Review of Marilyn Monroe: The Diamond Collection

Introduction

"A kiss on the hand ...", one of the songs from the film, yes we`re talking about Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. One of the most popular Monroe films and for me one of the most memorable.

Part of 20th Century Fox`s massive ten film set, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes is taken from the popular Broadway musical comedy and stars Monroe alongside Jane Russell. Based on Anita Loo`s 1920 story about single women on the lookout for husbands, this is Howard Hawks` take on it.

Monroe plays Lorelei Lee, a gold digging nightclub entertainer with her more sobering partner, Dorothy Shaw (Jane Russell). Lorelei is determined to marry someone rich so that she doesn`t have to worry about money and can live her life. This is in contrast to Dorothy who would much rather be with someone because she loves him regardless of wealth. They`re on passage to `Europe, France` (if you saw the film you`d know what I was talking about), because Lorelei`s romance with millionaire Gus Esmond flounders due to his father`s interference. Dorothy meanwhile is romanced by Malone who they don`t realise is actually a detective hired by Esmond, Snr. to keep an eye on Lorelei and any potential scandal.

Things turn for the worse, and sure enough there`s a scandal, involving Lord Beeky and diamonds, which land the girls into bother once they reach Paris. On top of this, Dorothy`s finds out about Malone`s real purpose and dumps him, though she thinks she may have fallen for him.

The scandal works against the girls, so our troublesome twosome have no money and end up entertaining in a club where the that spectacular number about diamonds and best friends is played out. Could things get any worse?

Video

Presented with a 4:3 fullframe colour transfer, I have to say that I was impressed by the quality of the image. Fox have gone to quite some length in restoring the film and it shows throughout. The colours are vivid and rich, perfectly echoing the period and are balanced against a good showing of black. Detail is impressive and the only thing that brings you down with a bump is the normal film dirt that you get from a 50 year old movie! There`s not a lot of it here to be concerned about though so well done to the restoration crew!

Audio

We have the original 2 channel sound with four other audio language tracks. The English sounds good and solid without a hint of distortion. I think you automatically forgive the fact that there`s no fancy surround mix here, the songs play well enough from the front that you can ignore the need for surround. Besides, if you have DSP modes on your amp you can always try something to envelop you with music.

Features

Gorgeous looking static menus lead to a wealth of subtitle options (19!) and five language audio tracks. This seems to be the case with a lot of Fox DVDs which is something to be commended, though you can`t switch these on the fly and have to keep coming back to the menu to make your selection. Of the extras, there`s a trailer, Movietone clip, Film Restoration information and two film posters of the period.

The Movietone clip just shows Monroe and Russell signing the concrete outside Mann`s Chinese Theatre in LA, the trailer is the usual mood setting piece for the film which doesn`t really spoil much at all, while the film restoration sequence explains how Fox are able to restore the film and shows us a split screen comparison. Lastly there are a couple of movie posters of the time to look at.

A side note that since this comes as part of a set with lots of other little features and the documentary itself, the small amount of extras here isn`t representative of the whole Diamond Collection. Read the other reviews to learn more.

Conclusion

Ah, the 50s were the headdy times of the Hollywood musical. Believe it or not I do like a good musical, it`s just what we don`t get these days and the nostalgic attachment for something sentimental is still strong, hence the numerous collections of discs coming out, again, and again. Imagine my pleasant surprise when I got this slice of the Monroe Collection pie, it`s a film I haven`t seen in a very very long time.

From the opening number, "Two Little Girls From Little Rock", we`re treated to a sumptious and lavish set which sets the tone for the rest of the film. Who could forget Monroe in that bright pink dress descending a staircase singing about diamonds being a girl`s best friend?

While the film isn`t groundbreaking in any respect, I think the partnership of Monroe and Russell definitely make this film very watchable. I admit to not being much of a Marilyn Monroe admirer (I prefer brunettes like Jane Russell...), but that`s not to say that she doesn`t have any appeal in her films. She proves to be good at what she does, not outstanding, but good enough to provide light relief, and what more fun can be had with the multitude of musicals that she starred in while shaking `those` famous hips?

The writing here is simplistic and the jokes a little corny, but I still find myself enjoying it with a shake of the head. Okay, admittedly it`s a fluffy showcase for leading actors of the time, but so what? If you can relax and forget about some of the cheese on offer, then you`ll crack a smile I`m sure. Howard Hawks directs a good cast, the songs are memorable and the film isn`t too long either clocking in around 85 minutes. I enjoyed Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, it`s one of those frilly musical comedies that I can live with. It`s not exactly taxing I agree, but more than anything else, it`s lighthearted and entertaining. Ten films in one boxset for a shade under £70 isn`t bad at all. If you`re a Monroe fan then this set is something you should look into getting. Recommended.