Howard Hawks - IMDb IMDb 17 January 2017 4:34 PM, UTC NEWS a list of 40 people created 09 Dec 2010 a list of 30 people created 31 Mar 2011 a list of 23 people created 13 Oct 2012 a list of 41 people created 16 Apr 2014 a list of 21 people created 09 Oct 2015 Do you have a demo reel? Add it to your IMDbPage How much of Howard Hawks's work have you seen? User Polls Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 4 wins & 7 nominations.

See more awards » Known For | Edit Filmography 1925 The Light of Western Stars (production manager - uncredited) 1925 Adventure (production manager - uncredited) 1924 Open All Night (production manager - uncredited) Hide 2014/II Dark Hearts (special thanks) 2003 The Dreamers (acknowledgment: director of "Scarface" (1932) 1980 Hollywood (TV Mini-Series documentary) Himself 1977 Hollywood Greats (TV Series documentary) Himself 1970 Plimpton!

Shoot-Out at Rio Lobo (TV Movie documentary) Himself 1967 Cinema (TV Series documentary) Himself 1925 1925 Studio Tour (Documentary short) Himself - a Writer 2009 1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year (TV Movie documentary) Himself 2001-2008 American Masters (TV Series documentary) Himself / Himself - Interviewee 2003 Cary Grant and Howard Hawks (TV Movie documentary) Himself 1993-2001 Biography (TV Series documentary) Himself 1997 Howard Hawks: American Artist (TV Movie documentary) Himself 1967 The Great Professional: Howard Hawks (TV Movie documentary) Himself Personal Details Other Works: Story: "The Chariot of the Gods" (filmed as The Road to Glory (1926), The Road to Glory (1936)) See more » Publicity Listings: 4 Biographical Movies | 10 Print Biographies | 5 Portrayals | 6 Articles | 2 Pictorials | See more » Height: The DVD Journal | Quick Reviews: Gentlemen Prefer Blondes Gentlemen Prefer Blondes There's

 No Business Like Show Business Who would imagine that the same man responsible for To Have and Have Not, The Big Sleep, Red River and Rio Bravo was also the director of Gentleman Prefer Blondes?

But let's not forget  the estimable Mr. Howard Hawks also directed Bringing Up Baby, His Girl Friday and the hilarious Ball of Fire with Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck  Hawks knew how to direct women, and he sure knew comedy. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes is a triumph of a film, blatantly and unapologetically about sex, romance and savvy dames with phenomenal bodies who can sing and dance. Nightclub singers Dorothy Shaw and Lorelei Lee (Jane Russell and Marilyn Monroe) are "Just Two Little Girls From Little Rock," as the song says, on a luxury cruise to Europe, paid for by gold digger Lorelei's wealthy beau. Dorothy falls for the private detective who's secretly spying on Lorelei, and some messiness about possible stolen diamonds ensue. The plot is secondary to the joys of watching the delicious Russell and Monroe together  Russell as the smart, street-wise Dorothy who's holding out for true love, and Monroe as the smart dumb blonde who knows how to get what she wants.

The musical numbers are sexy, funny and brilliantly executed  the frankly homoerotic "Ain't Anyone Here For Love?" features Russell cavorting with a group of gymnast/dancers in revealing, flesh-colored swim trunks, thrusting muscled legs and tight butts akimbo, and Marilyn's classic turn in "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" still shows what a cut-rate poseur that Madonna person is. Watch this movie often  it will make you happy. Fox's DVD release of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes is clean and beautiful, with all that rich Technicolor restored in a new print (the original 1.33:1), while audio is crisp in remastered Dolby stereo, along with the original mono. Includes the Movietone newsreel footage of Marilyn and Jane pressing their body parts into the cement at Grauman's Chinese Theater and trailers for all films in The Diamond Collection. Keep-case.

