Rare behind-the-scenes footage of actress and sex symbol Marilyn Monroe on the set of 1959′s Some Like It Hot has sold for $17,500 at an auction in Melbourne.
The two-and-a-half-minute amateur film, featuring Monroe with co-stars Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon, was taken by a US naval officer invited onto the set after Monroe visited his base in San Diego.
Still in its original box, the eight-millimetre film was found among the sailor’s possessions after he died and brought to Australia by his daughter when she moved here.
The footage, which was bought by an unnamed private collector from Sydney, had been expected to fetch between $20,000 and $30,000.
“We’re surprised there weren’t more bidders, but we are happy that it sold,” said Charles Leski of Leski Auctions. “Marilyn Monroe memorabilia is always in demand, but rarely do we get one-off material like this. It is also extremely rare for such important archival footage to be auctioned outside of the US before its domestic release and for that we are extremely proud,” he added.
The footage shows Monroe surrounded by sailors on a visit to the naval base and later features moments of Monroe acting “playfully” on the set with Lemmon and Curtis.
“It’s a couple of minutes of colour footage of Marilyn Monroe and her co-stars from Some Like It Hot. The film was made in black and white, released in black and white, and to the best of my knowledge – except for a few studio photographs – nothing survives in colour,” Mr Leski said.
A 47-minute amateur film of Monroe and Clarke Gable on the set of her last completed movie, The Misfits, sold in the US recently for $US60,000.
“Considering what Misfits reached in the US, we are happy, as this means we got $7,000 per minute,” Mr Leski said.
Monroe died aged 36 in August 1962 after an overdose of pills that was ruled a suicid
Curtis is the only surviving key member of the cast of Some Like It Hot, a cross-dressing comedy directed by Billy Wilder.
Source.
Title: Some Like It Hot: The Official 50th Anniversary Companion