Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (Howard Hawks, 1953)

Underrated, neglected or overlooked even by the most conspicuous Hawks fans, this happy, colorful and buoyant musical comedy – or rather, comedy with song & dance numbers, staged by Jack Cole – is, in my mind, one of the most representative of Howard Hawks’ personality in a rare occasion when he seems freed of telling tales about men.

Forget the title, no doubt a remnant from the Anita Loos original story, but which bears no relation to the film. Here we have two very different but equally beautiful and lively women, Lorelei Lee (Marilyn Monroe) and Dorothy Shaw (Jane Russell), which are a joy to watch – walking, dancing, singing, jokingly or mockingly seductive – but not at all as pretty objects but instead as real live human beings, serious, intelligent (despite appearances and rumors or assumptions to the contrary), resourceful, imaginative and very funny.  And both clearly much better than their respective suitors, the very rich but very dumb Tommy Noonan for Marilyn, the not so bright and not too honest Elliott Reid for Jane, not to mention the senile Charles Coburn. In fact, the most intelligent male on the film is the 8-year-old kid played by George ‘Foghorn’ Winslow. The presence of Jane Russell (Marilyn had already appeared in Monkey Business the previous year) makes Gentlemen Prefer Blondes the Hawks movie nearest to Raoul Walsh, and therefore shows a more balanced, more open and healthier world.

It is also, visually, one of Hawks’ most beautiful, with the most sumptuous Technicolor palette, courtesy of unsung director of photography Harry J. Wild and Fox color consultant Leonard Doss.

It is well known that Hawks, since the late 30’s (unlike in his silents and in Scarface), does not move much his camera – but when he does, always for a reason, it’s really great. See, for instance, the majestic tracking shot which accompanies in perfect synchronicity Monroe & Russell as they walk to their ship cabin, followed by the US olympic team.

P.S. Do I imagine things, or may be Rivette recalled this film when he made Céline et Julie vont en bateau (1974)?

Texto no publicado. Quizás escrito para una presentación en el Festival de Bolonia de 2018.