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Post by wmcclain on Feb 21, 2020 13:00:16 GMT
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953), directed by Howard Hawks. A film famous not for much in its plot -- it's a musical, after all -- as for the color, costumes, jewelry, general glamour and most specifically for its pairing of sex symbols Jane Russell and Marilyn Monroe. Marilyn plays the material girl while Jane is (voraciously) looking for love. A happy film: I can't help but marvel and laugh. When I was young Russell seemed much older than Monroe, but there is only five years difference between them. Although witty and charming, Russell seems tougher and has a masculine side to her power. The biting wit comes naturally to her. If I haven't seen the films for a while I get the title confused with How to Marry a Millionaire (1953) (same year!), which could easily describe both movies. Marilyn's tour-de-force "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" is iconic, one of the famous images of cinema, often quoted. Nicole Kidman's version in Moulin Rouge (2001) was particularly fine. Monroe did most of her own singing, with a little supplemental dubbing from Marnie Nixon. I'd forgotten: after that number Russell does a Monroe impression and then reprises the song in a funny, unglamorous way. Hoagy Carmichael contributes two songs. Based on a stage musical which was from a 1925 novel. A silent version from 1928 is presumed lost. I don't think the director made any other musicals, apart from A Song Is Born (1948), an adaptation of his own Ball of Fire (1941). I give him and writer Charles Lederer credit for the wit and innuendo, but some of it probably comes from the stage play and novel. Lovely Blu-ray image, although made grainless with DNR. The costumes, jewelry and glamorous stars are all knockouts.
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Post by teleadm on Feb 21, 2020 18:39:31 GMT
I wrote this nearly a year ago, It might be spread out as it use to do when I copy myself:
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes 1953, directed by Howard Hawks, based on a musical comedy by Anita Loos and Joesph Fields, starring Marilyn Monroe, Jane Russell, Charles Coburn, Elliott Reid, Tommy Noonan, George Winslow, Marcel Dalio and others, songs by Jules Styne and Leo Robin, plus two songs by Hoagy Carmichael and Harold Adamson.
Musical Comedy about showgirls Lorelei Lee (Monroe) and Dorothy Shaw (Russell) who travels to Paris by Île-de-France, pursued by a private detective (Reid) hired by the suspicious father of Lorelei's fiancé (Noonan), as well as a rich, enamored old man (Coburn) and many other doting admirers.
The star power of Monroe and Russell made this a huge commercial success, expertly directed by Howard Hawks, who manages to give the song numbers a bit of MGM polish, that seldom happens in non-MGM movies, GPB is a 20th Century Fox production. The "Diamonds Are a Girls Best Friend" number is iconic, and the other melodies are easy to remember. Musicals usually moves around in parallel universes that slightly reminds of our own reality, and that's OK, and explains how enormously spacious it is aboard Île-de-France.
With all respect to those who love this movie, I'm sorry but I didn't find it especially interesting except for what I have mentioned above, and if it is satire, I simply don't get it.
Something about Russell's make-up makes her look nearly green in her face in a few scenes.
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Post by marshamae on Feb 22, 2020 4:47:29 GMT
This is actually one of my favorite MM movies. She sings and dances with great charm , it’s a good score, though they cut a lot of the bway tunes .
I suspect that seeing Carol Channing in the role on bway , the satire would have been easier to see. Channing was Playing a smart woman play8ng a dumb blond. I think maybe Marilyn Was that woman. At least, seeing the satire requires you to see the artifice.
The scripts wittiest lines were probably Anita Loos’.
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Post by louise on Feb 22, 2020 16:07:19 GMT
It’s quite good though a bit bland compared to the book, which is so much funnier.
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Post by petrolino on Feb 22, 2020 19:05:21 GMT
It’s quite good though a bit bland compared to the book, which is so much funnier. Great book.
