As a fan, it's tempting to choose to review a film in which Marilyn doesn't play the dumb blonde, such as Don't Bother to Knock or Niagra; roles a bit darker. But, also as a fan, I make no apology for reviewing a classic 'dumb blonde' role, probably one of her best! She just did it so damn well!
The first part of the film is based around a trans-Atlantic voyage to Paris, where Marilyn's character is to marry her millionaire fiancé, Mr Esmond. It's hard not to fall in love with Lorelei Lee, Marilyn's blonde, 'gold-digging', butter-wouldn't-melt, character. She is the only girl who can 'stand with a spotlight in her eye and still see a diamond in a man's pocket'...impressive! Not the only beauty in town, Miss Lee's chaperone and best friend, the sexy, level-headed, 'hobo collector', brunette Dorothy Shaw, played by the gorgeous Jane Russell. What a stunning pair!
And the singing, dancing duo certainly make an impression on the ship. Attracting an array of admirers including the Olympic team and the elderly owner of a Diamond mine, they run into some trouble when they discover Lorelei's suspicious fiancé has hired a private detective to keep tabs during the trip! An incriminating, yet entirely innocent photograph gets them in a jam and once they arrive in Paris, after spending all their money on shopping they find their hotel reservation and credit cancelled by Mr Esmond.
No trouble for these girls, their talents see them performing together in a Paris theatre and this, ladies and gentleman, is where the fabulous, much copied but never replicated, 'Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend' number comes in. Marilyn is in her element and utterly divine!
A previous 'misunderstanding' with some very expensive diamonds winds Lorelei up in court, but Dorothy, being the smart one, gets her out of a pickle with her cabaret courtroom performance! Sexy sexy sexy!!!
This film is loads of fun! It's light hearted, sexy and funny.
I suppose it depends very much on what you like, but there are some fantastic costumes, sets and musical numbers. Marilyn is adorable, funny, beautiful and shows that her character isn't so dumb in the end - a triumph!!! Jane Russell is on fire, those dark locks, red lips and unbelievable curves.
If teenagers and twenty-somethings had these two film-stars to look up today to we'd have an altogether healthier society!
