Not quite the cheesecake farce the ads made it out to be, this tuneful adaptation of the musical stage hit (via Anita Loos' book) is a very good comic vehicle for Marilyn Monroe, ostensibly playing a mercenary ditz--but with a brain after all. Pal Jane Russell gets most of the sarcastic lines, yet when it's Marilyn's turn to deliver a put-down, she does it dryly and delightfully. MM's rapport with Russell is carefully manufactured (they never step on each other's lines); still, they're a colorful showgirl team, cruising to Paris and tangling with a rich old coot and a private detective. Fox musical has costume changes galore (curiously with many of them in black), although the snappy witticisms can only take the picture so far. It runs out of steam in the final reel (right about the time Russell impersonates Monroe in court, an idea which falls flat). For most of the sojourn, a fast-paced frolic with funny retorts, enjoyable bits of nutty business, and Monroe singing "Diamond's Are a Girl's Best Friend". She may be a man-trap, but she's a savvy one. *** from ****
Review of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
