Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (U)

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.