The worst movies starring by Marilyn Monroe

 Some time ago, I made an article ranking my top 10 movies starring Marilyn Monroe, and I mentioned that throughout her career —which included a total of 29 films— Marilyn was the leading actress in 13 of them. Since that list only covered the top 10, three of her starring films were left out. This time, we’re taking a look at those three: what I consider to be the weakest movies starring Marilyn Monroe.

Before getting started, let me clarify a few things. This is just my personal opinion —some people might really enjoy one or more of these films— but to me, they’re her weakest as a leading actress. Still, most Marilyn fans would probably agree that at least two of these three are among her poorest starring efforts. I also want to point out that while these are her least impressive films, at least two of them aren’t actually bad movies —they just fall well below the quality of those that made it into my top 10. Finally, it’s worth noting that I’ll be judging the films as a whole, not Marilyn’s individual performances. I’ll present them in chronological order, which, coincidentally, also happens to be from worst to best. With that said, let’s begin.

Ladies of the Chorus (1948)

Ladies of the Chorus is a romantic drama and, in my opinion, the weakest film ever starring Marilyn Monroe — though it’s also notable for being her very first leading role. Directed by Phil Karlson and starring Adele Jergens, Marilyn Monroe, and Rand Brooks, the story follows two chorus girls, a mother named Mae and her daughter Peggy. Peggy becomes the star of the troupe and the lead singer. A wealthy young man named Randy begins sending her flowers and notes, and soon a romance blossoms. However, the social gap between a millionaire and a chorus girl, as well as Mae’s past, drive the central conflict.

After an unremarkable start at Fox, Marilyn was signed by Columbia Pictures, which gave her her first starring role with only a year of acting experience. She wouldn’t star in another film for about four more years. Ladies of the Chorus is, at its core, a basic B-movie — a predictable romantic drama with light musical touches that aren’t particularly strong. The movie wasn’t successful, and Columbia decided not to renew Marilyn’s contract. That said, the performances are decent considering the cast’s inexperience and the weak script. The film runs just an hour, so at least it doesn’t overstay its welcome. As a fun fact, there’s a scene in which Peggy gets into a physical fight with another chorus girl to defend her mother — arguably the best moment in the film and the best scene Marilyn had up until The Asphalt Jungle. Seeing her in a violent confrontation is quite unusual for her career and makes it an interesting curiosity. It’s also worth noting that this was the first time Marilyn sang in a movie. While the songs themselves aren’t great, she performs them very well. Singing would later become a signature part of her career — she sings in 9 of the 13 films she starred in, and in only one of her supporting roles, A Ticket to Tomahawk.

As for her performance, Marily had a leading role as Peggy, it’s clearly her weakest as a leading actress. But given her lack of experience and the poor material she had to work with, she actually does a good job. It’s an early glimpse of the great potential she would fully realize a few years later. In short, Ladies of the Chorus is a rather weak film — by far the worst starring vehicle of Marilyn Monroe’s career. I wouldn’t recommend it unless you’re a devoted fan who wants to see her beginnings. It’s not terrible, just an ordinary and forgettable B-movie.

There´s No Business Like Show Business (1954)

There’s No Business Like Show Business is a musical directed by Walter Lang, written by Lamar Trotti, with music by Irving Berlin. It stars Ethel Merman, Donald O’Connor, Dan Dailey, Mitzi Gaynor, Marilyn Monroe, and Johnnie Ray. The story follows the Donahue family: parents Molly and Terry are stage stars, and their children —Steve, Katy, and Tim— have followed in their footsteps. The youngest son, Tim, falls in love with a rising stage performer named Victoria, and that romance, along with family tensions and musical numbers, drives the film’s plot.