Dawn Taylor Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953) - News NEWS 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2007 | 2003 | 2001 21-40 of 48 items from 2012 « Prev | Next » 25 July 2012 11:51 AM, PDT | Thompson on Hollywood | See recent Thompson on Hollywood news » In celebration of the Venice Film Festival's 80th anniversary, the fest will screen a program of restored classic films, titled "Venezia Classici." Included in the cinephile-dream lineup is Orson Welles ' seldom-seen " Chimes at Midnight ," Ingmar Bergman 's " Fanny and Alexander ," Howard Hawks ' " Gentlemen Prefer Blondes ," Roberto Rosselini's "Stromboli" and the restored version of Michael Cimino 's " Heaven's Gate ," which Cimino will accompany (the epic failure, as described in

 Steven Bach 's must-read " Final Cut ," brought down United Artists ).

The program's mission statement shows an admirable embrace of both the preservation of invaluable film heritage and the new digital age: Although relatively recent, the promotion of access to and appreciation of the vast heritage represented by classic films is now a phenomenon of international significance. Until the end of the » - Beth Hanna 25 July 2012 11:47 AM, PDT | We Got This Covered | See recent We Got This Covered news » While the official competition line up for the 69th Venice Film Festival will be released tomorrow, the festival organisers have announced today the list of classic films which will be screened at the Lido. Like Cannes, every year Venice dedicates a section of its programme to screening important works of world cinema. Among this year’s list will be Billy Wilder ’s Sunset Boulevard , Ingmar Bergman ’s Fanny & Alexander and Howard Hawks ’ Gentlemen Prefer Blondes . But, the big news is that Criterion have provided a restoration of the legendary and infamous Heaven’s Gate from director Michael Cimino . Now, chances are if you are a movie enthusiast then you will have heard of Heaven’s Gate but probably won’t have seen it.

The film is regarded as the biggest flop in cinema history, it is a film so notorious that other flops since have been labelled with a Heaven’s Gate type pun. » - Will Chadwick Marking the 50th anniversary of the Hollywood legend’s passing, the Forever Marilyn Collection is a four disc set showcasing some of the most treasured cinematic moments of Marilyn Monroe ’s career with Gentlemen Prefer Blondes , How to Marry a Millionaire , The Seven Year Itch , and Some Like It Hot . From some of Monroe’s earlier films playing the iconic sex symbol that she was known for, to the film where she broke out of her limitations and began showing a stronger talent that she fought to be recognised, this collection really captures the beauty of a star who will forever be remembered. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953) Directed by Howard Hawks , the collection opens with Gentlemen Prefer Blondes which follows best friends Lorelei Lee and Dorothy Shaw (Monroe and Jane Russell) as two showgirls who set a course for love on board a luxury liner sailing to France.

Pursued by a » - Charlie Derry Giorgio Moroder Presents: Metropolis Since its release in 1927, Fritz Lang 's Metropolis has not only influenced any film-maker who wanted to create a futuristic city, it's also had a strong link with music. Indeed, plenty of performers with a strong eye for visuals – from Kraftwerk and Queen to Madonna and Janelle Monáe – have plundered the film's still-impressive imagery for their videos and artwork. Perhaps the oddest and least cherished of these Metropolis and music crossovers is this 1984 version, overseen by Giorgio Moroder . Tinting it with colour, adding subtitles and sound effects, music and songs, Moroder made the film seem a little less black and white, slightly less German and a lot less silent. His intention, if misguided, was more honourable than heretical. Even though this cut is shorter than usual, it does include footage that was previously thought lost, while missing scenes are recreated with photographs and illustrations.

Unfortunately, the » 4 June 2012 11:50 AM, PDT | WeAreMovieGeeks.com | See recent WeAreMovieGeeks.com news » Celebrate the life, the legend and the beauty of Marilyn Monroe . The iconic blonde bombshell shines in high definition in Forever Marilyn: The Blu-ray Collection. With classics like The Misfits and Some Like It Hot as well as new-to-Blu-ray titles How to Marry A Millionaire , Gentlemen Prefer Blondes , Seven Year Itch, There.s No Business Like Show Business and River of No Return this unique set of films, those that made Marilyn a star, is a collector.s dream. Marking the 50th anniversary of the passing of this Hollywood legend, the seven disc collection will be available as a Blu-ray set and individual titles beginning July 20th Internationally (Germany) and on July 31st in North America from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment . Marilyn fans around the world can pre-order the Collection with online retailers.

