My Week with Marilyn

Everyone remembers their first job.

This is the story of mine.

I was the youngest in a family of overachievers.

My father was a world-famous art historian,

and my brother was ahead of me in everything.

I was always the disappointment.

I found my solace in the small cinema I went to every Thursday night.

Alfred Hitchcock. Orson Welles. Laurence Olivier.

These were my heroes.

I wanted to be a pan' of their world.

When I was 23, I got my chance.

Colin, come in. Have you met James and Anna,

- my two very brilliant pupils? - Hello.

- I'm off to London now, Pa. - Your silly job interview.

Well, bonne chance, dear boy.

I can always get you a research position at the V&A

once you've grown up a bit and got this film idea out of your system.

- So I'm off now, Ma. - Off?

- My job interview, Mother. - Oh! Can't you stay for dinner?

There's nothing to eat, but I'm sure the conversation will be charming.

I don't want to be late in the morning.

I'm sure they won't mind. You'll be a famous film director in no time.

I had everything to prove to my family, but more to prove to myself.

Like every young man, I had to make my own way.

So I decided to leave home

and join the circus.

- What do you want? - A job on your next film.

You're an actor, aren't you?

No, I want to work on the production side.

We don't start shooting for another eight weeks.

- Come back nearer the time. - May I wait until there's a job?

Vanessa!

- Good night. - Good night, sir.

There are no jobs.

I'll come back tomorrow morning just in case.

It's a free country.

- Good morning. - You're very determined.

Well, I'd do anything to be in the film business.

Anything?

Sir Laurence Olivier Productions.

No, I'm afraid he's at Notley till the end of the week.

- Vanessa asked me to... - Oh, did she?

I need a number for Noel Coward. It won't be in the book.

Hello, Vivien. - Hello.

- Sir Laurence. - Hughie!

Simply impossible to get Marilyn Monroe on the telephone.

The darling girl spends the entire day asleep.

- Hello, boy. Remind me. - Darling, you remember Colin.

- You met him at the Clark's party. - Of course. What are you doing here?

You said there might be a job on your film.

Have a cigarette. Keep the pack.

Thank you, sir.

There won't be a film unless Miss Monroe gets her splendid posterior out of bed.

The house committee is threatening to withhold Miller's passport.

They say he's a communist. No Arthur, no Marilyn.

I'll have a word with the American ambassador.

I'm taking him to see Vivien's play on Thursday. Terry's rewrites, are they in?

Not all of them, of course. When did that ever happen?

He's the first actor since du Maurier to have his own brand.

They pay him an absolute fortune. I'm afraid they're rather ghastly.

Isn't he gorgeous, Vanessa?

I suppose he's all right.

Darling, you must do something for Colin. You absolutely promised.

Hughie, let's try to find him something to do.

- Yes. Of course. - Come on, darling.

You'll look after my precious Larrykins, won't you?

Come on, darling. - Christ.

Do you like it?

That's absolutely splendid.

- You were absolutely born for it. - Door.

Sorry.

And could you turn all the way around, my darling?

- Thank you. - This is the dress Larry likes.

- There? - The camera's ravishing you.

Oh, dear. That sounds serious.

That's wonderful. - Too much?

Oh, God. Not for me. - Arthur Jacobs,

Miss Monroe's publicist, is flying in tomorrow.

He wants to see the house where she'll be staying.

Find something suitable.

- Yes, sir. - More importantly,

- how does it make you feel? - And leave the bloody tea.

Oh. Sorry.

Out of the question. I can't have a lot of awful film people traveling

- through the house in dirty boots. - But we'd be paying

a hundred pounds per week for 18 weeks.

- My wife would never agree. - That's a pity, Mr. Cotes-Preedy.

I'll have to tell Miss Monroe to look elsewhere, then.

- Marilyn Monroe? - Yes.

Suppose I'd have to be introduced.

Good morning, Mr. Jacobs. Hope you had a pleasant flight.

Is this the fucking car?

