Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953 Howard Hawks)

How I managed to talk my way into putting this on I have no idea - well, I guess by simply saying 'Marilyn Monroe, Howard Hawks'. I've gotta say I didn't rate her dialogue scenes at all - have seen her much better and more convincing in earlier roles - however there's no denying when she goes into the va va voom moments, you've been properly va va voomed.

Jane Russell does rather better in enormously entertaining comedy-musical, which doesn't have that many songs (also to its credit). We particularly loved the scene with Maz stuck halfway though porthole and little scene-stealer George Winslow (also in Hawks' Monkey Business) helping her out.

Despite Hawks' reputation for making strong male dominated films (Only Angels Have Wings, Rio Bravo) there's no denying that he loves making men look ridiculous - here Elliott Reid in negligee. (And think Rock Hudson trying to fish in Man's Favourite Sport, Cary Grant in drag in I Was a Male War Bride..)

Very colourfully photographed by Harry Wild. With Charles Coburn, Tommy Noonan, Marcel Dalio, Taylor Holmes, Norma Varden.

The women are definitely in control here - I bet Hawks' wife was great... Ah, I see he was married three times. Well, I bet they were all great.

Another Hawks connection - Hoagey Carmichael wrote some of the songs.