Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953)

Showgirls Lorelei Lee and Dorothy Shaw travel to Paris, pursued by a private detective hired by the suspicious father of Lorelei's fiancé, as well as a rich, enamored old man and many other doting admirers.

Director:

Howard Hawks

Writers:

Charles Lederer (screen play), Joseph Fields (based on the musical comedy by)

Stars:

Jane Russell, Marilyn Monroe, Charles Coburn

1 nomination.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Jane Russell	...	Dorothy Shaw
Marilyn Monroe	...	Lorelei Lee
Charles Coburn	...	Sir Francis 'Piggy' Beekman
Elliott Reid	...	Ernie Malone
Tommy Noonan	...	Gus Esmond Jr.
George Winslow	...	Henry Spofford III
Marcel Dalio	...	Magistrate
Taylor Holmes	...	Mr. Esmond Sr.
Norma Varden	...	Lady Beekman
Howard Wendell	...	Watson
Steven Geray	...	Hotel Manager

Storyline

Lorelei and Dorothy are just "Two Little Girls from Little Rock", lounge singers on a transatlantic cruise, working their way to Paris, and enjoying the company of any eligible men they might meet along the way, even though "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend." Based on the Broadway musical based on the novel.

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Plot Keywords:

bechdel test failed | screwball comedy | dancer | based on stage musical | song | 

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Taglines:

The Two M-M-Marvels Of Our Age In The Wonder Musical Of The World!

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Genres:

Comedy | Musical | Romance

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

August 1953 (USA)

Also Known As:

Howard Hawks' Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

Filming Locations:

MGM Studio Borehamwood London, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$2,260,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$12,000,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox

Technical Specs

Runtime:

91 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

According to Marni Nixon, the studio initially wanted Marilyn Monroe's entire voice dubbed, as they thought her voice was silly. Nixon thought that was "awful", as she felt Monroe's voice suited her persona so beautifully. Nixon told The New York Times in March 2007 that she ended up only dubbing the operatic "no, no, nos" at the beginning of the song and the phrase "these rocks don't lose their shape".

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Goofs

As Dorothy and Lorelei walk to their dressing room after the "Two Little Girls From Little Rock" number, Lorelei removes her hat with her right hand. When they enter the dressing room, Lorelei's hat is in her left hand.

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Quotes

Lady Beekman: You might be interested in my tiara. I always carry it with me. Afraid to leave it in the stateroom.
Dorothy Shaw: And you're not afraid to show it to Lorelei?

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Connections

Followed by Gentlemen Marry Brunettes (1955)

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Soundtracks

Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend
(1949) (uncredited)
Music by Jule Styne
Lyrics by Leo Robin
Played during the opening credits and often in the score
Performed by Marilyn Monroe with Chorus
Also performed by Jane Russell
Also sung at the wedding
Sung by a chorus at the end

User Reviews

Marry For Love, But Get Those Diamonds

Anita Loos's famous novel and play Gentlemen Prefer Blondes was done as a musical and ran for 740 performances during the 1949-1951 season. It was the breakout role in the career on Broadway for Carol Channing. But for the screen version a pair of pulchritudinous sex symbols were cast as the showgirls looking for husbands, Jane Russell and Marilyn Monroe.

Two things were done for the film, most of the Jule Styne-Leo Robin score was scrapped and two numbers written by Hoagy Carmichael and Harold Adamson were added. Retained from the original score was Bye Bye Baby, Two Little Girls from Little Rock and the famous theme of goldiggers everywhere, Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend.

The second thing was to update the story from when it was originally written during the Roaring Twenties to the current Fifties. Still the two basic characters of Russell and Monroe remained the same. Both would like husbands, but Russell wants to marry for love, money would be nice though, but Monroe it's strictly mercenary.

The two men they have an eye on are millionaire son Tommy Noonan for Monroe and Russell has her eye on Elliott Reid. Monroe's mercenary ways nearly sink the two of them, but it all kind of works out in the end.

Lorelei Lee was Marilyn's breakout role as well. No big male star names are opposite here, she's only in a friendly competition with fellow sex symbol Jane Russell. Russell's contribution to the film is too often overlooked with Marilyn's legend looming over all. She more than holds her own against Marilyn and in fact unlike in some of her films, there was no friction at all with the two women.

I can see why Howard Hawks was attracted to this film. The women he has in his films are tough minded and more than capable of dealing in a man's world. That Jane and Marilyn are in abundance and boy do those women have a lot of abundance.

And in all the right places too.