Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

Duration:

91 min

Genres:

Comedy | Musical | Romance

IMDB rate:

7.3

Director:

Howard Hawks

Awards:

1 nomination

Details

Country: USA

Filming Locations: Stage 3, 20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Earnings

Gross: $12,000,000 (USA) Rentals $5,100,000 (USA)

Cast

Actor

Character

Marilyn Monroe

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

Jane Russell

Dorothy Shaw

Charles Coburn

Sir Francis 'Piggy' Beekman

Elliott Reid

Ernie Malone

Tommy Noonan

Gus Esmond Jr.

George Winslow

Henry Spofford III

Marcel Dalio

Magistrate

Taylor Holmes

Mr. Esmond Sr.

Norma Varden

Lady Beekman

Howard Wendell

Watson

Steven Geray

Hotel Manager

Alex Akimoff

Captain of Waiters (uncredited)

Aladdin

Musician (uncredited)

Patricia Barker

Small Role (uncredited)

Virginia Bates

Chorus Girl (uncredited)

Wallace Bickmore

Small Role (uncredited)

Herman Boden

Chorus Boy (uncredited)

Julio Bonini

Small Role (uncredited)

Jack Boyle

Passenger (uncredited)

Harris Brown

Small Role (uncredited)

Edward C. Browne

Small Role (uncredited)

William Cabanne

Sims (uncredited)

Peter Camlin

Gendarme (uncredited)

Harry Carey Jr.

Winslow - Olympic Team (uncredited)

George Chakiris

Chorus Boy (uncredited)

Jack Chefe

Proprietor (uncredited)

John Close

Coach (uncredited)

Harold E. Coates

Small Role (uncredited)

Robert Cole

Small Role (uncredited)

Joan Collenette

Chorus Girl (uncredited)

Gene Dailey

Small Role (uncredited)

Becky Davis

Small Role (uncredited)

Drusilla Davis

Chorus Girl (uncredited)

George Davis

Pierre - Cab Driver (uncredited)

Jean De Briac

Gendarme (uncredited)

Charles De Ravenne

Purser (uncredited)

George Dee

Gendarme (uncredited)

Josette Deegan

French Stewardess (uncredited)

Jean Del Val

Ship's Captain

Frank Dernhammer

Small Role (uncredited)

Bobby Diamond

Small Role (uncredited)

Deena Dikkers

Hotel Clerk (uncredited)

Jack Dodds

Chorus Boy (uncredited)

Arthur Dulac

Small Role (uncredited)

Bess Flowers

Chez Louis Nightclub Patron (uncredited)

George Ford

Small Role (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

Passenger (uncredited)

A. Cameron Grant

Small Role (uncredited)

Bennett Green

Waiter (uncredited)

Stanley Hall

Chorus Boy (uncredited)

John Hedloe

Olympic Team Member (uncredited)

Chuck Hicks

Olympic Team Member (uncredited)

Casse Jaeger

Chorus Boy (uncredited)

Richard Kean

Small Role (uncredited)

Dorothy Kellogg

Passenger (uncredited)

Colin Kenny

Wedding Guest (uncredited)

Larry Kert

Chorus Boy (uncredited)

Tommy Ladd

Chorus Boy (uncredited)

Richard LaMarr

Small Role (uncredited)

Judy Landon

Chorus Girl (uncredited)

Lisa Lang

Small Role (uncredited)

Joan Larkin

Chorus Girl (uncredited)

Henri Letondal

Grotier (uncredited)

Ray Long

Small Role (uncredited)

Shirley Lopez

Chorus Girl (uncredited)

Herb Lurie

Chorus Boy (uncredited)

Warren Mace

Passenger (uncredited)

Johnny Marlin

Small Role (uncredited)

Alphonse Martell

Headwaiter (uncredited)

Erin Martin

Small Role (uncredited)

Matt Mattox

Chorus Boy (uncredited)

Reed Maxcy

Small Role (uncredited)

Ray Montgomery

Peters - Olympic Team (uncredited)

Alvy Moore

Winston - Olympic Team (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)

Robert Nichols

Evans (uncredited)

Ron Nyman

Chorus Boy (uncredited)

Gayle Pace

Olympic Team Member (uncredited)

Alfred Paix

Pierre (uncredited)

Stephen Papich

French Waiter (uncredited)

Ralph Peters

Passport Official (uncredited)

Manuel Petroff

Chorus Boy (uncredited)

Frank Radcliffe

Chorus Boy (uncredited)

