Today (June 1, 2026), marks the 100th anniversary of Norma Jeane Mortensen’s birth. Norma Jeane, of course, would be christened “Marilyn Monroe” in 1946. For the sake of clarity, I will refer to her as “Marilyn” from here on out. To say that Marilyn’s childhood was tumultuous and difficult would be an understatement. In 1942, at the age of 16, Marilyn married James Doughtery. They would be married for 4 years, until divorcing in 1946. Marilyn signed an acting contract in June of 1946. Husband Doughtery was against her having a career, and her contract stated that she needed to be unmarried, because they couldn’t risk her becoming pregnant. Marilyn filed for divorce, stating that the marriage didn’t make her unhappy, but it didn’t make her happy either. She was bored.
While the divorce sucked for James Dougherty, it was great for us as the audience, because it paved the way for Marilyn to become “Marilyn Monroe.” After toiling away in bit parts for a few years, memorably in 1950’s All About Eve and The Asphalt Jungle, Marilyn finally landed her star-making role in my favorite of her films, Howard Hawks’ Gentlemen Prefer Blondes in 1953. This film would cement the iconic Marilyn Monroe look and persona–the platinum blonde hair, figure hugging costumes, breathy voice, and sex appeal up the wazoo. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes also features what is perhaps one of the most iconic Marilyn Monroe moments of all time, perhaps only second to the subway grate scene in The Seven Year Itch, the “Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend” number featuring Marilyn in the bright pink strapless gown.
LORELAI: Don’t you know that a man being rich is like a girl being pretty? You wouldn’t marry a girl just because she’s pretty, but my goodness, doesn’t it help?
Marilyn Monroe in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
In Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Marilyn plays Lorelai Lee, a singer who travels from New York to Paris with her best friend, Dorothy Shaw (Jane Russell), via ocean liner. Lorelai and Dorothy are singers who are traveling to Paris for Lorelai’s upcoming wedding. She is engaged to the hilariously nerdy and wimpy, but wealthy, Gus Esmond Jr (Tommy Noonan). The senior Esmond, Gus’ father (Taylor Holmes), does not like or trust Lorelai (despite never having met her), as he thinks she’s a gold digger. Esmond Sr would be correct, as Lorelai is laser-focused on finding a wealthy husband who can keep her supplied in diamonds. Dorothy on the other hand, is more interested in finding someone she’s physically attracted to, regardless of his wealth.
Determined to prove that his dislike of Lorelai is warranted, Esmond Sr hires private detective, Ernie Malone (Elliott Reid), to spy on Lorelai and Dorothy and obtain evidence that Lorelai isn’t worthy of marrying his son. Esmond Jr asks Dorothy to keep an eye on Lorelai and keep her from doing anything that could break up their engagement. Also onboard the ocean liner are the wealthy Beakmans, “Piggy” (Charles Coburn) and his wife Lady Beakman (Norma Varden). Piggy owns a diamond mine and Lady Beakman has her diamond jewelry onboard, including a diamond tiara. Mr. Henry Spofford III and his valet are also onboard, leading to a hilarious scene where Lorelai discovers that he’s a child. Later Henry helps Marilyn out of a tight spot, literally, when she finds herself stuck inside a porthole window. Henry has a very funny voice for a child, it reminds me of Charlie Brown’s. Finally, the entire US Men’s Olympics Team is on the ship–which brings a lot of joy for Dorothy.
MR. ESMOND SR: Have you got the nerve to tell me you don’t want to marry my son for his money?
LORELAI: It’s true!
MR. ESMOND SR: Then what do you want to marry him for?
LORELAI: I want to marry him for your money!
Taylor Holmes and Marilyn Monroe in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.
Lorelai and Dorothy try to pass the time onboard, with Ernie tagging along trying to keep watch of them. One very funny scene has Dorothy and Lorelai trying to recover a roll of incriminating film from Ernie. In another scene, Piggy and Lorelai reenact a scene he saw while traveling in Africa: a python wrapping itself around a goat’s neck and strangling it until it dies. Piggy was the python and Lorelai was the goat. My favorite part of the movie actually doesn’t involve Lorelai, but it involves Dorothy watching the US Men’s Olympic Team work out (the men dressed to give the illusion of nudity) while she sings “Ain’t There Anyone Here for Love?”
DOROTHY: (singing) …I like big muscles and red corpuscles…
Jane Russell singing “Ain’t There Anyone Here for Love?” in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
Marilyn Monroe’s iconic “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend” number comes towards the end of the film after Lorelai and Dorothy have arrived in Paris. By now, Ernie’s report on Lorelai and Dorothy’s onboard shenanigans has made it back to Esmond Sr, who has canceled Lorelai and Dorothy’s line of credit that his son had promised them. Having spent all of their cash on clothes and other trinkets, Lorelai and Dorothy are broke. They are forced to find work at a local revue.
DOROTHY: Now let’s get this straight, Gus. The chaperone’s job is to see that nobody else has any fun. Nobody chaperones the chaperone. That’s why I’m so right for this job.
