Monroe Doctrine

Vastly overpriced, Hollywood's big stars have long been past due for a rolling readjustment of their price-earnings ratios.

Elizabeth Taylor will stuff more than $1,300,000 into her cleavage for Cleopatra --one of the highest fees ever paid for a professional woman. Marlon Brando is getting more than $1,000,000 for Mutiny on the Bounty. And Cary Grant, who could probably buy Scotland if he cared to, took 75% of the profits of Operation Petticoat. Profits to date: $7,000,000.

But stars' fees are only the beginning.

Film companies start out to make a picture for, say, $6,000,000, like Mutiny on the Bounty, and it ends up costing about $20 million. Maundering Marlon had much to do with that, just as Elizabeth Taylor shot the budget of Cleopatra into the stratosphere. Star salaries, demands and delays put too much economic weight on the top of a motion picture. The employees have been ruining the business.

Last week the vastly overblown sway of the great stars seemed to have been dealt a strong but reasonable blow. Hurting after blowing $30 million on Cleopatra in Rome, 20th Century-Fox was in no mood to put up with fresh indignities in Hollywood. First, they fired Marilyn Monroe for her spectacular absenteeism from Something's Got to Give, and replaced her with Lee Remick. But then the studio had to contend with Co-Star Dean Martin (salary: $300,000), who refused the substitution. O.K., said Fox; no public apology, no Marilyn. But, predicted one studio executive at week's end, with more than $2,000,000 already spent, "I think they'll have to make the picture." Actress Remick, merely for signing on, will get $80,000 anyway.

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