Intro.
As March was supposed to be Musicals Month, I went in search of musicals tonight and stumbled across Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, which I had always assumed was a comedy. In fact it was cross-listed online as romantic comedy, classic comedy, and classic musical. Watching the film, I thought back to a film class I once took where we talked about what defines a movie's genre - I mean really, what makes a musical a Musical? Certainly the genre conjures memories of Singin' in the Rain, Oklahoma!, Cabaret, West Side Story and a long list of similar titles. But what about films like the melodramatic Young at Heart or even something more lighthearted like Robin and the 7 Hoods or Road to Morocco? Is it the story line? The number of songs? What? I think we finally formed a blurry definition that a musical earns its genre title when it contains three songs performed by characters in the film as a part of the story. Of course there will always be gray areas, like the super traditional Western Rio Grande (imagine telling the Duke he was in a Musical!), but all in all, I think it's a pretty good rule, and as such Gentlemen Prefer Blondes would be more in the sophisticated, buddy-film type of classic musical. Overview
Lorelei Lee and Dorothy Shaw (Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell) are American entertainers with their own successful show. Their beauty and their talent gets them plenty of attention, most notably of which is Gus Esmond, a shy ordinary guy with a lot of family money. He is engaged to Lorelei despite his father's wishes. Instead of them sailing to Europe to marry, he sends Dorothy as a chaperon with the promise that he will meet them in Paris. While Lorelei is more concerned with money as the basis of a secure marriage, Dorothy is more in line with the idea that love alone is all that a good marriage needs. On that point they differ, but they are clearly best friends, making the most of their voyage. Unfortunately, the guy Dorothy meets and falls for, Ernie Malone (played by Elliott Reid), is actually a private detective hired by Gus's father to trail the ever-flirtatious Lorelei. When he catches her with an older man (who happens to own a diamond mine), he takes pictures. Dorothy catches him though, and the girls then have to figure out a way to steal the photos back. Once they do, in gratitude for their work, the mine owner (Charles Coburn) gives Lorelei his wife's diamond tiara. By the time the girls land in France, they find that not only have their letters of credit and hotel lodgings been canceled by a jealous Gus, but the police are after them for a "stolen" tiara. The results are hilarious and well choreographed in more than one sense!Highlights
Most musicals are well remembered because of their unforgettable songs. In this case, I only have 6 little words for you: "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend." In that number alone, Marilyn Monroe makes the entire picture, not to mention her legend. However, Jane Russell is just as amazing and a great scene stealer earlier in the film with "Bye Bye Baby" and "Ain't There Anyone Here for Love?" And the girls are also great together with their signature song, "Two Little Girls from Little Rock" and "When Love Goes Wrong" (the latter of which is my favorite from the show). Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell are phenomenal in this film, and would be even without the music. I think they make a great team and give an interesting picture of two very confident, independent women who stick together no matter what. But as free and fun-loving as they are, you have to remember that it's a 1950's romantic comedy, so there's only one way it can really end (I won't say more, I promise!). Even with the obvious sexual stereotypes, it's nice to see women have the upper hand, and no one handles it better than these two actresses. And you can't help but laugh at the line: "If we can't empty his pockets between the two of us, we don't deserve the name 'woman'."
Review
Whatever you want to call it - a comedy, a musical, or a buddy film - Gentlemen Prefer Blondes is definitely worth watching. The humor, the music, and the great relationship between two such dynamite actresses all make for a great time!
