The World Cup kicks off this week. So Richard Lutz guides you to the movie to watch in case you’re footballaphobic

Ahhhh. Marilyn. The Norma Jean who transformed from a California Cinderella into a golden icon.

In her later career, the turned out two startlingly good performances. In 1958,she flashed her pizzazz and comic timing in Some Like It Hot. And three years later, in her final full film, she showed grounded dramatic presence in The Misfits. But in between, she played it cute and light in the musical romance  Let’s Make Love (Tues,Sky Movies Drama, 4.25 AM)

It was almost called Let’s Not Do The Film. She was poison to work with.Here is a list of stars who would not play opposite the troubled actress: Gregory Peck, Rock Hudson,Yul Brynner, Cary Grant and Charlton Heston. She was bad news.

The production, directed by seasoned pro George Cukor (Hepburn’s favourite maestro), had its moments: Marilyn warbling ‘My Heart Belongs to Daddy’ and cute cameos by Gene Kelly, Milton Berle and Bing Crosby. But it is disjointed and critics complained of simple cack-handed editing.

The male lead role went to Italian star Yves Montand (yes, he was born in that fabled country). Arthur Miller re-wrote part of the script to expand the role for his famous wife and she thanked him by having a torrid ill-starred fling with her co-star who, by the way,couldn’t speak English let alone understand it. Two years later, Marilyn was dead, this sad film centring around a Broadway revue and its cast was forgotten, The Misfits applauded and another chapter in Hollywood finished.

RIP Marilyn. You had some great moments. Maybe not in Let’s Make Love but definitely in film history.