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A 8x10" vintage photo from a massive estate collection of original movie stills and publicity photos.
Photo Overview
Marilyn Monroe and Jack Lemmon share a candid, joyful moment on the beach during production of Billy Wilder\'s classic comedy "Some Like It Hot" (1959). Both are wearing old-fashioned 1920s-style bathing suits as required by the film\'s period setting, with Lemmon in drag as his character "Daphne." Monroe is laughing brightly while shielding her eyes from the sun, and Lemmon holds a towel as they interact between takes. The beach location is Coronado Beach near the Hotel del Coronado in San Diego, California, which served as the film\'s fictional "Seminole-Ritz Hotel" in Florida.
This is a beautiful, unguarded behind-the-scenes moment capturing two of Hollywood\'s greatest stars at ease with each other during the making of one of the most beloved comedies in cinema history. The image has a wonderful sense of spontaneity and warmth, with extras and crew visible in the background against the sandy California coastline.
Historical Notes
"Some Like It Hot" was released on March 29, 1959, and became both a critical and commercial smash, earning approximately $25 million at the box office against a $2.8 million budget. The American Film Institute later ranked it as the greatest American comedy film of all time. Jack Lemmon received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor for his performance as Jerry/Daphne, while the film itself was nominated for six Oscars and won one for Best Costume Design. The production was famously difficult - Monroe\'s struggles with her lines required dozens of takes for even simple scenes, frustrating Wilder and co-star Tony Curtis. Despite this, the chemistry on screen was undeniable. Lemmon would go on to win his second Oscar for "Save the Tiger" in 1974 and remain one of America\'s most celebrated actors until his death in 2001. Monroe, tragically, would be dead just three years after this film\'s release, passing on August 4, 1962, at the age of 36. The film\'s final line - "Well, nobody\'s perfect" - has become one of the most quoted in movie history.
Print analysis
This is a silver gelatin photographic print on glossy paper. The back label references a screening at the Brattle Theatre in Cambridge, Massachusetts (a famous repertory cinema), suggesting this print was used as a promotional still for a revival screening. The numbering "3386" on the front is a studio production number consistent with United Artists/Mirisch Company still numbering for "Some Like It Hot." The clean white back with only a typed label, the print quality, and the paper characteristics suggest this is a later studio reprint made for promotional purposes, likely produced in the 1970s or 1980s for the Brattle Theatre screening series. This would classify it as a Type 2 photograph - printed from original studio negatives but well after the 1959 production date.
Condition
Good to excellent vintage condition. Some of our older photos may have age wear, coloring, creases, or other imperfections. Please see photos for detailed scans of both sides.
