Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

Star of the Month - Marilyn Monroe

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes is a 1952 musical comedy starring Marilyn Monroe as a blonde fortune hunter and Jane Russell as her flirty sidekick.

Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell write their names
in cement...

The film is directed by Howard Hawks, and co-stars Charles Coburn, Elliott Reid, Tommy Noonan, Taylor Holmes and Norma Varden. Keep your eyes open during the song "Bye Bye Baby" to see George Chakiris in the chorus.

...The finished product

Diamond-obssessed gold digging showgirl Lorelei Lee takes to the sea with her friend Dorothy Shaw. On the voyage she meets Sir Frances Beekman, wealthy diamond mogul whose wife happens to own a diamond tiara. To cut a long story short, the tiara is stolen with Lorelei becoming prime suspect.



The film is based on the Broadway musical of the same name, and includes three songs from the show: "Just Two Little Girls From Little Rock", "Bye, Bye Baby" and the immortal "Diamonds Are a Girls Best Friend". Two new songs were written for the film: "Ain't There Anyone Here For Love?" and "When Love Goes Wrong, Nothing Goes Right".


At the premiere of 'Gentlemen Prefer Blondes' Marilyn and Jane pressed their hands and footprints into cement outside Grauman's Chinese Theatre.




The film received great reviews and grossed more than double its production costs. It was followed by a sequel in 1955, "Gentlemen Marry Brunettes", again starring Jane Russell - but sadly no Marilyn.

Diamonds are a girls best friend

Marilyn as Lorelei sings "Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend"

The film is memorable for Marilyn's sequence in a pink dress singing "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend". The sequence has been recreated by many, most notably Madonna in her music video for "Material Girl" and Kylie Minogue's live performance at the Fox Studios Opening in Sydney.




YouTube videos for each of these performances are available below:


Marilyn Monroe - "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend"

Madonna - "Material Girl"

Kylie Minogue - Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend

Other inspiration

Jane Russell's sequence "Ain't There Anyone Here For Love" inspired Kylie Minogue's 'Whatever Kylie Wants Kylie Gets' sequence in her 2005 Showgirl Tour.


Jane Russell - "Ain't There Anyone Here For Love?"

Kylie Minogue - "Red Blooded Woman/Where The Wild Roses Grow" (live from Showgirl: The Greatest Hits Tour, 2005)

Other musical highlights

Song: "Bye Bye Baby" - Jane Russell & Marilyn Monroe

Song: "When Love Goes Wrong, Nothing Goes Right" - Jane Russell & Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn and Jane in a deleted scene from the film

Did you know...

• Marilyn Monroe replaced Betty Gable, who was originally meant to star as Lorelei
• Marilyn Monroe was payed a salary of only $18,000, while Jane Russell was paid more than $100,000

Closing remarks

Of all of Marilyn's films, this is my favourite! I have seen the film at least 20 times, and every time I watch it, I enjoy it more and more. I strongly recommend this film to anyone who enjoys musicals, or just a good laugh.

His Girl Friday (1940)

Star Birthday... Rosalind Russell 

Rosalind Russell was born on 4 June 1907, and had a successful career spanning 40 years. Known for playing classy character roles, often professional characters, she was not considered a sex symbol. Some of her memorable roles include Sylvia Fowler in The Women (1939), Hildy Johnson in His Girl Friday (1940), Mame Dennis in Auntie Mame (1958) and Madame Rose in Gypsy (1962).

Recommended viewing

• Rendezvous (1935)
• The Women (1939)
• His Girl Friday (1940)
• No Time for Comedy (1940)
• The Feminine Touch (1941)
• Sister Kenny (1946)
• Picnic (1955)
• Auntie Mame (1958)
• Gypsy (1962)
• The Trouble With Angels (1966)
• Where Angels Go, Trouble Follows (1968)
• Mrs. Pollifax - Spy (1971)

His Girl Friday

'His Girl Friday' is a 1940 screwball comedy directed by Howard Hawks, and starring Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell.

Walter Burns (played by Grant), is having dicculty in letting go of his ex-wife Hildy Johnson (played by Russell). After Hildy informs him she is about to marry insurance salesman Bruce Baldwin (played by Ralph Bellamy), Walter attempts to delay the marriage by enticing Hildy to run an exclusive interview with a convicted murderer Earl Williams, who is about to be hanged. The film takes a humourous turn when Williams escapes from jail.

Rushed dialogue

The flm is notable for having rapid dialogue, where many of the actors talk over each other, rather than waiting for the other actor to finish speaking. This was deliberately intended by Howard Hawks to give the film a more naturalistic feel, however as a spectator it is distracting and at times difficult to understand what is being said. For this reason, I do not recommend this film to viewers speaking English as a second language, unless the film is subtitled.

Did you know...

• As of 1968 the film is the public domain due to Columbia Pictures not renewing copywright - as a result this film is widely available on DVD very cheaply
• In the original play in which the film is based, the role of Hildy was a male character