娱乐英语新闻:Public fascination with Monroe endures

Filmed almost exclusively around Dayton and Reno in July-October 1960, the movie was plagued by almost daily delays caused by Monroe's pill-popping to fall asleep and wake up, said Curtice Taylor, a New York photographer and son of "Misfits" producer Frank Taylor.

The producer occasionally would send his 12-year-old son to her trailer to check on her readiness, thinking a child would be less threatening than an adult, said Taylor, who witnessed most of the filming with his family.

"Nobody said anything to her about the delays," Taylor said. "It could have made things worse. She was the star and she was incredibly vulnerable."

Eli Wallach, 94, the only surviving cast member, said Huston told the actors not to complain about Monroe's tardiness because it would cause her to cease functioning.

"Huston got us together and said he couldn't make the movie without Marilyn," Wallach said. "Marilyn had a lot of problems with time, but I never said anything that would make her unhappy. What could I do? She tried her best."

Unlike Monroe, the focused Gable memorized his lines the night before and showed up on time each morning, Taylor said.

"Clark Gable was bored. He was going crazy with the delays," he said.

Filming also was delayed by Monroe's growing drug use that prompted her to seek treatment in Los Angeles. At the time, Huston realized the drugs were giving her a vacant look and taking away her ability to "seduce the camera," Taylor said.

"In one scene while walking down the street on Clift's arm in Dayton, she had the smile of a stoned person," he said. "It's not the 1,000-watt smile she usually had. The wattage wasn't there."