Summary
Lorelei Lee is a beautiful showgirl engaged to be married to the wealthy Gus Esmond, much to the disapproval of Gus' rich father, Esmond Sr., who thinks that Lorelei is just after his money. When Lorelei goes on a cruise accompanied only by her best friend, Dorothy Shaw, Esmond Sr. hires Ernie Malone, a private detective, to follow her and report any questionable behavior that would disqualify her from the marriage.
Cast
Jane Russell
Dorothy Shaw
Marilyn Monroe
Lorelei Lee
Charles Coburn
Sir Francis Beekman
Elliott Reid
Ernie Malone
Tommy Noonan
Gus Esmond
George Winslow
Henry Spofford III
Marcel Dalio
Magistrate
Taylor Holmes
Mr. Esmond Sr.
Norma Varden
Lady Beekman
Howard Wendell
Watson
Steven Geray
Hotel Manager
David Ahdar
Wedding Guest (uncredited)
Alex Akimoff
Captain of Waiters (uncredited)
Aladdin
Musician (uncredited)
John Alban
Ship Passenger (uncredited)
Gordon Armitage
Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
Virginia Bates
Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Mary Ellen Batten
Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Harry Baum
Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
Mary Bayless
Ship Passenger (uncredited)
Kip Behar
Olympic Team Member (uncredited)
Eumenio Blanco
Officer (uncredited)
Herman Boden
Chorus Boy (uncredited)
Jack Boyle
Ship Passenger (uncredited)
Paul Bradley
Wedding Guest (uncredited)
Tex Brodus
Ship's Officer (uncredited)
William Cabanne
Sims (uncredited)
Peter Camlin
Gendarme (uncredited)
Harry Carey, Jr.
Winslow, Olympic Team Member (uncredited)
Steve Carruthers
Ship Passenger (uncredited)
Albert Cavens
Wedding Guest (uncredited)
George Chakiris
Chorus Boy (uncredited)
Spencer Chan
Commuter at Airport (uncredited)
Jack Chefe
Proprietor (uncredited)
Beulah Christian
Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
John Close
Olympic Team Coach (uncredited)
Robert Cole
Chorus Boy (uncredited)
Joan Collenette
Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Paul Cristo
Ship Passenger (uncredited)
Roy Damron
Sailor (uncredited)
Drusilla Davis
Chorus Girl (uncredited)
George Davis
Pierre, Cab Driver (uncredited)
Jean De Briac
Gendarme (uncredited)
Josette Deegan
French Stewardess (uncredited)
Jean Del Val
Ship's Captain (uncredited)
Bobby Diamond
Small Role (uncredited)
Deena Dikkers
Hotel Clerk (uncredited)
Jack Dodds
Chorus Boy (uncredited)
Dan Dowling
Ship Passenger (uncredited)
Harry Evans
Ship Passenger (uncredited)
Joe Evans
Waiter (uncredited)
Adolph Faylauer
Man at Airport (uncredited)
Bess Flowers
Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
George Ford
Courtroom Officer (uncredited)
Robert Foulk
Passport Official (uncredited)
Alex Frazer
Pritchard (uncredited)
Raoul Freeman
Hotel Doorman (uncredited)
Joel Friend
Chorus Boy (uncredited)
Robert Fuller
Chorus Boy (uncredited)
Ed Fury
Olympic Team Member (uncredited)
Kay Garrett
Mr. Brooks (uncredited)
Kenneth Gibson
Ship Passenger (uncredited)
Joe Gilbert
Ship Passenger (uncredited)
June Glory
Nightclub Patron in France (uncredited)
James Gonzalez
Ship Passenger (uncredited)
Herschel Graham
Hotel Guest (uncredited)
Bennett Green
Waiter (uncredited)
Stanley Hall
Chorus Boy (uncredited)
Sam Harris
Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
John Hedloe
Olympic Team Member (uncredited)
Bill Hickman
Ship Passenger (uncredited)
Chuck Hicks
Olympic Team Member (uncredited)
George Hoagland
Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
Stuart Holmes
Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
Casse Jaeger
Chorus Boy (uncredited)
Dorothy Kellogg
Ship Passenger (uncredited)
Colin Kenny
Wedding Guest (uncredited)
Larry Kert
Chorus Boy (uncredited)
Tommy Ladd
Chorus Boy (uncredited)
Richard LaMarr
Porter (uncredited)
Judy Landon
Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Joan Larkin
Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Henri Letondal
Grotier (uncredited)
Carl M. Leviness
Ship Passenger (uncredited)
Shirley Lopez
Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Robert Locke Lorraine
Commuter at Airport (uncredited)
Herb Lurie
Chorus Boy (uncredited)
Warren Mace
Ship Passenger (uncredited)
John Marlin
Waiter (uncredited)
Alphonse Martell
Headwaiter (uncredited)
Matt Mattox
Chorus Boy (uncredited)
Bert May
Chorus Boy (uncredited)
Frank McLure
Ship Passenger (uncredited)
Russell Meeker
Steward (uncredited)
Buzz Miller
Chorus Boy (uncredited)
Harold Miller
Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
King Mojave
Wedding Guest (uncredited)
Ray Montgomery
Peters, Olympic Team Member (uncredited)
Alvy Moore
Winston, Olympic Team Member (uncredited)
Roger Moore
Chauffeur (uncredited)
Donald Moray
Airport Porter (uncredited)
Leo Mostovoy
Phillipe (uncredited)
Fred Moultrie
Boy Dancer (uncredited)
James Moultrie
Boy Dancer (uncredited)
Noel Neill
Passenger (uncredited)
Julie Newmar
Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Robert Nichols
Evans (uncredited)
Ron Nyman
Chorus Boy (uncredited)
