Gentlemen Prefer Blondes is a Pretty Awesome Film!

With the recent death of Jane Russell, I decided to revisit her best film, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and was struck by the charm of this screwball comedy/musical.  Not that I have ever had any ill-will towards the film, but I forgot how genuinely entertaining it is, and what a great portrayal of female camaraderie it demonstrates.

Directed by Howard Hawkes and released in 1953, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes stars Russell and Marilyn Monroe as Dorothy Shaw and Lorelei Lee, two showgirls who are best friends with very different preferences in men.  Lorelei (Monroe) plays her typical ditzy blonde who is obsessed with millionaires and diamonds, while Russell's Dorothy despises men with money and is basically out to find a guy who can show her a good time.  Lorelei has captured the heart of a nerdy millionaire whose father disapproves of their union, and is going abroad to France to elope with her intended; Dorothy tags along to play chaperon and have a good time with the men's Olympic team who are travelling on the same ocean liner.

Their trip hits a snag when Lorelei's fiance's father hires a private eye to get some dirt on the blonde man-trap.  While trying to get to Lorelei he starts romancing Dorothy, and soon he and Dorothy fall of each other.  Meanwhile, Lorelei discovers that diamond mine owner Sir Frances "Piggy" Beekman (played by the always wonderful Charles Coburn) is on the ocean liner and starts plotting to seduce the old man into giving her his wife's diamond tiara.  The private dick gets the dirt on Lorelei and the girls have to hatch a plot to get it back from him.  Several misadventures and misunderstandings follow before the girls get their men and the happy ending they desire.

As mentioned before, the film really is all about the relationship between these two women and the way they constantly put their heads on the line for each other in difficult times.  The chemistry between Russell and Monroe is undeniable and the film is at its best when the two are playing off each other.  Other than Piggy, the male characters are pretty unremarkable and serve more as plot devices to explain the hijinks these girls get into.

As with the plot of the film, the musical numbers that work best are also the ones where both Monroe and Russell are together.  To most people who are familiar with the film, the number that immediately comes to mind is Monroe's often imitated, indelible  Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend.   Russell does a similar number with the Olympic team dancing along in flesh coloured shorts when she performs Ain't There Anyone Here For Love, and both numbers are great but together the ladies bring down the house.  Unlike many other musicals every song works in the film and pretty much every number is memorable.

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes ranks pretty high on my list of favourite movie musicals.  It's light, doesn't take itself too seriously, and is a lot of fun to watch.  I really recommend that people who have never seen it take a look.  Here's a sample of the Russell/Monroe magic.

RIP: Jane Russell 1921 - 2011

Yet another sad passing to report.  Famed actress and classic Hollywood sex symbol. Jane Russel passed away on February 28 at the age of 89. 

Russell first rose to fame as the star of Howard Hughes' western The Outlaw (1943), in which the films entire marketing campaign revolved around Ms. Russell's ample cleavage.  If you've ever seen Martin Scorcese's The Aviator (2004), you're probably familiar with the scene in which Howard Hughes defends featuring Russell's breast so gratuitously in The Outlaw, at a moral decency hearing when it was believed that her assets violated the Hayes code. In spite of her controversial introduction to the world she went on to a successful film career, highlighted by staring roles opposite Robert Mitchum and Frank Sinatra.  Her most iconic role was in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1952), starring opposite Marilyn Monroe. 

Although Hollywood cast her as the sultry sexpot, in real life Jane Russell was a devout Christian.  As her film career declined she went on to headline various nightclub and musical acts.  She also became a Playtex bra spokeswoman during the seventies.  She married three times, staying happily married to her third husband until his death in 1999.  She was very active in the Christan community and was also passionate about helping orphaned children find homes, fonding the World Adoption International Fund in 1955.

Fashion of the Fabulous Fifties

That's right folk.  We've reached the fifties in our examination of the fashion trends of the twentieth century.  And... if all the ins and outs of fifties fashion aren't enough for you we've included two duelling Bombshells for the price of one.  Head to our main site to find out about this exciting decade of fashion.

http://www.photobombshell.com/fifties.html