Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953)

In this article, we will be looking at 2019’s book “1001 Movies to See Before You Die” and going through each film in a random order that I have chosen. We will be looking at what constitutes this film to be on the list and whether I think this film deserves to be here at all. I want to make perfectly clear that I won’t be revealing details from this book such as analyses by film reporters who have written about the film in question, so if you want the book itself you’ll have to buy it. But I will be covering the book’s suggestions on which films should be your top priority. I wouldn’t doubt for a second that everyone reading this article has probably watched many of these movies anyway. But we are just here to have a bit of fun. We’re going to not just look at whether it should be on this list but we’re also going to look at why the film has such a legacy at all. Remember, this is the 2019 version of the book and so, films like “Joker” will not be featured in this book and any film that came out in 2020 (and if we get there, in 2021). So strap in and if you have your own suggestions then don’t hesitate to email me using the address in my bio. Let’s get on with it then.

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953) dir. by Howard Hawks

One of my favourite films of the fifties comedy realm, this film stars the two greats of musical comedy - Jane Russell and Marilyn Monroe. It is a brilliant film with brilliant acting and the song “Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend” is obviously the scene that has been most parodied by other films including the more recent “Birds of Prey” in which Margot Robbie was dressed as Marilyn Monroe. I personally think this film is a real pick-me-up when I’m feeling upset and mostly because it is satirically funny as well as slap-stick. There are many layers of humour which makes it very clever. But not everyone loved the film and I still do not like the fact that Jane Russell was paid more than Marilyn Monroe even though Marilyn Monroe obviously had to do the more famous song and was on screen slightly longer. The reason why Russell was paid more was because the studio saw her as a more serious actress, and I did not think that was fair on Marilyn Monroe at all.

Bosley Crowther had to give his opinion on this and he stated:

“[The film is] uncomfortably cloddish and slow [and Jane Russell is] devoid of character or charm…And yet, there is that about Miss Russell and also about Miss Monroe that keeps you looking at them even when they have little or nothing to do…”

Variety wrote that the film:

“…maintains a racy air that brings the musical off excellently at a pace that helps cloak the fact that it's rather lightweight, but sexy, stuff. However, not much more is needed when patrons can look at Russell-Monroe lines as displayed in slick costumes and Technicolor.”

And then Harrison’s Reports wrote the following on the acting of Jane Russell and Marilyn Monroe in their article:

"Both Jane Russell and Marilyn Monroe are nothing short of sensational in the leading roles. They not only act well, but the sexy manner in which they display their song, dance and pulchritude values just about sets the screen on fire and certainly is crowd-pleasing, judging by the thunderous applause at the preview after each of the well-staged musical numbers.”

The New Yorker brings its dryness of writing to it. Honestly, I do not think that The New Yorker’s reviews are dry and boring, dull and tedious to read often but not all the time:

"have a good deal of enthusiasm, and occasionally their exuberance offsets the tedium of one long series of variations on the sort of anatomical joke that used to amuse the customers of Minsky so inordinately…”

But the one I really disliked is the Monthly Film Bulletin which criticised the casting of Marilyn Monroe. They stated about the film that:

"by the casting of Marilyn Monroe, by the abandonment of the 20s period and the incongruous up-to-date streamlining, by inflating some bright, witty songs into lavish production numbers, and by tamely ending the whole thing by letting two true loves conventionally come true. There is too, a lack of grasp in Howard Hawks' handling, which is scrappy and uninventive.”

So, do you like this film? I definitely do. Think about it, who is more famous and who is the better actress - Marilyn Monroe, obviously. There is no better actress for a rom-com than Marilyn Monroe, we all know that. Shut up, Monthly Film Bulletin.