William H. O'Brien
Ship Passenger (uncredited)
Monty O'Grady
Ship Passenger (uncredited)
Gayle Pace
Olympic Team Member (uncredited)
Alfred Patix
Pierre (uncredited)
Stephen Papich
French Waiter (uncredited)
John Pedrini
Bartender (uncredited)
Ralph Peters
Passport Official (uncredited)
Hamil Petroff
Chorus Boy (uncredited)
Foster H. Phinney
Ship Passenger (uncredited)
Joe Ploski
Spectator at Café (uncredited)
José Portugal
Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
Frank Radcliffe
Chorus Boy (uncredited)
Fred Rapport
Commuter at Airport (uncredited)
Ellen Ray
Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Steve Reeves
Olympic Team Member (uncredited)
Barry Regan
Ship Passenger (uncredited)
Jack Regas
Chorus Boy (uncredited)
Suzanne Ridgway
Spectator at Cafe (uncredited)
James H. Russell
Olympic Team Member (uncredited)
Loretta Russell
Ship Passenger (uncredited)
Paul Russell
Ship Passenger (uncredited)
Rolfe Sedan
Waiter (uncredited)
Bernard Sell
Wedding Guest (uncredited)
Harry Seymour
Louie, Captain of Waiters (uncredited)
Peggy Smith
Ship Passenger (uncredited)
Buddy Spencer
Chorus Boy (uncredited)
Ray Spiker
Crewman (uncredited)
Norman Stevens
Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
Roberta Stevenson
Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Robert Street
Chorus Boy (uncredited)
F. Philip Sylvestre
Stewart (uncredited)
Charles Tannen
Ed, Malone's Contact (uncredited)
Lee Theodore
Chorus Boy (uncredited)
Arthur Tovey
Stagehand (uncredited)
Blaine Turner
Wedding Guest (uncredited)
Tyra Vaughn
Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Ray Weamer
Chorus Boy (uncredited)
John Weidemann
Olympic Team Member (uncredited)
Dick Wessel
Chez Louis Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
Leo Wheeler
Chorus Boy (uncredited)
Marc Wilder
Chorus Boy (uncredited)
Max Willenz
Court Clerk (uncredited)
James Young
Stevens, Olympic Team Member (uncredited)
Crew
Director
Howard Hawks
Lyricist
Leo Robin
Novel, Theatre Play
Anita Loos
Screenplay
Charles Lederer
Theatre Play
Joseph Fields
Reviews
John Chard
May 28, 2019
7
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes 1953, sharp and very clued into the times.
Other than Ridley Scott's brilliant Thelma And Louise 1991, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes has to rank as one of the finest films where the girls actually out buddy buddy the men!!
It would seem that a chief complaint with the film is that it has no similarity to Anita Loo's Broadway musical? And whilst I'm one for pounding on films for missing out crucial parts of source novels, I have no frame of reference as regards this films original source so therefore view with untainted eyes as it were.
Viewing it these days you have to admire the cheek of it all. I mean it really shouldn't work because on the face of it this is just a couple of showgirls taking a trip, but the blatant use of stereotypes for these two ladies is deftly funny. Monroe is absolutely perfect for the role of Lorelei, a woman purely out for the sparkle of diamonds and a man's bank balance, she is as much shallow as she is to die for gorgeous. Jane Russell is also sublime here, her Dorothy Shaw is witty and sophisticated and very protective towards her friend, yet she also needs to be loved and this shines out amongst the sarcasm and sharpness dripping off of her tongue.
The film works on more than one level, it's a sugar and sweet musical with glamour girls to feast my eyes upon, but also it works as a sharp piece of work when taking into account the era it was made. The 50s (my research and my parents led me to believe) were very much the time of family values being paramount, yet around the time of this pic's release, sex was becoming more of a topic to the people of the street. Playboy with Marilyn on the center was about to turn heads, and of course Kinsey and his report was just around the corner. So upon watching Gentlemen Prefer Blondes now I can't help thinking that Howard Hawks had his finger firmly on the pulse by throwing away the big show time of the source, and then making a film that saw the wind of change with people's attitudes.
Not a masterpiece by any stretch of the imagination, but we get some tidy numbers from the girls and some sharp dialogue coupled with hilarious visual comedy. A very smart and astute film that's knowing of the times that were a changing, and featuring a dynamic female duo to rank with the best that cinema has to offer. 7/10
Media
Status:
Released
Original Language:
English
Budget:
$2,300,000.00
Revenue:
$5,300,000.00
Keywords
Recommendations
How to Marry a Millionaire
Niagara
Bus Stop
The Seven Year Itch
Let's Make Love
I Was a Male War Bride
Agnes of God
Lymelife
The Band Wagon
Royal Wedding
The Desperate Hours
Hail the Conquering Hero
Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon
FernGully 2: The Magical Rescue
Bravissimo
Ladies of the Chorus
The Grass Is Greener
His Kind of Woman
A Trick of the Light
