The film follows two showgirls who both go on a cruise to Paris after one of them deals with an engagement with another man is halted because of his father where they hope to find a rich man. It is a film with a simple premise as it plays into these two showgirls who are best friends despite their different personalities as they go on a cruise to Paris in the hopes of getting rich and meeting men as one of them prefers to find a good looking man no matter if he is wealthy. Charles Lederer’s screenplay is straightforward as it plays into the adventures of Lorelei Lee (Marilyn Monroe) and Dorothy Shaw (Jane Russell) as they’re both showgirls who are hoping to get a financial break as the former is engaged to Gus Esmond Jr. (Tommy Noonan) who is smitten with Lee though his father (Taylor Holmes) is convinced that Lee is a gold-digger.
Esmond Sr. hires a private detective in Ernie Malone (Elliott Reid) to tail Lee and Shaw as the two go on a cruise to Paris with Gus’ money as well as credit they would get from Gus upon arriving in Paris. Malone would bump into Shaw as the two would fall for each other despite Malone doing his job where he would catch Lee flirting with Sir Francis “Piggy” Beekman (Charles Coburn) who owns a diamond mine where Lee’s interactions with him would lead to trouble. Even as Piggy’s wife Lady Beekman (Norma Varden) is carrying a priceless tiara that Lee wants as their arrival to Paris would lead to chaos.
Howard Hawks’ direction is lavish in not just some of the set pieces but it is also filled with gorgeous imagery in its overall presentation. Shot on location at the studio backlot of 20th Century Fox in Los Angeles, Hawks uses a lot of wide and medium shots for some of the film’s set pieces whether it’s the dining area in the cruise ship as well as the pool room in the cruise where a group of American Olympians are training. Notably as he would let the camera move around during a musical performance in a scene where Shaw sings where Hawks allows the camera to capture as much space but also follow Shaw every time she moves. There are also moments when Hawks does maintain some intimacy in the medium shots and close-ups as it relates to characters interacting with one another or in a conversation. It adds to not just some of the humorous moments but also in the drama where both Lee and Shaw deal with their respective situations upon their arrival to Paris in the film’s third act. Especially as the former has gained possession of something that would later get her and Malone in trouble though she got it through a misunderstanding.
Hawks’ direction also maintain this sense of humor as there is that element of misdirection as it plays into some of the drama while the big musical number where Lee sings Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend has so much happening. Largely due to the work of choreographer Jack Cole who would direct the sequence as there is a lot of attention to detail in the compositions and the rhythm of the music. It adds to some of the dramatic suspense over Lee’s moral position and what she does want and how Shaw is willing to help her as long as she gets something out of it. Overall, Hawks crafts an exciting and lively film about two women trying to find love and happiness with some diamonds along the way.
Cinematographer Harry J. Wild does brilliant work with the film’s Technicolor photography in creating vibrant colors for many of its interior scenes including some of the musical set pieces along with some additional photographic visual effects by Ray Kellogg for a few exterior scenes on the cruise ship. Editor Hugh S. Fowler does amazing work with the editing as it has this air of fluidity in the musical numbers as well as some rhythmic cuts for some of the film’s comedic moments. Art directors Lyle R. Wheeler and Joseph C. Wright, along with set decorator Claude E. Carpenter, do excellent work with the look of the cruise ship interiors including its rooms, dining hall, and indoor pool room as well as the stage shows for some of the musical performances. Costume designer Travilla does incredible work with the design of the gowns that the women wear including the iconic pink gown that Lee wears for her big performance.
The makeup work of Ben Nye and Alan Snyder do terrific work with the look of the women in their musical numbers as well as the look of Piggy. The sound work of Roger Heman Sr. and E. Clayton Ward is superb as it play into the atmosphere of some of the locations as well as how things sound from afar in some scenes. The film’s music by Hoagy Carmichael, Harold Adamson, Jule Styne, and Leo Robin is wonderful for its sumptuous orchestral score as well as the songs that are performed in the film as it is a major highlight of the film.
The film’s marvelous ensemble cast feature some notable small roles from Steven Geray as the hotel manager in Paris, Marcel Dalio as a magistrate in Paris, Taylor Holmes as Gus’ father Esmond Sr., Norma Varden as Lady Beekman who doesn’t like Lee, and George Winslow as a young heir that Lee hoped to pursue only to realize that something is wrong. Tommy Noonan is fantastic as Gus Esmond Jr. as Lee’s boyfriend who is smitten with her as well as funding her trip to Paris as he tries to deal with his father who objects to their relationship. Elliott Reid is excellent as Ernie Malone as this private detective who tails Lee while falling for Shaw where it creates some conflict for him despite the fact that he is hired by Esmond Sr. to do his job. Charles Coburn is amazing as Sir Francis “Piggy” Beekman as this diamond mine owner who is smitten with Lee to the point that he would later put her and Shaw in trouble.
