Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953)
I don’t know if there’s anyone on the planet who hasn’t seen at least part of “Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend” from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. It’s one of the most iconic sequences in classic screen history, and for good reason. It’s not just Marilyn Monroe’s slinky, breathy voice singing the adorable, tongue-in-cheek salute to gold diggers, but her form-fitting, yet relaxing pink tube dress with the oversized bow in the back is arguably her most beautiful costume in her films. The dancing isn’t complicated, but her movements are mesmerizing and delectable, and her eye-popping facial expressions make everyone in the audience forget about their problems for a few minutes. “Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend” is just as soul mending as a Shirley Temple number.
If all you’ve ever seen from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes is the pink and sparkly song, rent the whole movie. It’s so incredibly adorable, it could easily become one of your favorite movies of all time. Marilyn Monroe is at her prime in a typical dumb blonde role, and everything about her character, from her beautiful costumes by Travilla to her name, Lorelei Lee, to her surprising smarts at just the right moment, naivety, loyalty, powers of persuasion, and fantastic lines of dialogue, is utterly charming. It’s almost impossible not to fall in love with her during this movie. It’s also impossible not to print out a screenshot and hand it to your hairdresser at your next appointment!
Marilyn is engaged to the very wealthy and jealous Tommy Noonan, but his disapproving father thwarts their plans for a romantic cruise to Europe. Instead, Tommy vows to meet Marilyn in Paris, and her best friend Jane Russell goes along as a chaperone. “The chaperone’s job is to see that no one else has any fun, but no one chaperones the chaperone. That’s why I’m so right for this job,” Jane explains, earning a laugh and the audience’s allegiance. Then, when she sees the entire Olympic men’s team is travelling on the same ocean liner, she adds, “For me? Now wasn’t that thoughtful of somebody. Dibs on the shot-putter.” As charming and sweet as Marilyn is in the movie, Jane is equally hilarious and down-to-earth—and she has such beautiful legs! There’s such a correlation to this story and The Girl from Missouri, and they were both written by Anita Loos! Both involve two showgirl girlfriends—one a gold digger and the other a “good old fashioned home girl”—as they set out to discover whether love is more powerful than money. Once you’re finished watching the 1953 musical, rent Jean Harlow’s darling comedy!
If all you’ve ever seen from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes is the pink and sparkly song, rent the whole movie. It’s so incredibly adorable, it could easily become one of your favorite movies of all time. Marilyn Monroe is at her prime in a typical dumb blonde role, and everything about her character, from her beautiful costumes by Travilla to her name, Lorelei Lee, to her surprising smarts at just the right moment, naivety, loyalty, powers of persuasion, and fantastic lines of dialogue, is utterly charming. It’s almost impossible not to fall in love with her during this movie. It’s also impossible not to print out a screenshot and hand it to your hairdresser at your next appointment!
Marilyn is engaged to the very wealthy and jealous Tommy Noonan, but his disapproving father thwarts their plans for a romantic cruise to Europe. Instead, Tommy vows to meet Marilyn in Paris, and her best friend Jane Russell goes along as a chaperone. “The chaperone’s job is to see that no one else has any fun, but no one chaperones the chaperone. That’s why I’m so right for this job,” Jane explains, earning a laugh and the audience’s allegiance. Then, when she sees the entire Olympic men’s team is travelling on the same ocean liner, she adds, “For me? Now wasn’t that thoughtful of somebody. Dibs on the shot-putter.” As charming and sweet as Marilyn is in the movie, Jane is equally hilarious and down-to-earth—and she has such beautiful legs! There’s such a correlation to this story and The Girl from Missouri, and they were both written by Anita Loos! Both involve two showgirl girlfriends—one a gold digger and the other a “good old fashioned home girl”—as they set out to discover whether love is more powerful than money. Once you’re finished watching the 1953 musical, rent Jean Harlow’s darling comedy!
Charles Coburn and Elliott Reid are passengers on Jane and Marilyn’s ship, and while Elliott is immediately taken with Jane, “Piggy” falls just as quickly for Marilyn’s wiles. I’m not being unkind to the veteran actor, by the way. In the film, he plays a diamond-mine owning millionaire who insists everyone call him “Piggy”. When Marilyn and Piggy are first introduced, she overhears him discussing his wealth and actually visualizes his head as a gigantic diamond! Piggy is completely adorable, making the audience both feel sorry for him and hope he gets the girl at the same time. This was the first movie I’d ever seen him in, so always whenever I see his name in other films’ opening credits, I shout out, “Piggy!” You’ll understand once you watch the movie.
The opening number “A Little Girl from Little Rock” features Jane and Marilyn in matching red sequin dresses. If you want to teach your teenage daughter the very definition of glamour, show her this movie. It certainly worked for me; I’ve been conscious of fashion and makeup ever since! Not every song from the Broadway musical made it onto the big screen, and a couple of new ones were written for the ladies, but even though there are only a handful of numbers, the dialogue carries the movie beautifully. Every scene is peppered with jokes, a great combination of one-liners and clever banter. So many of Charles Lederer’s script has made it into my collection of household phrases—including one line he didn’t even write! I played Lorelei Lee onstage once, and during our initial readthrough, the actress playing Jane Russell’s part accidentally said, “We’re in jam, honey,” omitting the word “a”. Ever since, we’ve all used her adoption of the line.
Obviously, I recommend you watch this movie. Even if you’re not an old movie aficionado, this movie will change your mind. It’s just so darling!
Want to watch it? Click here to watch it on ok.ru. And thanks "Classic Cinema Central Seleus B" for posting!
More Jane Russell movies here!
Hot Toasty Rag Awards:
Best Comedic Screenplay of 1953
Hot Toasty Rag Nominations:
Best Supporting Actor: Charles Coburn