Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

Starring:Jane Russell, Marilyn Monroe, Charles Coburn, Elliott Reid, Tommy Noonan, George Winslow, Marcel Dalio, Taylor Holmes, Norma Varden, Howard Wendell, Steven Geray, Henri Letondal, Leo Mostovoy, Alex Frazer, George Davis, Alphonse Martell, James Moultrie, Fred Moultrie (II), Jean De Briac, George Chakiris
Director: Howard Hawks
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Product Type: DVD

Product Description

These glamorous showgirls have everything a girl could want - except engagement rings! In a quest for true love, Lorelei (Marilyn Monroe) and her gold digger pal Dorothy (Jane Russell) set sail on a luxury-liner bound for France. But the pair hits rocky waters when a manipulative detective, an over-aged, over sexed millionaire (Charles Coburn) and the entire men's Olympic team try to put an anchor in their marriage-minded mischief. It's a wild and joyously funny ride across the Atlantic as our bathing beauties plan and plot a way to land their men.

System Requirements:
Running Time: 97 minutes

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com essential video

Anita Loos's old story from the 1920s about a pair of single women in search of husbands gets a makeover in Howard Hawks's 1953 musical, starring Jane Russell and Marilyn Monroe as friends who go to Paris looking for mates. The film is charged by Hawks's stylish snap, a famous set piece or two (Monroe descending that staircase while singing "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend"), Russell's wit, and songs by Leo Robin and Jule Styne. The film may largely be a fluff project best remembered as a showcase for its leading actresses, but then Monroe and Russell rarely got such extended opportunities to prove that they were more than cinematic icons. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.......2007-05-07

First class service . Wonderful movie brings back lots of memories of happy times.

Brash, sassy and fun!.......2007-02-07

A kiss on the hand
May be quite continental,
But diamonds are a girl's best friend.

A kiss may be grand
But it won't pay the rental
On your humble flat
Or help you at the automat.

Men grow cold
As girls grow old,
And we all lose our charms in the end.

But square-cut or pear-shaped,
These rocks don't loose their shape.
Diamonds are a girl's best friend.

Tiffany's!
Cartier!
Black Starr!
Frost Gorham!
Talk to me Harry Winston.
Tell me all about it!

There may come a time
When a lass needs a lawyer,
But diamonds are a girl's best friend.

There may come a time
When a hard-boiled employer
Thinks you're awful nice,
But get that ice or else no dice.

He's your guy
When stocks are high,
But beware when they start to descend.

It's then that those louses
Go back to their spouses.
Diamonds are a girl's best friend.

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes gave Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell the perfect opportunity to showcase their numerous talents. They sing beautiful numbers including "(We're Just) Two Little Girls From Little Rock;" "Bye Bye Baby;" "Ain't There Anyone Here For Love" and "Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend." When Marilyn and Jane dance to some of these numbers their beauty and talent strike the viewer as incredible. Tommy Noonan turns in a strong and convincing performance as Gus Esmond, the American man who wants to marry Lorelei, who is played by Marilyn Monroe. Charles Coburn and Norma Varden perform as Sir Francis 'Piggy' Beekman and Lady Beekman, super rich people who got their wealth from diamond mining in South Africa. The crisp, clear color reflects the hard work to restore this movie and the sound is excellent, too! Jule Styne and Leo Robin provide wonderful music and lyrics for the classic songs in this picture.

The film starts as Lorelei and her girlfriend Dorothy Shaw embark on a ship for France. Although Dorothy plans to chaperone Lorelei, Lorelei has different plans and soon Dorothy's quest for a man distracts her from overseeing Lorelei anyway. The ship carries a male Olympic relay team and they certainly attract Dorothy's attention. A cast of characters are also on board, the most notable of which are Sir Beekman, who longs for an affair with a younger woman. His wife, Lady Beekman, travels with him. These characters all together on the same ship prove to be the ultimate formula for high jinks on both the high seas and overseas! Lorelei and Dorothy proceed to sink their claws into rich men for their money. However, unbeknownst to Lorelei, her fiancé's father, Mr. Esmond, Sr., employs a detective onboard. The detective, Ernie Malone, must follow Lorelei and find evidence that she will be unfaithful to her fiancé Gus Esmond. Mr. Esmond, Sr. can then destroy all plans for the wedding of Lorelei and Gus. Gus's father believes that such a marriage would be unsuitable for his son.