A sexy divorcée falls for an over-the-hill cowboy who is struggling to maintain his » - Michelle McCue 30 May 2012 9:44 AM, PDT | JustPressPlay.net | See recent JustPressPlay news » Entertainment legends come and grace audiences with their mesmerizing looks as well as with their incredible talent. It takes a lot to achieve this status but when these special performers do reach that mark, it is up to the audience to accept this truly wonderful gift. One such gift is wrapped in the timeless package that is Carol Channing . She is a musical theater icon and a true Broadway legend. A new documentary is out chronicling her career called Carol Channing: Larger Than Life and it is definitely worth checking out. Known for her star-making roles as Lorelei Lee in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and as Dolly Gallagher Levi in Hello, Dolly!, these two roles skyrocketed Channing into superstardom. Her unique look and style made her stand out among many other lovely actresses of her time.

Tall, thin, with a big smile, a raspy yet charming voice and a quirky yet attractive way about her, » - Randall Unger 29 May 2012 5:00 AM, PDT | ScifiMafia | See recent ScifiMafia news » As you may know, the house featured in last year’s amazing first season of American Horror Story has gone up for sale. What is new is that Syfy‘s Hollywood Treasure will be featuring it in tonight’s new installment. Though I don’t think I could sleep in the house, let alone afford it, I’ll definitely be a looky loo tonight. The House From American Horror Story Set To Sell For $12,000,000.00 After Its Appearance On Syfy’s “Hollywood Treasure” The Episode Airs This Tuesday Night May 29 At 10Pm Et/Pt On The Syfy Channel Los Angeles- May 25- The house from American Horror Story will be featured on the upcoming episode of Syfy’s Hollywood Treasure. American Horror Story developed a tremendous cult following during its premiere season and the whole series was centered around the house which is now going onthe market.

The house became as » - Erin Willard 22 May 2012 2:47 PM, PDT | | See recent CultureCatch news » I probably speak for most theater fans in saying I was excited when I read about Smash before its premiere on NBC in February. The idea of a weekly network series depicting the development of a new Broadway musical was irresistible. The fact that so many theater people -- both on and off camera -- were involved in the show added to the anticipation. Executive producers included Craig Zadan and Neil Meron who, among other things, have produced film versions of Broadway hits Chicago and Hairspray , along with television movie adaptations of The Music Man , Annie , and Gypsy. Original songs were written by the team of Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman , who won the Tony award for their Hairspray score, and also wrote the fine score for last year's Catch Me If You Can . Michael Mayer (Spring Awakening and American Idiot) directed the pilot.

And, while not a theater name, » - James Miller 10 May 2012 2:44 PM, PDT | The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News | See recent The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News news » New York – While Megan Hilty ’s character is still scheming to play Marilyn Monroe in the bio-musical at the center of NBC’s Smash , she’s wiggling her voluptuous way through one of the star’s most iconic screen roles with gusto in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes . Playing just seven performances as part of the annual Encores! series of semi-staged vintage musicals, John Rando’s sparkling production is sheer enjoyment, with some of the most exhilarating jazz vocal harmonies and time-traveling dance breaks to be found anywhere near Broadway. But Hilty’s bombshell is the prize. Photos: ' Smash ' First Look: Ryan Tedder , Katharine McPhee Get 'Touch'-y The read more 10 May 2012 5:06 AM, PDT | WENN | See recent WENN news » Actress Megan Hilty is set to follow in Marilyn Monroe 's footsteps by playing Lorelei Lee in an upcoming Broadway production of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes .

Hilty currently stars in hit U.S. TV series Smash as an aspiring actress tasked with portraying Monroe in a new musical, and life has now imitated art for the 31 year old after she signed up to portray Lee, a part made famous by the late blonde bombshell, in a Big Apple theatre show. The production will be directed by Tony Award-winning John Rando and the actress insists she is already having fun in rehearsals. She tells Playbill.com, "I'm having the time of my life. John Rando is a genius, and I feel like we're having so much fun putting this play on. And, the whole cast is so fun. All the voices are amazing, and everybody is hilarious. I think it's going to be a really good show." Hilty will hit the stage at The New York City Center for a limited-run, beginning on Wednesday. » 9 May 2012 4:05 PM, PDT | The Guardian - Film News | See recent The Guardian - Film News news » The Cannes film festival kicks off next week, and this shot of Marilyn Monroe will feature on all its official posters. Does it matter that she never went?

