Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (U)

Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell sparkle like diamonds in this classic Technicolor musical.

Lorelei Lee and Dorothy Shaw are glamorous showgirls and friends with the world at their feet. One’s blonde, the other brunette, and the pair have contrasting – though similarly exacting – standards for what they want in a man.

On a mission to find love and their fortunes, the pair set sail on a luxury liner for France. But they hit choppy waters when they attract the attentions of a manipulative private detective, an elderly millionaire and the entire US gymnastics team.

Despite the rivalry and passivity implied in its title, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes is a joyous story of female friendship and women taking control of their own lives.

Thanks to sparkling central performances from Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell, and all of the trappings of a classic Technicolor musical – Monroe’s rendition of Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend is an iconic moment of popular culture – the film rises above its chauvinistic set-up to deliver a light-footed satire on gender roles.