The scenes in Paris offer stunning backdrops and a wonderful idea of what Paris looked like in the early 1950s. After a few ups and downs Lorelei and Dorothy unexpectedly appear to be in a lot of financial trouble and they get jobs in a show to make money. Lorelei performs the unforgettable song and dance number "Diamond's Are A Girl's Best Friend" with male back up dancers. However, things become even more complicated when Lorelei stands accused of stealing a tiara that belonged to Lady Beekman. Actually, Sir Beekman gave the tiara to Lorelei in a weak moment because he found her to be beautiful--too bad he never told Lady Beekman! Lorelei and Dorothy sing the beautiful number "When Love Goes Wrong (Nothing Goes Right)." The cops begin to nip at their heels and Lorelei--or someone quite like her--appears in court because Lady Beekman wants her tiara returned to her. The ensuing court scene boasts a comedic, campy quality to it. Awesome!

Do things work themselves out at the end of this picture? Well, folks, there are no spoilers here--watch this movie and see for yourselves!

Marilyn Monroe fans will thrill to this great picture and Jane Russell fans will enjoy it just as much. People who enjoy musical comedies will also like this picture.

The film crowned Monroe in her position as the nation's new 'Love Goddess.'.......2006-12-31

Jane Russell's lack of ego and Monroe's sense of fun meshed perfectly when they co-starred in Anita Loos' light-hearted satire of the old adage that when a woman goes bad, men go right after her...

Monroe was a wonder in "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes." She comes into the film looking like a winner, and leaves as one... The picture has been set by the tone of her personality, set just so fully, let us say, as Ingmar Bergman leaves his mood on every scene...

Her personality infuses every corner of the film as if she has even picked the scenery to work for her... So the movie rises above its pretext, its story, its existence as a musical, even its music, and becomes at its best a magic work, yet it is a comic bubble without weight or solemnity, another piece of spun sugar come up out of everything banal in entertainment...

But Marilyn remains a great comedian, a sexual delight, especially when she sang "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend." The film crowned Monroe in her position as the nation's new 'Love Goddess' with the promise of many sparkling hits to come, and Jane Russell's career continued, with less fanfare, but very successfully for several more years...

"Talk to me Harry Winston, tell me all about it".......2006-09-10

I must confess I had forgotten just how good this movie actually is. The plot involves the adventures of one gold digger (Monroe) and one man hungry vamp (Russell). While I must confess that for Monroe this probably was her starmaking role, Russell really shines in the role of Dorothy, who inevitably must play Ethel to Marilyn Monroe's Lucy.

The tone is set for this movie by the opening number which involves Russell and Monroe singing about "The Man from Little Rock." I am not sure how much effort was put into shooting this particular number, but Russell and Monroe are so striking that even the dead probably would take notice and burst into applause.

This movie is famous for the "Diamonds are a girl's best Friend" number that Monroe did and Madonna copied in her "Material Girl" video. However, for my money, Russell certainly shows her considerable star quality when she parodies this number in the subsequent court room scene. No wonder Russell impressed Howard Hughes in her heyday. Hopefully she will be the subject of one of the box set tribute collections.

In short, this movie is a pure delight and well worth repeated watchings. It is worth the price of admission to see two great stars at the height of their powers.

Pure Marilyn, pure light-hearted fun........2005-12-28

Arguably, along with the 'Seven Year Itch', this lighthearted 50's musical comedy is the most definitive 'Marilyn' film. In particular for her memorable 'Diamonds are a Girls Best Friend' number, so adorable in its (and her)innocent mocking self parody and brought to life again several decades later in Madonna's, 80's' Material Girl' Video.
This pairing of 'Monroe' and 'Russell' as two voluptuous show girls from 'Little Rock'" in search of fun and a man or two on their way to Paris aboard a cruise ship, is pure Hollywood sugar coated entertainment and escapism.
Marilyne is just so funny and cute as the wide eyed, but gold digging, 'Lorelei', the supposed 'Dumb Blonde' who knows what she wants however, and why. In suitable contrast Jane Russell plays 'Dorothy' the more serious, switched on and streetwise Brunette. Who on the other hand, lets her heart(rather than her bank acccount)rule her head when it comes to men and plays a kind of big sister role to her more naive, but materialistic focused compatriot.
Though it may be said that for the most part 'Russell' is somewhat eclipsed by the 'platinum' ultra luminous presence of the 'eternal woman-child' Ms Monroe. She undoubtedly brings a lot of energy to the role, and the camaraderie and chemistry they deliver as a pair contribute much to the films charm and success.
There are several very entertaining 'showgirl' type musical numbers throughout. But I confess I enjoy Marilyn's ditzy remarks, balanced by a her cunningly disguised 'knowingness' the most. Sooo cute when she refers to the ship's portals as 'round windows' and innocently tries on a diamond tiara around her neck. Then, at the end justifies and explains her money driven ways to her finance's contemtuous Father,in the most surprisingly clever way. Pure 'Marilyn' in all her pure, unique celluloid magic!