She is a perennially fascinating screen actress, the incidental subject of new TV drama Smash – and from next week she will be pouting down at us from every street corner in Cannes, the face of the official film festival poster. The photograph shows the beautiful, beguiling, funny leading lady of such pictures as Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and Some Like It Hot blowing out the candle on her 30th birthday cake, giving a seductive air-kiss to the lens. In a press release, the festival organisers explain: "The poster captures Marilyn by surprise in an intimate moment where myth meets reality – a moving tribute to the anniversary of her passing, which coincides with the festival anniversary [Cannes turns 65 this year] … Their coming together symbolises the ideal of simplicity and elegance. » - Peter Bradshaw 9 May 2012 6:16 AM, PDT | Deadline TV | See recent Deadline TV news » Beverly Hills, Calif., May 9, 2012 — Netflix, Inc.

(Nasdaq: Nflx) and Twentieth Century Fox Television Distribution, today announced a multi-year licensing agreement that will soon make a host of great TV series and films available for Netflix members to instantly watch in Latin America and Brazil. All past seasons of 24, Prison Break , The X-Files and Arrested Development will be available for viewing beginning July 15, as well as current and past seasons of How I Met Your Mother , Glee and Bones. In addition, Twentieth Century Fox classic films including Gentlemen Prefer Blondes , Wall Street and Office Space , will come to Netflix on July 1, with more films and TV series to be added over the next few years. “We are thrilled to be bringing such favorites as How I Met Your Mother and Glee to our members in Latin America and Brazil,” said Jason Ropell, Netflix Vice President of Content Acquisition. “Our partnership with » - THE DEADLINE TEAM 23 April 2012 8:30 AM, PDT | Vulture | See recent Vulture news » The premiere season of Smash has been a divisive one for viewers, but if there's one thing everyone can agree on, it's that Megan Hilty is fantastic on TV.

The Broadway vet (she was the second actress to follow Kristin Chenoweth in Wicked) is now returning to the stage to play Lorelei Lee in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes . It's one of Monroe's iconic roles — although Hilty, unlike Marilyn, won't be needing someone to dub her voice in the tricky parts. We spoke to Hilty about her character's casting-couch and prescription-drug problems, her hopes for season two, and whether Smash jibes with her real-life Broadway experience.I’m totally Team Ivy. I actually get upset when other actresses are playing Marilyn on the show.Yay, thank you! That said, can you play devil’s advocate and defend Team Karen [Katharine McPhee] to me?Oh, absolutely. I mean, everybody has to start somewhere. And just » - Gwynne Watkins 26 March 2012 5:20 AM, PDT | The Backlot | See recent The Backlot news » The relationship between Ivy ( Megan Hilty , r) and her Mama ( Bernadette Peters ) is not an easy one.

After last week's episode of NBC’s musical drama Smash , when Broadway legend Bernadette Peters turned up playing, well, a Broadway legend who also happens to be the prickly mother to Ivy ( Megan Hilty ), the drama and the multiple conflicts (and tattletale Ellis) reached new heights. But tonight's "The Coup" brings in potential backstabbing when snarky director Derek ( Jack Davenport ) enlists naive Karen ( Katharine McPhee ) to make a play to steal the Marilyn musical from Tom ( Christian Borle ) and Julia ( Debra Messing ). And what about Ivy? Now that the workshop is over, she's still sitting on pins and needles waiting to see if she's in or out as Marilyn. To find out some inside scoop about the series, which just got the green light for a second season, AfterElton checked in with Megan Hilty » - nyjimmy67 13 March 2012 9:01 AM, PDT | WENN | See recent WENN news » Marilyn Monroe 's iconic screen dresses are the main attraction at a British exhibition marking the 50th anniversary of her death.