Jane Russell in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
Lorelai goes on stage in her bright pink, strapless gown to sing about not wanting rhinestones, only diamonds. This is a very striking musical number. It was a bold choice to juxtapose Marilyn’s bright pink dress against a bright red background–two colors that traditionally clash. The male background dancers, including a young George Chakiris, are made up to look like dignified ambassadors (with greying temples). The women in the number’s faces are covered with a black mesh, as they appear as part of the chandelier, as well as in pink dresses in a lighter tone than Marilyn’s.
Marilyn’s performance in “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend” is firmly cemented in pop culture, not just American, but dare I say, internationally. There are countless homages and imitations of Marilyn’s performance. In 1985, Madonna famously imitated Marilyn in her music video for “Material Girl.” At the 2024 Oscars, Ryan Gosling performed “I’m Just Ken” from my favorite 2023 film, Barbie. In 2001’s Moulin Rouge! Nicole Kidman’s Satine would memorably hang from a trapeze bar while crooning “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend.” Kidman is good, but she’s no Marilyn Monroe. Actually, I think I’d rather have heard her Moulin Rouge! co-star, Ewan McGregor, belt out the song. He would have killed it.
DOROTHY: Honey, did it ever occur to you that some people just don’t care about money?
LORELAI: Please, we’re talking serious here.
Jane Russell and Marilyn Monroe in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
William Travilla’s costumes in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes are fantastic. Aside from Marilyn’s hot pink dress, there are a lot of other great outfits. I love Jane Russell’s outfit she wears in my favorite number “Ain’t There Anyone Here for Love?” She wears a very chic black jumpsuit with a black buffalo plaid coat with yellow lapels, and some fantastic turquoise earrings. The opening musical number outfits, the matching red sequined gowns with the deep V-neck that Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell wear are amazing. The fit is perfection. My husband and I saw these dresses at the Academy Museum a few years ago, and they were just as fantastic in person as they are in the film. I also loved the outfit Marilyn wears when she and Piggy are reenacting the python and goat bit. She dons a long sleeved teal top with a deep V-neck portrait neckline with sapphire blue slacks and a purple sash around the waist. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes is truly a feast for the eyes.
I love Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. I have seen it many many times. I’ve seen it in the theater. I never tire of it. It’s such a fun movie. Marilyn and Jane are both fantastic. The songs are fantastic. The performances are fantastic. The costumes are fantastic. Everything is perfection.
HENRY SPOFFORD III: Alright I’ll help you. I’ll help you for two reasons.
LORELAI: Never mind the reasons. Just help me.
HENRY SPOFFORD III: The first reason is I’m too young to be sent to jail. The second reason is you’ve got a lot of animal magnetism.
George Winslow and Marilyn Monroe in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes is the ultimate buddy comedy and perhaps romance (without the “romance”). Lorelai and Dorothy are so devoted to one another, with Dorothy even impersonating Lorelai at one point to get her out of a spot. I’ve read some other interpretations of the ending of this film, featuring the dual wedding of Lorelai and Dorothy, that the two women are actually marrying each other; but had to have the men in the scene due to the production code. While I don’t think there’s any romantic interest between Lorelai and Dorothy, these two women have a bond and a friendship. I also love that the ending features a chorus singing the “Diamond’s Are a Girl’s Best Friend” song. It reminds me of the ending of a Disney princess movie, just like the wedding ending. I’d like to think that Dorothy and Lorelai live happily ever after–regardless of how their respective marriages turn out.
Along with Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Marilyn would also make How to Marry a Millionaire and Niagara in 1953. If she had only made one of those films, she would have been an instant star; but she made all three. Aside from these films, Marilyn would also make an iconic appearance in The Seven Year Itch, a film that I don’t particularly enjoy, but there’s no doubt that Marilyn is fantastic in it and in my opinion, the only reason to watch it. Marilyn standing over the subway grate as her iconic pleated white halter dress flies up around her cemented her legacy as a Hollywood legend (much to husband Joe DiMaggio’s chagrin, but whatever). She would also appear in other films like Some Like it Hot and The Prince and the Showgirl.
DOROTHY: He looks like he’s going to explode.
ERNIE MALONE: What was that?
LORELAI: Just equal parts of Scotch, Vodka, Brandy, and Gin!
Jane Russell, Elliott Reid, and Marilyn Monroe in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
By 1961, Marilyn had tired of her sexpot image and wanted to do drama. Sadly, her last completed film, The Misfits, proved that Marilyn could have asserted herself as a good dramatic actress. She was not just a lightweight blonde bombshell. She was an actress. Unfortunately, her life was cut short, perhaps mysteriously, perhaps not, but I don’t want to speculate here. Had she been able to go on, I think Marilyn would have shocked everyone as the 1960s wore on, and she’d aged out of her “Marilyn Monroe” image, and turned into a gritty, dramatic actress. However, because she wasn’t given the opportunity, and passed away at the age of 36 in 1962, Marilyn Monroe will forever be remembered as the ultimate blond bombshell. People still try to emulate her, but they’ll never be her–there’s only one Marilyn Monroe.
MARILYN MONROE: I’ve never liked the name ‘Marilyn.’ I’ve often wished that I held out that day for ‘Jean Monroe.’ But I guess it’s too late to do anything about it now.
Happy 100th Birthday, Marilyn!