Average customer rating:

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
Brash, sassy and fun!
The film crowned Monroe in her position as the nation's new 'Love Goddess.'
"Talk to me Harry Winston, tell me all about it"
Pure Marilyn, pure light-hearted fun.

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
Starring: Jane Russell , Marilyn Monroe , Charles Coburn , Elliott Reid , and Tommy Noonan
Director: Howard Hawks
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B000059GEG
Release Date: 2001-05-29

Amazon.com essential video

Description

Customer Reviews:

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.......2007-05-07

First class service . Wonderful movie brings back lots of memories of happy times.

Brash, sassy and fun!.......2007-02-07

The film crowned Monroe in her position as the nation's new 'Love Goddess.'.......2006-12-31

"Talk to me Harry Winston, tell me all about it".......2006-09-10

Pure Marilyn, pure light-hearted fun........2005-12-28

Marilyn Monroe - The Diamond Collection (Bus Stop / How to Marry a Millionaire / There's No Business Like Show Business / Gentlemen Prefer Blondes / The Seven Year Itch / The Final Days)

Average customer rating:

The Greatest Collection of Films from a Silver Screen Goddess...
Great Gift!
She really was "A Candle in the Wind"
Great box set to have in collection
Best Collection ever!!

Marilyn Monroe - The Diamond Collection (Bus Stop / How to Marry a Millionaire / There's No Business Like Show Business / Gentlemen Prefer Blondes / The Seven Year Itch / The Final Days)
Starring: Marilyn Monroe , Don Murray , Arthur O'Connell , Betty Field , and Eileen Heckart
Director: Joshua Logan , Jean Negulesco , and Walter Lang
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Classics | Genres | DVD | Video

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Classic Comedies | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

Comedy | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B000059GEK
Release Date: 2001-05-29

Amazon.com

The Diamond Collection consists of five Marilyn Monroe films plus the documentary The Final Days. Bus Stop (1956) stars Monroe as a singer who finds herself trapped at a bus stop in the middle of nowhere during a blizzard. How to Marry a Millionaire (1953) was built around a trio of female stars, Monroe, Lauren Bacall, and Betty Grable, who play friends who come up with a plan to find and marry rich men. Monroe plays an ambitious showgirl in 1954's There's No Business Like Show Business, which brings together two giants of Broadway, Ethel Merman and Irving Berlin, to celebrate the glories that were vaudeville. Howard Hawks's 1953 musical Gentlemen Prefer Blondes stars Monroe and Jane Russell as friends who go to Paris looking for mates. The film is charged by Hawks's stylish snap, a famous set piece or two (including Monroe descending that staircase while singing "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend"), Russell's wit, and songs by Leo Robin and Jule Styne. The Seven Year Itch (1955) is a memorable laugh machine. As a married man left alone during a hot summer, Tom Ewell shows off crack timing matched by Monroe's zesty comic flair, and the scene in which her white dress is blown skyward by a passing subway train has entered the encyclopedia of great movie images.

In The Final Days, producer-director Patty Ivins chronicles Monroe's final, aborted feature film, Something's Got to Give, which was ultimately shut down after the star was dismissed from the production. Beyond Monroe's fragile emotional and physical health, this well-crafted profile examines the financial crisis facing her studio as well as the mounting frustration of meticulous director George Cukor and his cast, including costar Dean Martin, as Monroe's absences drove the shoot over budget. The documentary concludes with a 40-minute reconstruction of footage completed for the feature, which would subsequently be reshot as a vehicle for Doris Day and James Garner, Move Over, Darling.