In my opinion, this is the second worst film starring Marilyn Monroe. It’s far better than Ladies of the Chorus, but still well below her best work. At the time, Marilyn had just exploded into superstardom in 1953 with Niagara, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, and How to Marry a Millionaire. Meanwhile, Donald O’Connor had just come off the massive success of Singin’ in the Rain, and Fox wanted to capitalize on that energy by producing a lavish musical. With an enormous budget —the largest of any Marilyn Monroe movie— the studio assembled a powerhouse cast, combining new superstars like Monroe and O’Connor with seasoned musical veterans like Ethel Merman and Dan Dailey. Visually, the film is stunning: the sets and costumes are lavish and truly reflect the high production values. The songs are, as expected, the heart of the film, and while not all are memorable, most are enjoyable and well staged. However, the screenplay is the film’s main weakness. It’s simple, lacks depth, and leaves some loose ends unresolved. Although the performances are solid, the limited dialogue —a common trait in musicals— prevents the characters from developing much beyond their roles in the numbers.

As for Marilyn, she plays a leading role as Victoria, and her performance is genuinely good. Her musical numbers are among the highlights of the film, and her charisma on screen is undeniable. Outside of the songs, her acting is strong, but the role doesn’t give her much material to work with. With a better-written part, she could have delivered something truly remarkable. In short, There’s No Business Like Show Business is not a bad movie, but it’s a disappointment considering its ambitions and budget. It’s a visually dazzling musical with an excellent cast, but it suffers from a weak story and uneven pacing. Personally, I’m not a fan of musicals, but for those who are, it’s a must-see for its scale, energy, and performances.

Let´s Make Love (1960)

Let’s Make Love is the third worst film starring Marilyn Monroe. It’s a romantic comedy with musical elements, directed by George Cukor, written by Norman Krasna and Arthur Miller. The film stars Yves Montand, Marilyn Monroe, and Tony Randall. The story follows billionaire Jean-Marc Clément, who discovers that a small theater group plans to stage a satire about him. Curious, he visits the theater with his assistant Alexander, where he falls in love with an actress named Amanda. To win her over, he hides his true identity and joins the production as an actor. His pursuit of Amanda drives the plot.

Let’s Make Love is a rather mediocre film in several respects. As a comedy, it falls flat—especially compared to Marilyn’s other comedies. As a romance, it’s underwhelming and lacks emotional spark. As a musical, most of the songs are forgettable, with the exception of “My Heart Belongs to Daddy.” It’s the third most expensive film in Marilyn’s career, but unlike There’s No Business Like Show Business, the budget isn’t particularly visible on screen: the sets and costumes are simple, and aside from Marilyn, the cast doesn’t truly shine. Yves Montand, at least in this film, doesn’t deliver a convincing performance. His acting is stiff, his comic timing weak, and his chemistry with Marilyn is minimal — a serious issue given that his character is the lead. If Marilyn had been given the true main role, as in The Prince and the Showgirl, the movie would likely have been much stronger. By this point, Marilyn was already an accomplished actress, with refined technique and emotional depth from her training at the Actor’s Studio. Giving her such a poorly written role was a complete waste of her talent. In fact, this is probably the only film after her acting studies that feels inferior to several of her earlier ones — again, not because of her performance, but because of the weak script. Still, despite being a disappointment, the film manages to entertain to some extent. It’s not a bad movie, just a dull and overlong one. Two hours is too much for a comedy that doesn’t fully deliver. 

As Amanda, Marilyn gives a good performance blending comedy, drama, and song. Her facial expressions, movement, and natural presence show how far she had come as an actress, but the poor material holds her back. In short, Let’s Make Love is a decent yet disappointing film, one that underuses Marilyn’s talent. It might appeal to fans of light romantic comedies, but within her filmography, it’s among her weakest. Personally, I’d rank it almost on the same level as There’s No Business Like Show Business, though slightly higher, since it offers more dialogue and a marginally better script.

Conclusion

Well, these are, in my opinion, the weakest films starring Marilyn Monroe. None of them are truly bad, but they all fall noticeably short compared to the rest of her filmography. Ladies of the Chorus is a very basic B-movie, while There’s No Business Like Show Business and Let’s Make Love are decent, yet far from Marilyn’s finest work. Of course, this is just my personal opinion. Everyone has their own view, and it’s perfectly understandable if someone disagrees. Still, I think a few points are hard to dispute: Ladies of the Chorus is undeniably a low-budget film, There’s No Business Like Show Business suffers from a weak script outside its musical numbers, and Let’s Make Love completely wastes Marilyn’s remarkable talent.