Finally, there’s the duo of Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell in tremendous performances in their respective roles as Lorelei Lee and Dorothy Shaw. Monroe brings a sense of charisma and wit to her performance as Lee who seems like this foolish showgirl who isn’t smart but she uses it as a front as someone who is way more clever while being entertaining figure with Marni Nixon providing some vocal dubs in Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend. Russell’s performance as Shaw is fun to watch with some of the zingers she brings in as she is the smarter of the two women when it comes to planning but is also someone who is less interested in getting a rich man but rather a strong and caring man. Monroe and Russell together are a joy to watch in the way they use their different personalities together while being these lively performers who also bring in a lot of fun and comedic timing.
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes is a spectacular film from Howard Hawks that features great leading performances from Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell. Along with its supporting ensemble cast, simple yet effective premise, gorgeous visuals, and an amazing music soundtrack with some incredible musical numbers. It is a film that is full of humor but it is also about female friendship while they go on a quest for men and diamonds. In the end, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes is a sensational film from Howard Hawks.
Howard Hawks Films: (The Road to Glory) - (Fig Leaves) - (Cradle Snatchers) - (Paid to Love) - (A Girl in Every Port (1928 film)) - (Fazil) - (The Air Circus) - (Trent’s Last Case (1929 film)) - (The Dawn Patrol (1930)) - (The Criminal Code) – Scarface (1932 film) - (The Crowd Roars (1932 film)) - (Tiger Shark) - (Today We Live) - (The Prizefighter and the Lady) - (Viva Villa!) - (Twentieth Century) - (Barbary Coast) - (Ceiling Zero) - (The Road to Glory) - (Come and Get It) – Bringing Up Baby - (Only Angels Have Wings) - (His Girl Friday) - (Sergeant York) - (Ball of Fire) - (Air Force) - (To Have and Have Not) - (The Big Sleep (1946 film)) - (The Outlaw) – Red River - (A Song is Born) - (I Was a Male War Bride) - (The Big Sky) - (Monkey Business) - (O Henry’s Full House) - (Gentlemen Prefer Blondes) - (Land of the Pharaohs) – Rio Bravo - (Hatari!) - (Man’s Favorite Sport?) - (Red Line 7000) - (El Dorado) - (Rio Lobo)
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The film revolves around a carny who joins a carnival where he learns about a performance where he can know things as he falls for another performer where they create an act that gets the attention of a psychiatrist who would play into his downfall. It is a film that explores a man wanting to scheme his way into getting riches through the world of carnivals where he would play a part in helping a performer following an unfortunate event while falling for another performer whom he would help. Jules Furthman’s screenplay is straightforward in its narrative yet it is more about the schemes and journey of its protagonist Stanton “Stan” Carlisle (Tyrone Power) who is first seen as a carnival barker as he looks around where he notices an act performed by Zeena (Joan Blondell) who has the mental ability to know what is on that person’s mind as it is an act that she perfected with her alcoholic husband Pete (Ian Keith).
Stan befriends and woos Zeena but also notices that Pete is becoming unreliable where Stan would take over for Pete as he would use Zeena’s code and methods for his own show with another carnival performer in Molly (Coleen Gray). Upon taking his act with Molly to the cities and the big time, Stan becomes successful but he also gets the attention of the renowned psychiatrist in Lilith Ritter (Helen Walker) who decides to work with Stan based on recordings of her sessions as part of a bigger scheme that Molly doesn’t approve of. Even as it would play into the idea of faith and those who are ravaged in grief where the script play into the morals of trying to manipulate people with knowledge as it would play into Stan’s own downfall.
Edmund Goulding’s direction does have some style in some of the imagery and compositions that he creates from the craziness of the carnival circuits to the lavish world of the cities. Shot largely on location in California with a few bits in Chicago, Goulding creates a film that play into the contrasting world of the carnivals and the more high-class shows that Stan would play to a posh crowd. There are wide shots to play into the locations and places that the characters are where Goulding knows where to place the camera to get a look into what someone in the audience is seeing or an incident that Stan is witnessing. There are also medium shots and close-ups that play into some of the conversations including moments of Stan trying to flirt with a woman or moments that are dramatic as it play into some of the suspense in how Stan deals with his schemes and trying to manipulate people claiming he knows something about them as much of it is a guess. Goulding’s direction also play up this air of style in the way he play into presentation of the circus for some of the scenes at night such as the scene where Stan bullshits a local sheriff who was about to arrest Molly for indecent exposure.