Description

Marilyn in her billowy white skirt and the scene that made her a legend. Co-starring Tom Ewell. "There's No Business Like Show Business" (1954, 117 min.) - A glamorous tale about the trials and tribulations of a veteran vaudeville family. Co-starring Ethel Merman and Donald O'Connor. "How to Marry a Millionaire" (1953, 95 min.) - Discover Marilyn's phenomenal comic talent as she leads an outrageous man-hunting scheme in this classic comedy. Co-starring Betty Grable and Lauren Bacall. "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" (1953, 91 min.) - Marilyn is sensational, performing the timeless hit "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend." Co-starring Jane Russell. Also includes the acclaimed documentary "Marilyn Monroe: The Final Days," available only in this box set, plus forty minutes of exclusive, never-before-seen footage from Marilyn's never-completed final film, "Something's Got to Give."

Customer Reviews:

The Greatest Collection of Films from a Silver Screen Goddess..........2007-04-17

The Diamond Collection represents some of Marilyn Monroe's greatest achievements on film! This first installation of the Diamond Collection certainly contains her most well-known films, and is a must have for Marilyn fans.

Within this collection are the titles "Bus Stop" -- "How to Marry a Millionaire" -- "There's No Business Like Show Business" -- "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" -- "The Seven Year Itch" -- and a documentary chronicling the final days of Marilyn Monroe.

My favorite Marilyn film is the one that saw her star rise, and that's "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes". Her infamous musical number 'Diamonds are a girls best friend' is found within this film. During Marilyn's era in the film industry, almost ALL actors contracted to the different studios were required to not only be able to act, but to be able to dance and sing as well. Marilyn's singing voice wasn't strong, but it still had a beautifully hypnotic lilt to it, and made her unique in this respect.

"The Seven Year Itch" contains her infamous grater scene in which a gust of wind blows up her white skirt, thus creating a fabulous moment in cinematic history. According to witnesses, the director of the film had to ask Marilyn to wear two pairs of undergarments because the camera was picking up the fact that she was *not* a natural blonde.

There are far too many memorable Marilyn moments to list them all, but I highly recommend this collection of DVDs. In addition to the five Marilyn films included in the set, there is an added bonus of a documentary titled "The Final Days" in which it chronicles -- what else -- the final days of Ms. Monroe. This documentary also pieces together the fragmented footage of the film "Somethings Got to Give", which Marilyn was in the process of shooting at the time of her tragic death. Included in this footage is the skinny-dipping scene Marilyn had completed, which would have certainly become just as infamous has many of her other scenes.

My only regret is that Marilyn films from other studios, such as the charismatic "Some Like it Hot", or even the Olivier production of "The Prince and the Showgirl", could not be included in either installments of the Diamond Collection.

I simply can't say it enough, this is a wonderful collection, and a great tribute to the loving memory of Marilyn Monroe.

Great Gift!.......2007-03-21

I got this for my other half for chrismas. It was a big hit. A perfect gift for any Monroe fan that does not have it yet.

She really was "A Candle in the Wind".......2006-02-27

This collection of films is a must-have for fans of Marilyn Monroe. The tragic ending to her life is forgotten while the watcher is mesmerized by her overwhelming stage presence that outshines everyone else on the screen. Her characters always portray an innocence that shines through her sexual magnetism. What never comes through in her performances is her own troubled life. In Bus Stop, she has a southern accent and, for once, isn't playing herself. How to Marry a Millionaire is filled with great stars of the past--Lauren Bacall, Betty Grable and William Powell, as well as Marilyn Monroe. The story has never lost its humor and charm. There's No Business like Show Business is the story of a vaudeville family, and Marilyn doesn't enter the picture immediately. Here, we are bowled over by the magnificent stage presence of Ethel Merman, who manages to put everyone else in the shade--including Mitzi Gaynor, Donald O'Connor and Marilyn. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes remains such a fun story with Russell and Monroe paired up in some wonderful mixups. There are some fabulous musical numbers, most notably "Ain't There Anyone Her for Love?" and "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend." The Seven Year Itch, while perhaps toned down for the censors of the time is funny and unforgettable.

Great box set to have in collection.......2006-02-23

This is a great box set to add to any collection. The movies are all in widescreen so you aren't missing any of the orginal picture. I would recommend purchasing to any fan of Marilyn Monroe movies. I would also recommend purchasing to someone who hasn't seen any of Marilyn's movies.

Best Collection ever!!.......2005-12-31

I looked from heaven to hell for this and only found it here on amazon.com. It was well worth the searching, Marilyn is awsome!!

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