was changed to "a politician who was a false reformer."

On February 11, Ward Morehouse wrote a multi-column love letter to Monroe, offering casting ideas and confidence in her performance. Agreeing with Marlowe's choice of March and Eldridge as "just about perfect" for the Davidsons, Morehouse suggested "Howard Smith for Joe Horn, Juanita Hall (South Pacific) as his wife Ameena, and Conrad Nagel as Dr. MacPhall." But he saved his biggest bouquet for the star, stating, "My hope is Marilyn Monroe will have the triumph of her life as the put-upon but indestructible Sadie. And that soon after she conquers television, she will go on to conquer Broadway." Morehouse knew of what he spoke, having started his career in the theater two years before Eagels brought Sadie Thompson to life in 1922. A close friend and self-proclaimed lover of the late-stage actress, he reminisced in a 1961 interview.

"Since 1920, I've been privileged to see some performances of greatness...Jeanne Eagels in Rain is the first that comes to mind. If I were told that there was but for one play for me to see, my choice would be that one with Miss Eagels again playing the tormented Sadie Thompson on the rain-soaked island of Pago-Pago. To me, it remains the most substantial play in all my play-going experience. Rain's opening on a November night in 1922 brought forth an emotional demonstration never exceeded in the theatre of this country. First-nighters stood and screamed when the curtain fell upon Sadie's denunciation of the fanatical Reverend Davidson at the close of the second act: they were as wild as spectators at a football game. As the gaudy harlot from San Francisco, the strikingly attractive Miss Eagels moved about the stage with pantherine grace, part woman, part animal. Frightened and angered by the hot-eyed missionary, then pertinent and subdued, and finally rebelliously free again, she gave a magnificent performance that made her a star. For five punishing years, she played this role, and there are those who believe it drove her to desperation and to an early, tragic death."

In a surprising show of sympathy, or to financially cover its ass with their star's well-known history of delaying productions, Fox Studios is considering pushing back the April 14 start date of her next film to November, allowing her six months to both finish Rain and rest before reporting to work.

Still trying to convince Monroe is capable, on February 15, N.B.C. again contacted M.C.A., stating, "In view of Miss Monroe's recent illness, it is perfectly clear that we do not have an agreement with respect to Miss Monroe's services. I am sending you these revised pages so that, should it prove possible to enter into an agreement with Miss Monroe for her services, the terms will have been fully worked out, and the agreement can be executed promptly. Publicist John Springer went on the offensive, replying via newspaper, "Marilyn went into the neurological institute primarily for rest and checkup, and she's expected out in a few days. What's more, she is looking forward to doing Rain for N.B.C. Rehearsals start by the end of February, and she'll tape the spectacular sometime in March."

Three days after Springer's statement, on February 18, producer Ann Marlowe released one of her own. "Is it definite? But of course. Marilyn has her heart set on the part. When I called her and asked if she'd take the part, her reply was 'Yes, yes, yes!' Even when she first went into the hospital, she sent word that I had no cause to be concerned, that this is one thing she wants to do! She now says she will be out of the hospital by the end of the week and ought to be ready for the taping around April 1." She added, perhaps a little callously, "There's really nothing terribly wrong with the poor girl, you know, just fatigue." She made the mistake of going from one movie to another without a break. Then came the divorce and the death of Clark Gable - All of which we heard before! What we hadn't heard was that America's sex symbol is an honest-to-goodness trouper, too!

That same day, it's reported that Monroe, even in her fragile condition, is Lloyd's of London's top choice to replace the constantly ill Elizabeth Taylor as the lead in Cleopatra. Currently over-budget and often delayed during production filming in London. Thank goodness Monroe didn't see the blurb in the February 23 papers announcing "Anne Marlowe, producer of Marilyn Monroe's upcoming (Miss Monroe insists she'll still do it) T.V. production of Rain, has cabled Elizabeth Taylor an offer to appear in a Somerset Maugham drama for next fall.

One week later, when Monroe was scheduled to be released, she remained at Columbia, but Rain was still in the news. On February 24, Frederic March answered reporters' query about the couple's plans: "Well, Florence and I may play the Reverend and Mrs. Davidson in the television version of Rain starring Marilyn Monroe." The next day, Chicago Tribune's Larry Wolters wrote, "Robert Loggia, a hit on Broadway in Toys in the Attic, is up for a test as Marilyn Monroe's boyfriend in the forthcoming T.V. version of Rain, which is to star M.M." (Loggia was also a student at the Actor's Studio.)

Walter Hawver's March 1 column "Rod Serling has completed the script of Rain, Somerset Maugham's story for N.B.C. and Marilyn Monroe, but they are still determining when or if the show will be done." The same day, an article in The China Mail quoted Paula Strasberg as saying, "Marilyn looks incredibly well.". At the same time, publicist John Springer added, "She has been exhausted, really beat down. Physically and emotionally, she's had a very tough year." Marilyn left the hospital on March 6, surprised and nearly overwhelmed by the large crowd of over three hundred fans and fifty reporters, "I feel wonderful," and that she had no immediate plans except more rest at home.

March 7 finds her attending the memorial service for her former mother-in-law, Augusta Miller, at the Riverside Memorial Chapel in Brooklyn. Her appearance with Inez Melson was completely unannounced, and she ended up "sitting with Miller, from whom she was divorced recently," according to the March 8 Los Angeles Times. Photos show her dressed entirely in black, accentuating her pale and tired appearance.

On March 14, Marilyn attended an Actor's Studio Benefit at the Roseland Dance City and gave out raffle prizes. According to Earl Wilson, she arrived and was left alone. Most certainly, she and Strasberg discussed the upcoming production, including Serling's first draft, casting, and Lee's "vision." Dorothy Killgallen reported that after a brief fling at the cha cha and rumba on the dance floor with actor Franchot Tone, he supposedly said to his glamorous partner, "Gee. that was a short dance." Marilyn sighed, 'I'm all in,' and it was all over." Hardly enough time to discuss Tone's possible appearance in the production as Davidson.

Around the middle of the month, Marilyn gives an in-depth interview to Margaret Parton for the Ladies Home Journal in which she speaks about the project. "You know, I had a letter* from Somerset Maugham the other day, saying how happy he was that I was going to play the part of Sadie and telling me something about the real woman on whom he based the character. I'm really excited about doing the part - she's so interesting. She was a girl who knew how to be gay, even when she was sad. And that's important - you know?"

*Monroe received a thank-you note dated January 31 from Maugham through Marlowe: "Dear Miss Monroe, Thank you for your charming telegram of good wishes on my [January 25] birthday. It was extremely kind of you to think of me; I was touched and much pleased. I am so glad to hear that you are going to play Sadie in the TV production of Rain. I am sure you will be splendid. I wish you the best of luck. Yours very sincerely, W. Somerset Maugham.

"I don't have to do anything yet. I'm going to take time to stand still, look around, breathe a little, and not hurry. Oh, I'm going to do Rain—but I don't know what after that."

Parton was very impressed with the actress. "Expecting a peacock but finding a sick canary. Only when you pick it up in your hand to comfort it. Beneath the sickness, the weakness, and the innocence, you find a strong bone structure and a heart beating. You recognize sickness, and you find strength." Feeling Parton had been "mesmerized" by the actress, the Journal's editors proclaimed the piece too sympathetic and have remained unpublished since.