Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953)

Director: Howard Hawks; Screenplay: Charles Lederer; Cinematographer: Harry Wild

Cast: Marilyn Monroe, Jane Russell, Charles Coburn

   Gentlemen Prefer Blondes is a magnificent musical with great 50s comedy and wonderful characters. It tells a story about two women who couldn’t be any different yet who manage to keep their friendship steady and look out for each other.

    Lorelei Lee, portrayed by Marilyn Monroe, on the surface is a dumb blonde who has an obsession with diamonds. She’s also stubborn and a survivor managing to coordinate in the society jungle and catch herself the right man. Lorelei was the ultimate blonde and the epitome to all women wanting to catch themselves a sugar daddy.  Monroe also in this film performs “Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend” which by it’s own is iconic.

    Jane Russell plays Dorothy Shaw – a practical, strong and confident woman. She in no way has the vulnerability factor that in some ways defines Lorelei and she also gets things done.  Russell was hilarious in this role. The facial expressions did most of the talking and God forbid, when she opened her mouth. Just pure gold…

    Be being a small kind of a fashion geek (that's how Frank has called me) I love-love-loved the costumes that Monroe and Russell wore. It felt like Sex & The City of 50s. These women did classy like no one else

Russell and Monroe had such great chemistry. They worked together perfectly, like they had known each other for years. Even though after Rocky Horror I promised not to watch a musical anytime soon but Gentlemen Prefer Blondes had been haunting me in my watchlist for a year and I really don’t regret spending my time on watching it. It was a great musical - tasteful and not overdone like most of the cheesy musicals. It’s a classic and everyone should give it a try at least once.

Written by Benni

links: IMDb