Who built this place? Hansel and Gretel?

It's one of the best houses in the area.

All right. We'll take it.

But ditch the wallpaper. It's giving me a migraine.

That house was perfect for Marilyn.

- Can't use it now. - Yes, we can.

I knew that Cotes-Preedy wouldn't be able to keep this quiet,

so that's why when you asked me to find a house for Miss Monroe,

I took the precaution of finding two.

So the other one, Parkside, is much better.

And the owner is very discreet.

So we've got two expensive houses now where we only needed one.

I thought that someone else on the production might want it.

Oh, did you?

I guess Milton could use it

and it's near the studio. Near Marilyn.

What are we paying you, boy?

- Nothing, sir. - Let's see to it, Hughie.

Well done, boy.

Nice job, kid.

Colin Clark, Laurence Olivier Productions.

The film was then called The Sleeping Prince.

Marilyn was to play a naive American showgirl called Elsie Marina

who is seduced by an Eastern-European prince played by Olivier.

It was the lightest of comedies.

- You in the union? - No.

Then you can't have a job on the film.

Well, how do I get into the union?

By getting a job on the film.

It's called a closed shop.

I suppose I might be able to do something for you.

The union owe me a few favors. We don't have a third yet.

- A third? - Third assistant director.

- You do know what the job is? - Assisting the director?

That's the last thing you do!

thirds job is to do whatever the fuck I tell him.

And what are you waiting for?

Colin!

don't shit on your own doorstep.

- Got it? - Got it.

The third always stays nearby.

Not in some bloody palace in London.

Book a room at The Dog & Duck down the road.

It's a bit rough. You'll get used to it.

Now make yourself useful. Marilyn needs a bodyguard.

Sort something out.

I'm sure you understand the sensitive nature of the job, Superintendent.

Something about looking after a cinema actress?

Well, not just any actress. Marilyn Monroe.

I never had much time for the pictures.

Excellent.

For the next four months,

you never leave her side. Day or night.

Her behavior is reputedly a little erratic.

- She drinks? - Amongst other things.

- Pills? - It would be useful if you could, uh,

keep us informed of her domestic situation.

You want me to spy on her.

Well, the odd early warning if you know she's going to be late.

That kind of thing.

Hello.

Colin Clark. I booked a room.

Ah, right. Here you are.

Sign this.

What brings you up this way?

I'm working on a film at Pinewood.

Oh. What film is that?

It's called The Sleeping Prince. With Sir Laurence Olivier and Marilyn Monroe,

so I'll be working with them.

Room's three quid a week. First week in advance.

Number two.

And, uh, hope you don't mind, you'll be sharing with Grace Kelly.

This'll work fine for Marilyn. Oh, and, uh, Paula will need the room next door.

- I beg your pardon? - Sorry, who is Paula?

Strasberg. Marilyn's acting coach.

She's nuts about the Method.

Arthur, we've spoken about this before.

Stanislavski and the Method are perfectly fine in the rehearsal room,

but they don't belong on a film set.

Time is too tight.

Larry! Some good news.

House committee have decided Miller isn't a communist after all.

Of course he is.

All those pain in the ass New York intellectuals are Reds.

Which means she'll be flying in next week on schedule.

- Excellent news. - She'll have to be met.

Well, naturally Vivien and I will be there to greet her,

but let's keep it low key, shall we?

You join us here at London Airport,

where it is absolute mayhem.

Marilyn! This way! Get out of the way!

With her is her new husband, America's most celebrated playwright

and author of Death of a Salesman, Arthur Miller.

Beautiful. You're looking at tomorrow's front page, boys.

- We'll have to get them into the hall. - Sir Laurence Olivier

and Scarlett O'Hara herself, Vivien Leigh, are set to greet them.

American acting royalty meeting British acting royalty.

Gentlemen, it is my especial pleasure

to introduce a woman who clearly needs no introduction.

Marilyn! How do you like being married?

Well, I like it. I like it a lot.