Entitled simply Marilyn, the collection features rarely seen pictures and a dozen original costumes - including the famous red gown she wore in 1953 movie Gentlemen Prefer Blondes . The dresses were loaned by U.S. collector David Gainsborough Roberts and are believed to form the largest Monroe collection in the world. London's Getty Images Gallery director Louise Garczewska says, "(It's) a perfect tribute to one of Hollywood's all-time greats. We are extremely excited to present our Marilyn exhibition, offering unparalleled and rare access to her life." » 27 February 2012 1:56 AM, PST | The Guardian - Film News | See recent The Guardian - Film News news » The screen icon and two-time Oscar winner heads the list of stars who died this year in the Academy's traditional rememberance Elizabeth Taylor featured prominently in the In Memoriam section of the Academy Award ceremony currently taking place at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood. The Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf actor died in March 2011 aged 79, and was one of the most prominent figures of Hollywood glamour through the 1950s and 60s.

She is especially well remembered for her multiple marriages, including two to fellow actor Richard Burton . Also remembered were actors Jane Russell , best known for starring opposite Marilyn Monroe in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes ; Farley Granger , the star of two Hitchcock masterpieces, Rope and Strangers on a Train ; and Michael Gough , the veteran British character actor who had a late flowering as the butler Alfred in the Batman films in the 90s. Behind the camera, mentions were made of director Sidney Lumet , » 12 February 2012 9:06 PM, PST | TVfanatic | See recent TVfanatic news » "Romantic Languages" was the lost episode of Pan Am that let us in on a lot of little secrets heretofore unknown. Looking back, it did seem like there was a jump in time, but I didn't realize how much the story was affected until watching tonight. It would have been nice if they had shown this episode in order because it felt like we were living a dream. That this happened to the the installment before what could very well be the series finale is a bit disappointing. Example: So that's how Dean and Ginny ended things.

He broke up with her thinking they were just having a good time. I thought she just walked into the sunset with Mr. Pan Am executive, but she was an absolutely crazy nut. She followed Dean around the world and even smashed her own forehead into a window to try to show him » - carissa@tvfanatic.com (Carissa Pavlica) Gentlemen Prefer Blondes: A Practice Round in Subversion | Precious Bodily Fluids » Gentlemen Prefer Blondes: A Practice Round in Subversion Howard Hawks is noteworthy in cinema for lots of reasons; he’s infamous for just a few. Among them is Hawks’ history of battling the censors. Before the Hays Code came into official effect, he directed the classic Scarface, that great old violent mobster movie that shook things up long before Brian DePalma and Al Pacino whipped out their little friend and added some ultraviolence. Other films, such as Hawks’ adaptation of Raymond Chandler’s pulp novel The Big Sleep brought a strongly homoerotic element into film noir that added increased anxiety to an already-anxiety-driven genre of American cinema.

Once Marilyn Monroe entered the movie world in the late 40s, it was only a matter of time before directors like Hawks and Billy Wilder would take advantage of her voluptuous image to mix things up a little on the screen. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes is great for functioning both as classic, textbook Laura Mulvey material and also playing with, or possibly even undermining, the Mulveyan notion of narrative cinema as geared for a male viewing audience. In a quick review, Mulvey’s argument in her seminal “Visual Pleasure in Narrative Cinema” sets forth that conventional narrative film form has built into it the assumption of an active male viewer bound by a scopohilic gaze on the passive, objectified woman on screen. Two types of scopophila (the pleasure of looking) are at work: fetishistic scopophilia – in which the woman on screen is fetishized through the male viewer’s castration anxiety – and narcissistic scopophilia – in which the male viewer identifies actively with the on-screen male who is also defined by his gaze upon the passive woman.

The purpose of fetishistic scopophilia is to negotiate the male’s fear of the woman (on account of her castration, and therefore the threat of castration to him, too); the purpose of narcissistic scopophilia is to narrow the viewing gap between the male spectator and the woman (who is “to-be-looked-at”) while still keeping her at arm’s length. By narrowing the gap, the male viewer comes under the false impression that the image is mediated neither by the camera filming it nor by the falseness of the image (not the “real thing” but rather bright light projecting stained celluloid). Still, by narcissistically identifying with the diegetic male character, the male viewer’s castration anxiety is slightly alleviated by proxy. As a result of narcissistic scopophilia, the male viewer turns the image of woman into a fetish object, desiring both to punish and to idealize her. As for the female viewer, she is excluded; narrative cinema’s classic form does not take her into account. (Discussions of things like “chick flicks” are not inconsistent with this notion but will have to wait til another day.) Who, us?!