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Post by dirtypillows on Feb 24, 2020 17:39:35 GMT
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953), directed by Howard Hawks. A film famous not for much in its plot -- it's a musical, after all -- as for the color, costumes, jewelry, general glamour and most specifically for its pairing of sex symbols Jane Russell and Marilyn Monroe. Marilyn plays the material girl while Jane is (voraciously) looking for love. A happy film: I can't help but marvel and laugh. When I was young Russell seemed much older than Monroe, but there is only five years difference between them. Although witty and charming, Russell seems tougher and has a masculine side to her power. The biting wit comes naturally to her. If I haven't seen the films for a while I get the title confused with How to Marry a Millionaire (1953) (same year!), which could easily describe both movies. Marilyn's tour-de-force "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" is iconic, one of the famous images of cinema, often quoted. Nicole Kidman's version in Moulin Rouge (2001) was particularly fine. Monroe did most of her own singing, with a little supplemental dubbing from Marnie Nixon. I'd forgotten: after that number Russell does a Monroe impression and then reprises the song in a funny, unglamorous way. Hoagy Carmichael contributes two songs. Based on a stage musical which was from a 1925 novel. A silent version from 1928 is presumed lost. I don't think the director made any other musicals, apart from A Song Is Born (1948), an adaptation of his own Ball of Fire (1941). I give him and writer Charles Lederer credit for the wit and innuendo, but some of it probably comes from the stage play and novel. Lovely Blu-ray image, although made grainless with DNR. The costumes, jewelry and glamorous stars are all knockouts. "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" is my favorite musical. It's charming and funny and witty and great to look at and the two lead females have undeniable chemistry. Normally, there might be some competition between two such attractive females, but there's nothing but warmth and affection between Jane and Marilyn. And the songs are very catchy. And after "The Seven Year Itch", this is my favorite MM performance. Jane radiates warmth. Also, both ladies are genuinely funny. I think my favorite aspect of GPB is that it is a modest production and the that is very rare for a Hollywood musical. The big, splashy, overproduced musicals that just strain to impress rub me the wrong way. GPB has none of this.
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Post by TheOriginalPinky on Feb 25, 2020 17:48:49 GMT
Not my favorite MM film. Was never a fan of Jane Russell, so that may cloud it a bit. The only saving grace (for me) was Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend.
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Post by politicidal on Dec 29, 2021 2:55:03 GMT
7/10. Frivolous fun with two iconic actresses at their sexiest.
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lune7000
Junior Member
@lune7000
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Post by lune7000 on Dec 29, 2021 5:28:47 GMT
There is a scene near the end where Monroe unexpectedly drives a hard bargain with a powerful wealthy older man and he says something to the effect of "your smarter than people give you credit" (I might have the source all wrong- it's been a while). From what I understand Monroe had this line added to the script b/c she felt typecast and wanted to show that her dumb blonde image was just an act.
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Post by timshelboy on Dec 29, 2021 12:45:39 GMT
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953), directed by Howard Hawks. A film famous not for much in its plot -- it's a musical, after all -- as for the color, costumes, jewelry, general glamour and most specifically for its pairing of sex symbols Jane Russell and Marilyn Monroe. Marilyn plays the material girl while Jane is (voraciously) looking for love. A happy film: I can't help but marvel and laugh. When I was young Russell seemed much older than Monroe, but there is only five years difference between them. Although witty and charming, Russell seems tougher and has a masculine side to her power. The biting wit comes naturally to her. If I haven't seen the films for a while I get the title confused with How to Marry a Millionaire (1953) (same year!), which could easily describe both movies. Marilyn's tour-de-force "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" is iconic, one of the famous images of cinema, often quoted. Nicole Kidman's version in Moulin Rouge (2001) was particularly fine. Monroe did most of her own singing, with a little supplemental dubbing from Marnie Nixon. I'd forgotten: after that number Russell does a Monroe impression and then reprises the song in a funny, unglamorous way. Hoagy Carmichael contributes two songs. Based on a stage musical which was from a 1925 novel. A silent version from 1928 is presumed lost. I don't think the director made any other musicals, apart from A Song Is Born (1948), an adaptation of his own Ball of Fire (1941). I give him and writer Charles Lederer credit for the wit and innuendo, but some of it probably comes from the stage play and novel. Lovely Blu-ray image, although made grainless with DNR. The costumes, jewelry and glamorous stars are all knockouts. A total joy from start to finish - definitive Classic era "Feel Good"
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