Ellen Ray

Chorus Girl (uncredited)

Steve Reeves

Olympic Team Member (uncredited)

Barry Regan

Passenger (uncredited)

Jack Regas

Chorus Boy (uncredited)

Mel Robin

Small Role (uncredited)

John Robinson

Small Role (uncredited)

Don M. Rosenstock

Small Role (uncredited)

James H. Russell

Olympic Team Member (uncredited)

Loulette Sablon

Small Role (uncredited)

Rolfe Sedan

Waiter (uncredited)

Harry Seymour

Louie - Captain of Waiters (uncredited)

Peggy Smith

Passenger (uncredited)

Roberta Stevenson

Chorus Girl (uncredited)

Robert Street

Chorus Boy (uncredited)

F. Philip Sylvestre

Steward (uncredited)

Charles Tannen

Ed - Malone's Contact (uncredited)

Marlina Tepel

Small Role (uncredited)

Lee Theodore

Chorus Boy (uncredited)

Arthur Tovey

Stagehand (uncredited)

Ray Weaver

Chorus Boy (uncredited)

Dick Wessel

Chez Louis Nightclub Patron (uncredited)

Leo Wheeler

Chorus Boy (uncredited)

Marc Wilder

Chorus Boy (uncredited)

Max Willenz

Court Clerk (uncredited)

Don Wilson

Trailer Narrator (voice) (uncredited)

James Young

Stevens - Olympic Team (uncredited)

Did you know?

Trivia

In her very last interview, (10 years after making "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes,") Marilyn Monroe recalls the lack of respect studio execs had for her, but makes a point of mentioning co-star, Jane Russell: "I remember when I got the part in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. Jane Russell, she was the brunette in it and I was the blond. She got $200,000 for it, and I got my $500 a week, but that to me was, you know, considerable. She by the way, was quite wonderful to me."

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Marilyn Monroe wears a gold lame' evening dress previously worn by Ginger Rogers in Dreamboat (1952).

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The ship model shown is the one used previously in Titanic (1953) and was refurbished to resemble the SS Ile de France, which is clearly named in the film. The model (2009) resides in a Marine Museum in Falls River, Massachusetts. Some of the ocean liner sets used were also left over from "Titanic".

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Goofs

When the ship is shown docking, the tops of the funnels have a wide red band but, seconds later, when the whistle is shown blowing, they are entirely black.

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As Dorothy and Lorelei walk to their dressing room after the opening number, Lorelei removes her hat with her right hand. When they enter the dressing room, the hat is in Lorelei's left hand.

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Lorelei has slender hands with long fingers and her nails are manicured. But, when she pulls the roll of film out of Ernie's pants, her hand is short with thick fingers and her nails are cut.

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Quotes

Lorelei Lee: Excuse me, but what is the way to Europe, France?

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Lady Beekman: You might be interested in my tiara. I always carry it with me. Afraid to leave it in the stateroom.

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Lorelei Lee: I've been wondering, what is your line, Mr. Malone?

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Faq

Q

Is there a Cinemascope version of the 'Diamonds' Number?

A

Yes. A separate version of the number was filmed in CinemaScope and used to demonstrate the new process to Fox exhibitors. (This probably occurred in the spring of 1953.) The sequence was put back into the Fox vault for a decade, then exhumed for the documentary film MARILYN. While the staging is close to identical, this version is perhaps just a tiny bit less smooth than that in the final film--not surprising since it was not intended to be seen by a mass audience. One giveaway will come with a close look at Monroe's hair, which becomes disheveled in different places in the two numbers.

Q

Was Marilyn Monroe a natural blonde?

A

Monroe was not a natural blonde. It is clear in her early modelling photographs taken in the mid 1940's that she had light brown hair. She was asked by her agency in 1947 to bleach her hair because there was a high demand for blonde models and because Monroe was keen to take work she decided it would be worthwhile. Throughout her life she was many shades of blonde but at the time of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes her hair was platinum.

Q

Were Monroe and Russell bitter rivals?

A

Despite rumours at the time the two actresses become close friends. Fox thought it would pay off if there were publicity regarding their friendship and create a feud between the two women. Monroe and Russell were able to laugh these rumours off and to those present on the set it was clear there was nothing but friendship between the two. An example of this would be that Russell would not come onto the set without Monroe, she knew how nervous Monroe was at starring in her first big budget musical and she would pick her up from her dressing room and the two would walk hand in hand to the set.

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