The opening scene of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes features the two women, Lorelei (Marilyn) and Dorothy (Jane Russell), singing and dancing on stage while looking directly at the camera. Interesting, the film’s opening credits interrupt the routine, which then resumes after Howard Hawks’ name gets the directorial credit. It’s only after some time has passed that we finally get a reverse shot of the audience, which focuses on Gus, Lorelei’s decidedly castrated fiancée. This cut comes not a moment too soon. Finally, the viewer can breathe a sigh of relief through the acknowledgment by the cinema screen itself that this is, in fact, cinema. Until the reverse shot takes place, we seem to be watching a filmed stage performance, un-mediated and unadulterated. In Mulveyan terms, castration anxiety is in full effect. Once the reverse shot gives us the image of a rather pathetic looking man, narrative significance is finally given to what was strictly non-narrative before. The song-and-dance routines freeze the narrative from progressing and offer only a one-way gaze by the male viewer of the women on screen.

The reverse shot of Gus only hints at the narrative, but it is not the reverse shot with which a male viewer wants to identify; Gus is not the way the male viewer sees himself looking at the ladies, although perhaps Gus is all-too telling of the male viewer’s anxiety. Heehee! Once the girls exit the stage, their dialogue offers further evidence of what their lyrics already suggested: they have it all quite figured out. They know what they want, and make no mistake, they want a lot. Their cleverness lies in their clear understanding that the men want them a lot, a fact that they use throughout the film as a bargaining tool. Lorelei obviously is interested in diamonds, classic commodities that, she admits, “are a girl’s best friend.” There’s no surprise here, based on the old cliché. What is a little surprising is how the camera seems to side with Lorelei at a number of points. Perhaps most significantly, there’s the scene when Lorelei discovers that “Piggy” owns a diamond mine in Africa. From her POV, we see Piggy’s head become overlaid with a large diamond, overtly symbolizing all that Lorelei sees in him.

While this may not seem terribly significant, it’s the fact that Lorelei, a woman, is not only objectifying a man, but the viewer also does so through her. We are given the point of view of a woman’s desiring gaze, seeing a man not “as he is” but as a means to an end. Lorelei does something similar after their first performance when she remarks provocatively to Dorothy that she saw a large “bulge” in Gus’ pocket, which she can’t wait to get her hands on. She then remarks that it must be a diamond ring. Objectified On a superficial level, Dorothy is seemingly set apart from Lorelei. For one thing, she’s brunette while Lorelei is the titular blonde, already implying that she is less preferable in comparison. On another obvious level, she’s simply not Marilyn Monroe. Already in 1952, Marilyn’s iconic status was becoming firm; nothing wrong with Jane Russell, but Marilyn she was not. On top of this, Dorothy seems to carry herself in a more masculine way than Lorelei. She is less desired by men (as evidenced by Gus’ entrance into their dressing room), and she seems unaffected by the fact.

She’s at least as clever as Lorelei, and she knows what she wants just as much, but she’s more willing to go and actively get it. Lorelei, on the other hand, knows how to be passive in just the right way in order to get that one rich man to come knocking on her door. When they prepare to board the ship going to France, Dorothy establishes herself as Lorelei’s chaperone. Dorothy makes it just as clear, however, that the chaperone is the one who’s allowed to have fun. She says this as she discovers that the U.S. Olympic team will be on board for the voyage. The athletes are of no interest to Lorelei, since they certainly don’t own any diamond mines. Dorothy, on the other hand, communicates plenty of interest in the strong-bodied men. Mm. Curvy. The musical number that follows shortly thereafter is staged at a pool where the men are presumably practicing. Lorelei is absent; this one belongs to Dorothy. She’s dressed in strapless black while all the male athletes surrounding her are clad only in flesh-toned swim shorts.

