Home
search
more | tips
IMDb > Niagara (1953)
Niagara
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotes
Overview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv schedule
Awards & Reviews
user commentsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guiderecommendationsmessage board
Plot & Quotes
plot summaryplot synopsisplot keywordsAmazon.com summarymemorable quotes
Fun Stuff
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQ
Other Info
merchandising linksbox office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specslaserdisc detailsDVD detailsliterature listingsNewsDesk
Promotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo gallery
External Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clips

Photos (see all 45 | slideshow)

Overview

User Rating:
7.0/10   3,909 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 2% in popularity this week. See rank & trends on IMDbPro.
Director:
Henry Hathaway
Writers:
Charles Brackett (written by) and
Walter Reisch (written by) ...
more
Contact:
View company contact information for Niagara on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
February 1953 (USA) more
Tagline:
Marilyn Monroe and "Niagara" a raging torrent of emotion that even nature can't control! more
Plot:
As two couples are visiting Niagara Falls, tensions between one wife (Marilyn Monroe) and her husband reach the level of murder. full summary | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
User Comments:
Color, gleaming surfaces, dark interiors more

Cast

  (Complete credited cast)

Marilyn Monroe ... Rose Loomis
Joseph Cotten ... George Loomis
Jean Peters ... Polly Cutler
Max Showalter ... Ray Cutler (as Casey Adams)
Denis O'Dea ... Inspector Starkey
Richard Allan ... Patrick
Don Wilson ... Mr. J.C. Kettering
Lurene Tuttle ... Mrs. Kettering
Russell Collins ... Mr. Qua

Will Wright ... Boatman
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Runtime:
92 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Recording)
Certification:
West Germany:16 (nf) | Canada:PG (video rating) | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (re-rating) (1987) | USA:Approved (certificate #15990)

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
When this movie was made, Fox was still struggling to figure out how to best cast Marilyn Monroe, figuring that her sexy image would lend itself to playing femme fatales in dramas. However, Monroe's dramatic acting was not her strong suit, and her serious roles, such as in this film, produced much unintended laughter from audiences. As a result, Monroe was re-imagined as a comedic actress, with much success. more
Goofs:
Continuity: Rose's dead body changes position between shots. more
Quotes:
Polly Cutler: Fine thing. I tell him we're on our honeymoon and you drag out a copy of Winston Churchill! He must think I'm a pretty hard article.
Ray Cutler: You should have told him we're on a delayed honeymoon.
Polly Cutler: Delayed or not, we agreed to treat it like a regular one, didn't we?
[quick kiss]
Ray Cutler: I'm game. And it'll be just as good as a regular honeymoon.
Polly Cutler: Well, it should be better. I've got my union card now.
[Lascivious glance]
more
Movie Connections:
Featured in "Biography: Marilyn Monroe: The Mortal Goddess" (1996) more
Soundtrack:
Kiss more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
19 out of 24 people found the following comment useful:-
Color, gleaming surfaces, dark interiors, 12 February 2004
Author: manuel-pestalozzi from Zurich, Switzerland

Niagara is one of those wonders who came out of the dream factory of the fifties and still manage to leave deep impressions in fresh viewers. Technically it is simply perfect: the story is like in a film noir, but Niagara is anything but «noir»! This is a true color movie with high artistic and aesthetic value. The best possible use was made of the location; it is an idealized place for honeymooners, with gleaming surfaces, gaudy colors and happy faces. The viewers see the postcard-image of the place – it's the era of President Eisenhower, renowned for its uplifting moral integrity, right? But behind the surfaces are dark rooms, depression, madness and scheming thoughts. Innocuous facades conceal quarrels, discontent and eventually murder. And in its midst roars the waterfall, at once beautiful and menacing. The message of the movie is conveyed largely through pictures, the location not the screenplay is the story.

The actors are part of the location. As far as I can remember there are hardly any close ups. Marilyn Monroe looks feverish and disturbed throughout, she elicits compassion rather than arousing sexual desires. Joseph Cotten is very good in the role of her confused and deranged husband. His mental condition seems to stem from war experiences (although in the movie this is treated as a kind of a side remark, its being mentioned is worth remembering, it happens seldom enough). To the disturbed couple are added a «normal» couple and an older, «seasoned» couple (very good, sensible performances by Lurene Tuttle and Don Wilson). The cast aptly represents the chances and pitfalls of life and human relations as behind them water flows down the river and falls over the edge.

Niagara shows a highly artistic approach to a specific place and uses symbols in the way of earlier black and white movies. I can highly recommend it to everyone. It is a pity that the potential of the technical means of this kind of widescreen color movies was not explored further in that direction, creating a direct link between the style of film noir and that of «film couleur». The wet asphalt in the early morning light is just unforgettable.

Was the above comment useful to you?
more

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Niagara (1953)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
My mom had breakfast with the cast! LaserDoug
If Alfred Hitchcock had directed this film - wtl471629
Romantic overtones betwen Jean peters' and Joseph Cotten's character lisibet
Plot hole --- Joseph Cotten requesting 'Kiss' at carrillon ?? viaggio1
That Dress!!! horrorhag
It is on TCM on May 4, 2009 at 11 A.M. EST! wtl471629
more

Recommendations

If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
- - - - -
Body Double Body Heat Basic Instinct La coda dello scorpione City of Shoulders and Noses
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
Show more recommendations

Related Links

Full cast and crew Company credits External reviews
IMDb Drama section IMDb USA section Add this title to MyMovies

You may report errors and omissions on this page to the IMDb database managers. They will be examined and if approved will be included in a future update. Clicking the 'Update' button will take you through a step-by-step process.