Goulding’s direction would become stylized when Stan meets Lilith as she would take part in a scheme as a way to make money but also push Stan to his limits. Notably in a scene involving a man in a skeptic in Ezra Grindle (Taylor Holmes) following a performance where Molly is reluctantly involved as it is a key moment that begins the film’s third act. It would push the limits of what is moral and immoral as Stan is an immoral figure of sorts but even he would have his limits as he definitely found a match in Lilith who proves to be far more immoral as well as someone who is smarter than Stan in this idea of human nature. Overall, Goulding crafts an intoxicating yet eerie film about a carny who schemes is way to stardom and success only to meet his match in a devilish shrink.
Cinematographer Lee Garmes does incredible work with the film’s black-and-white cinematography with its stylish usage of shadows and light for some of the exterior scenes at night in the circus along with some vibrant lighting for the interior scenes in some of the posh shows that Stan and Molly perform at. Editor Barbara MacLean does excellent work with the editing as it is straightforward with some rhythmic cuts for some of the film’s dramatic and suspenseful moments. Art directors J. Russell Spencer and Lyle Wheeler, with set decorator Thomas Little, do amazing work with the look of the circus sets as well as the posh places and such that Stan and Molly would be in along with Lilith’s home apartment.
Costume designer Bonnie Cashin does fantastic work with the design of the costumes in the clothes that Zeena and Molly wear in their performances along with the stylish clothes of Lilith as well as the tuxedo that Stan wears in his performances. The sound work of Roger Heman Sr. and E. Clayton Ward do superb work with the sound as it play into the atmosphere of the carnivals with its crowd and such to the eerie and quiet moment during the scene where Stan tries to scheme Grindle. The film’s music by Cyril Mockridge is wonderful for its orchestral score that ranges from soaring and intense to play into the suspense as well as some somber pieces for the dramatic moments.
The film’s marvelous ensemble cast feature some notable small roles from Julia Dean as an old woman who is enchanted by Stan, James Burke as a sheriff, and Roy Roberts as a carnival owner late in the film. Ian Keith is terrific as Zeena’s alcoholic husband Pete as a man who helped perfect Zeena’s act but is burned out while Mike Mazurki is superb as Bruno as a carnival performer who is protective of everyone as he doesn’t trust Stan. Taylor Holmes is fantastic as Ezra Grindle as a posh friend of Lilith who is skeptical of Stan’s gifts while is also someone who is still dealing with his own crises of faith. Helen Walker is excellent as Lilith Ritter as a psychiatrist who is intrigued by Stan’s performances as she decides to take part in his scheme where Blondell displays a lot of charm to a woman who is truly a cunning and devious figure who is smarter than Stan.
Coleen Gray is brilliant as Molly as a young performer who joins Stan in his act while she is someone who is also a moral compass as she becomes troubled by his schemes as she felt that their act owes a lot to what Zeena has done. Joan Blondell is amazing as Zeena as a performer who has mastered the gift of manipulation in knowing people’s secrets while is also protective of her craft while lamenting over her husband’s issues. Finally, there’s Tyrone Power in a phenomenal performance as Stanton “Stan” Carlisle as a carny who is eager to make some big cash and do more as he charms his way to get what he wants as well as create the ultimate show only to later cope with guilt and the fact that he has gone too far in his schemes as it is a dark yet charismatic performance from Power in one of his career-defining performances.
Nightmare Alley is a sensational film from Edmund Goulding that features a great leading performance from Tyrone Power. Along with its ensemble cast, dazzling visuals, themes of morality and the power of knowledge to manipulate, and its sumptuous music score. It is a film noir suspense-drama that play into the fallacies of ambition as well as a man trying to manipulate those only to meet his match in someone far more immoral. In the end, Nightmare Alley is a spectacular film from Edmund Goulding.
Related: Nightmare Alley (2021 film)
Edmund Goulding Films: (Sun-Up) – (Sally, Irene and Mary) – (Paris (1926 film)) – (Women Love Diamonds) – (Love (1927 film)) – (The Trespasser) – (The Devil’s Holiday) – (Reaching for the Moon) – (Grand Hotel) – (Blondie of the Follies) – (Riptide) – (The Flame Within) – (That Certain Woman) – (White Banners) – (The Dawn Patrol) – (Dark Victory) – (The Old Maid) – (We Are Not Alone (1939 film)) – (‘Til We Meet Again) – (The Great Lie) – (Forever and a Day) – (The Constant Nymph) – (Claudia (1943 film)) – (Of Human Bondage) – (The Razor’s Edge (1946 film)) – (Everybody Does It) – (Mister 880) – (We’re Not Married!) – (Down Among the Sheltering Palms) – (Teenage Rebel) – (Mardi Gras)
© thevoid99 2021