When the men are dancing around Dorothy, at times it’s hard to tell if they’re wearing anything at all. The scene identifies Dorothy as the woman who desires the male body – and not only in the singular. She’s surrounded by strong, male bodies, and she swoons over all of them. Adding a little here and there between lyrics, she says, “Doubles, anyone? This court’s open.” So while Dorothy seems to set herself apart from Lorelei by desiring love from a man rather than riches, it turns out that Dorothy is actually interested in the male body, another means to an end. While the two women appear to be different, they are fundamentally the same. The film turns the tables on traditional males-objectifying-females and allows the opposite to take place. It’s a comedy, of course, so the idea isn’t being taken all that seriously, but it’s still present. The film comes closest to subverting conventional male-female stereotypes by making it clear toward the end that the women really are the intelligent ones. Gus’ rich father chastises his son for pursuing such a class-less woman and accuses Lorelei of wanting Gus only for his money.

Lorelei responds insistently that she actually wants Gus for his father’s money. When the father tries to rebuke Lorelei for such shallow affection, she articulates the film’s most effective point against men. She points out that any man wants his daughter to marry a financially secure man, for her own safety and comfort in life. Furthermore, no man is ever attacked for wanting to marry a beautiful woman, so why can’t a woman want to marry a wealthy man? Each has his/her commodity in the exchange; each has something to offer the other. The point is well made and silences Gus’ father, although it officially removes the notion of “true love” from the film entirely. Lorelei is the proverbial gold digger, and Dorothy is the sex-hungry woman. One is more “female” in traditional terms and the other more “male,” but nothing particularly negative can be said about them that can’t be said at some level about men, too. In the end, Hawks gives an expected wink to the suggestion present throughout the film of the two women actually desiring one another. In the early dressing room scene, Lorelei tells Dorothy that she and Gus are getting married.

Dorothy responds incredulously, “To each other?” Dorothy, who knows Lorelei through and through, find the idea of Lorelei marrying Gus rather ridiculous and possibly hurtful. On the trans-Atlantic cruise, Dorothy is often seen spying on Lorelei and other men – usually Gus or Piggie. Finally, the concluding shot of the film at the double wedding features Dorothy and Lorelei in the middle of the aisle with their grooms on either side of them. The camera zooms in just enough to cut the men out of the frame and ends with the two women smiling at each other. Certainly, the two women have gotten what they set out for. Certainly, it’s a cute way to end the film. But it’s also suggestive that the two women can’t let go of one another, and the fact that it’s suggested front and center at a wedding at least continues Hawks’ pattern of homoerotic hints, if not more than that. In the end it seems unlikely that Gentlemen Prefer Blondes actually subverts traditional cinema, at least in Mulveyan terms. The film is set up for the visual pleasure of male viewers, even if it toys with flipping traditional notions on their heads.

In a statement about the film, Hawks himself noted that he had the women continue to walk up and down the stairs during dance numbers simply because the men on the set enjoyed watching them do so. The title, in addition, insinuates class elitism, racism, and sexism; as if only “gentleman” have good taste and white “blondes” are the only thing worth tasting. The fact that we’re talking about the 50s, though, means that the film deserves a lot of credit for at the very least pointing out the one-sided nature of conventional cinema and the fact that the tables can be turned. I do. dOc DVD Review: Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953) 20th Century Fox presents Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953) "Because, if a girl is spending all of her time worrying about the money that she doesn't have... how is she going to have time for being in love?

I want you to find happiness and stop having fun." - Lorelei Lee (Marilyn Monroe) Stars: Marilyn Monroe, Jane Russell Other Stars: Charles Coburn, Elliot Reid, Tommy Noonan Director: Howard Hawks MPAA Rating: Not Rated for (nothing objectionable) Run Time: 01h:31m:18s Release Date: May 29, 2001 UPC: 024543014249 C- DVD Review The second of Marilyn Monroe's 1953 triple play that made her a star, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, is a much loved musical in which she co-stars as the irrepressible Lorelei Lee with Jane Russell, who plays the sensible Dorothy Shaw. This film is pure entertainment, mostly singing and dancing riding along atop a fairly uncomplicated plot line. Monroe's Lorelei is engaged to the son of a rich man, Gus Esmond, and the plan is to be married in Paris after a transatlantic ocean voyage. But Esmond's father changes the plan so that Lorelei will make the trip accompanied by her friend and singing partner Dorothy, as a sort of test of her suitability for his son.

