Film Forum

U.S., 1953
Directed by Howard Hawks
Starring Marilyn Monroe, Jane Russell
Approx. 91 min.

“Suppose the ship hits an iceberg and sinks. Which one of them do you save from drowning?” “Those girls couldn’t drown.” Marilyn Monroe’s Lorelei Lee warbles “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend” amid human chandeliers and candelabra, and clashing color scheme of cerise and scarlet, while Jane Russell perplexedly queries “Ain’t There Anyone Here for Love?” as indifferent muscle-bound bodybuilders work out. Yes, it’s Gold Diggers of 1953, with 75-year-old Charles Coburn as the mining king in pursuit of Lorelei. As legendarily difficult as ever with Hawks, Monroe bonded with Russell, and only came late once for song and dance sessions with demanding choreographer Jack Cole, who ended up basically directing the musical numbers—40% of the picture. “The opening shot—Russell and Monroe in sequins standing against a screaming red drape—is enough to knock you out at your seat, and the audacity barely lets up from there.” – Dave Kehr

Reviews

“The setup could as easily spark a film noir as a musical comedy; the flamboyant use of color, mainly fiery reds and sumptuous purples, masks the potential for blackmail and betrayal.”
– Richard Brody, The New Yorker