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Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

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Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Marilyn at her best
Review: Yup, it`s her film and she shines all through it. As a musical production it isn`t up to much compared what they did over at Metro. But the performances survive and Marilyn`s "Diamond`s are a Girl`s Best Friend" is an eternal showstupper - just as Gene Kelly`s Singin`in the Rain, Judy`s Over The Rainbow or Julie Andrews`The Sound of Music are all magic moments in the history of the movie musicals.

Jane Russell does hold her own and Charles Coburn is a delight as well.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: One of the best musicals I've ever seen.
Review: I know, I know... this movie is a total guilty pleasure. But I can't help it! Marilyn is just so damn hot in this movie! The catchy musical sequences, the stylish dialogues, and the glamourous outfits make this movie an irresistably sexy treat. I can watch this movie repeatedly and still never be tired of it.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Diamonds really are a girls best friend!
Review: This movie is a delight! I have to say this a great movie! Lorelei (Marilyn Monroe) and Dorothy (Jane Russell) are two singers that go on a cruise to Paris. On the way there they enjoy the company of any eligible men they can find including the Olympic team. This movie has a lot of great music including "Bye Bye Baby", "Ain't There Anyone Here for Love", "When Love Goes Wrong", "Two Little Girls from Little Rock", and the famous and legendary "Diamonds are a Girls Best Friend". The costumes in this movie are awesome. There is never a dull moment. This is not a dull movie. Marilyn and Jane made a really great duo. They should have done more movies together. This movie is a real gem!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" Shows Why We Prefer Marilyn
Review: Slick, colorful film adaption of the novel by Anita Loos and the smash Broadway musical about two American showgirls on their way to Paris via a luxury cruise and the various men in their lives. Marilyn Monroe plays Lorelei Lee, a naive (or is she?) blonde with a penchant for diamonds and millionaires. Jane Russell plays her best friend, the brunette Dorothy Shaw, a sassy, street-smart type who is quick with a wise-crack and strictly looking for love.

Lorelei is engaged to Gus Esmond, a sheepish, bespectacled millionaire who can provide her with the lifestyle to which she'd like to become accustomed. The plan is that Gus will follow the girls to Europe and marry Lorelei there. However, Gus's father doesn't trust the "blonde bandit" and hires private detective Ernie Malone to tail her while onboard ship. Things get further complicated when Ernie takes a personal interest in Dorothy and starts romancing her while he's supposed to be keeping his eye on Lorelei.

Along the way the girls also meet Sir Francis ("Piggy") Beekman, a corny old British aristocratic who owns the second-largest diamond mine in South Africa. "Piggy" becomes enamored with Lorelei and she in turn becomes enamored with his wife's diamond tiara, something she has never seen before ("How do you put it around your neck?"). During an afternoon visit in the girls' cabin, Ernie Malone snaps some seemingly incriminating photos of Lorelei and "Piggy" through the porthole, but Dorothy catches him in the act and realizes that he must be a private detective hired by Mr. Esmond. The girls then scheme together to get the film back, which results in a hilarious mishap with Lorelei getting half-stuck in a porthole and plying Malone with booze at a "cocktail party".

After retrieving the film and saving "Piggy" from potential embarrassment, he kisses her hand as a gesture of thankfulness, to which Lorelei retorts, "I always say a kiss on the hand might feel very good, but a diamond tiara lasts forever!" Lorelei then charms the befuddled old fool into giving her his wife's tiara without her knowledge, while at the same time Dorothy confronts Malone and informs him that his cover is blown. It seems that word has already gotten back to Mr. Esmond, however, who subsequently cancels the girls' letter of credit, leaving them without any money in Paris. Things then go from bad to worse when "Piggy's" wife shows up and charges Lorelei with stealing her tiara, but would be willing to forget the whole incident if she would give it back. Lorelei refuses to do so, however, saying that she didn't "steal" it at all, but that it had been to her as a gift from "Piggy".

While later entertaining at a Parisian nightclub, Gus arrives at the girls' dressing room door to officially inform Lorelei that they're through. Lorelei then privately admits to Dorothy that she really does love Gus, but is interrupted by the nightclub manager that the authorities have put out a warrant for Lorelei's arrest. Lorelei reluctantly agrees to give back the tiara after some pressing from Dorothy, but finds that the jeweled headpiece has been stolen from her dressing room. Dorothy then impersonates Lorelei in court so that Lorelei can stay behind and charm the estranged Gus into giving her the monetary value of the tiara.

Ernie Malone is set to testify in court against Lorelei and Gus's father flies in for the event, but after realizing that it's actually Dorothy on the stand and hearing a confession that she is in love with him, Malone withdraws from the case and comes to the rescue when he figures out that it was "Piggy" who stole the tiara back from Lorelei, thus winning Dorothy's admiration all over again. All ends well in court when "Piggy" arrives with the tiara and it's "legally" placed back into the hands of it's rightful owner.

Back aboard ship, Gus again wants to marry Lorelei, but now they must first get the consent of his father, who is adamant that Lorelei is only after his money. Lorelei must then convince Gus's father that she really does love Gus and proceeds to dispense a little home-spun philosophy of her own on love and money ("Don't you know that a man being rich is like a girl being pretty? You might not marry a girl just because she's pretty, but, my goodness, doesn't it help?") Gus's father is finally convinced that Lorelei really loves Gus and will make a good wife for him, bringing us to the finale of the film, a double wedding with each couple, Lorelei and Gus, and Dorothy and
Ernie.

"Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" is the film that made Marilyn Monroe a superstar and it is the film most associated with her. As one critic noted, it's as if Marilyn would "glow in the dark". Her presence is immediately illuminating and her performance is wry with savvy comedic timing, something that would become one of her trademarks. Not to be outdone, Jane Russell also gives a sly, knowing performance as Marilyn's best pal and makes the most of her screen time. Both ladies also get to show off their impressive vocal skills on the soundtrack. Songs include "Two
Little Girls From Little Rock", "Bye-Bye Baby", "When Love Goes Wrong (Nothing Goes Right)", "Ain't There Anyone Here For Love", and Marilyn's indelible rendition of "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend". The image of her in this particular production number, swathed in pink taffeta amid a host of distinguished, tuxedo-clad male suitors, is almost as definitive of Marilyn today as the skirt-blowing scene from "The Seven Year Itch". All in all, this is a wonderful example of the 1950's musical film, complete with lavish sets, lush Technicolor, great songs and the presence of two screen greats who embodied the femininity of the era, Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell.


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