Marilyn is very attractive in this lightweight role, the character by which ultimately she is defined in many people's minds. It remains one of the most memorable of her portrayals, and the sequence of her performance of Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend is embedded in the pop culture of our country. Elliot Reed plays Detective Malone, whose job is to get whatever goods on Lorelei that he can, so that the father of Esmond can prevent the marriage between her and his son. He proceeds by romancing Dorothy, and ultimately snaps a compromising photo of Lorelei and Lord Francis "Piggy" Beakman, who attracted her attention when it is revealed that he is the owner of a diamond mine. Dorothy is played by Jane Russell, who made her film debut in the notorious Howard Hughes project The Outlaw in 1943. It is interesting how many actresses of that era had such large star reputations built on such flimsy filmic resumes. Russell made very few major films in her career; mostly Bob Hope vehicles. She appeared in the sequel to Gentlemen Prefer Blondes in 1955 called Gentlemen Marry Brunettes.

Here she shows off her significant star power, and among some very good numbers, particularly interesting is her take-off on Marilyn's Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend in a trial sequence. The somewhat overly cutesy story is really just a vehicle for the two female stars to preen and pose between musical numbers, but these production numbers are great fun and very enjoyable for any fan of musicals. The original novel and play was written by Anita Loos and was first brought the screen in a silent version in 1928. The story definitely seems to be a dated curio in our era, and probably was a little creaky for the audience of the 1950s. This film was directed by the respected Howard Hawks, who, besides the aforementioned Outlaw, directed other well-regarded American films such as Red River, The Big Sleep, His Girl Friday and Sergeant York. Hawk directed Monroe in two small parts just prior to Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, including a cameo in O. Henry's Full House, and her memorable supporting role in Monkey Business. Hawks and Marilyn locked horns in this production.

After dealing with Marilyn's request for retakes, Hawks reportedly told Fox executives how production could be sped up: "three wonderful ideas: Replace Marilyn, rewrite the script and make it shorter, and get a new director." Rating for Style: B- One Sheet Post Card One Sheet Extras Review: The extras are limited on Gentlemen Prefer Blondes with a Movietone News clip: Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell in Cement (48s) showing the two stars adding their impressions to the Graumann's Chinese Theater. Alebit short, it is, however, a sweet bit of Hollywood Americana. Additionally, there is a post card and one sheet in the souvenirs on this disc. Extras Grade: C- Final Comments Gentlemen Prefer Blondes is definitely a memorable piece of American Film entertainment. Not a particularly great film, and not even a particularly great musical, it still contains a spunky performance by Jane Russell and an effervescent performance by Marilyn Monroe. Not the centerpiece of The Diamond Collection, but a worthy addition nonetheless.

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes on iTunes Average Rating: 7.8/10 Top Critics' Reviews Fresh: 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. Call it inherent magnetism. Call it luxurious coquetry. Call it whatever you fancy. – Bosley Crowther, New York Times, Mar 16, 2016 Fresh: A strong play to the sophisticated dialog and situations is given by Howard Hawks' direction and he maintains the racy air that brings the musical off excellently at a pace that helps cloak the fact that it's rather lightweight, but sexy, stuff. – William Brogdon, Variety, Jul 7, 2010 Fresh: There's more warmth in [Russell's] fondly bemused looks at Monroe, whose friendship is a front-row ticket to the best show in town. – Nick Pinkerton, Village Voice, Aug 3, 2010 Fresh: Howard Hawks adds sly sexual insinuation to the blatantly sexual antics of Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell in this scintillating 1953 adaptation of the stage musical based on Anita Loos's novel.

– Richard Brody, New Yorker, Jan 25, 2016

Question: Who directed The Big Sleep and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes?
Answer: Howard Hawks