Marilyn Monroe’s Personal Script Sides from The Misfits

Shown here are Marilyn Monroe’s personal script sides from The Misfits, bearing annotations in her own hand. These typed pages were used by Marilyn during the filming of the 1960 production and represent a rare surviving example of her working materials from what would become her final completed film.

Script sides were individual pages prepared for actors, containing only their scenes and dialogue needed for filming. These portable pages allowed actors to review and rehearse their lines between takes. Marilyn’s personal script sides would have been handled by her regularly on set as she prepared for her scenes.

The pages contain typed dialogue attributed to her character, Roslyn Taber, along with handwritten annotations in pencil. Most notably, Marilyn wrote “first time everything” at the top of one page, a personal notation reflecting her attention to emotional context and character development. Additional handwritten markings and underlining demonstrate her engagement with the material and her effort to interpret Roslyn’s emotional state.

The script sides include dialogue from scenes depicting Roslyn’s experience in her new home and her reflections on loss, loneliness, and emotional vulnerability. These themes closely parallel Marilyn’s own emotional landscape during this period of her life.

Historical Context

The Misfits, released in 1961, was Marilyn Monroe’s final completed film. The production was written by her husband, Arthur Miller, and directed by John Huston. Filming took place primarily in Nevada in 1960.

The role of Roslyn Taber marked a significant departure from Marilyn’s earlier comedic roles. Roslyn is portrayed as emotionally fragile yet morally strong, and the performance has since been widely recognized as one of Marilyn’s most authentic and emotionally revealing.

The production itself was physically and emotionally demanding. Marilyn struggled with illness, exhaustion, and personal stress during filming. Despite these challenges, her performance remains one of the most powerful of her career.

These personal script sides offer a direct connection to Marilyn’s process as an actress. They reflect her commitment to understanding the emotional depth of her character and her careful preparation for each scene.