Tonight is the start of Turner Classic Movies' "Battle of the Blondes," their month-long tribute to iconic blondes in the movies from the 1930s to the 1960s. Not surprisingly, they chose to open the film festival with perhaps the best known blonde of them all--the beautiful Marilyn Monroe in 1953's Niagara. Henry Hathaway's Niagara is a movie that I had covered once before on GlamAmor, but in a strange twist of fate it suddenly disappeared from my site. No idea what went wrong, only that it was now gone. So here I am again, taking this simply as an opportunity to bring in even more photos from the film that show off its sensual style. The wardrobe is stunning and features a dress that became iconic.
I originally looked at Niagara last Spring since pink was such a strong color that season. It naturally got me thinking about pink dresses in cinema history and of course Marilyn immediately jumped to mind. After all, she wore two stunners in 1953 alone. First, everyone knows the iconic strapless gown she wore as a misunderstood showgirl singing "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend" in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. And the other is this slightly lesser known but equally sexy fuschia frock (above) that she donned as a devilish temptress in Niagara.
Interestingly, costume designer Dorothy Jeakins (with wardrobe direction from Charles LeMaire) actually tried and tested this same dress in red. You would think that Marilyn in a red dress would be as hot as you could get. But side by side, there was no question it was this particular pink that was truly hot. You can see that Marilyn feels really wonderful in it and, like most women, her skin glows in the color. Though there are some other great costumes in the movie, including sublime suits that are tailored to perfection for her figure, I think you'll still agree that this is the dress that really stands out. It was so memorable that copies sold out in 1950s department stores and it continues to inspire designers today.
Even more inspiration can be found in her accessories and makeup. Her gold hoop earrings were another instant hit, embraced by other actresses such as Audrey Hepburn because of a style that is now considered classic. And then there are Marilyn's glossy ruby red lips. Even if you're like me and wouldn't necessarily wear red lipstick with a hot pink dress, you may consider pairing one with red accessories like scarlet shoes or a crimson clutch. In fact, I did just the reverse--a red dress with hot pink accessories--for the opening night celebration of Loretta Young's Centennial at the Hollywood Museum. These kinds of bold color combinations are yet another example of how classic cinema offers inspiration in style.
As part of their "Battle of the Blondes," host Scott McGee and I chat in this podcast for TCM about Marilyn and all the other iconic blondes who continue to influence us with their style. Stay tuned...more to come all month long!
The color and cut-out detail below the bow that makes it almost appear as two pieces
have inspired many an homage to this dress
Our first look at Marilyn in the movie is actually in lingerie
This fur-trimmed white silk robe is just barely a cover up
Though past the knee, this body-hugging blue suit is hardly conservative
especially when paired with strappy stilettos that wrap around her ankle
especially when paired with strappy stilettos that wrap around her ankle
This white silk blouse, black pencil skirt, and red cropped coat
are classic pieces that are still on trend today
This signature silhouette from Niagara is once again paired with sexy strappy shoes
A rare moment with Marilyn in the shower
Getting ready to leave her husband (Joseph Cotten) to meet her lover
An unbuttoned periwinkle cashmere short coat accents the
faux wrap silk blouse and wrap skirt
Marilyn dons this perfectly tailored black suit (and matching beret)
wrongly assuming that the man in the morgue is her husband
She meets much the same fate as her lover
For the best selection of Marilyn Monroe movies, be sure to visit the TCM Shop!
4 comments:
I love Marilyn's wardrobe in "Niagara." It's like a more provocative version of the clothes Joan Holloway wears on "Mad Men." Very much that same hourglass, va-va-voom silhouette! She looked especially gorgeous in the shocking pink dress.
Melissa
A very good description, Melissa. Joan is dressed "conservatively" for work on Mad Men, but her clothes are cut in such a body conscious way that we see every curve of her fantastic figure. So true of Marilyn in this movie as well. I mean, WOW. And Marilyn shows how to wear pink in a very womanly way as well.
Marilyn photographs so well, and has a lot of charisma, and she is a joy to watch...except for the acting in this movie. (When she opens her mouth, the mystery is lost). Her acting wasn't the greatest, but having said that, she did do a great scene in the hospital and as someone afraid for her life when running away from her husband. It's just that some of the scenes were not good, and I really blame the writers and director for that. I've seen Marilyn in many movies and she always is a cinematic joy, but her acting isn't consistent throughout the movie. Sometimes it's painful to listen. Her wardrobe is gorgeous and she knows how to show her good side though. I really liked Marilyn. I wonder how much more famous she would have been had she not been doing prescription drugs, but had more confidence in herself. She would have grown into a Meryl Streep perhaps? Her dying made her a legend too. I don't think people want actors to grow old, they want them to be sealed in a young body forever. She had a sad life.
I agree with much of what you're saying, Zen. I often say that Marilyn's acting gig was...well, being Marilyn. It's a persona that Norma Jean invented for herself, a character. Marilyn is charming in movies when she's being Marilyn, such as SOME LIKE IT HOT. But it's when the character of Marilyn then tries to act like yet another character in a dramatic piece, for example...that's when the acting is much more challenging for her.
But you said it...she photographs beautifully and seems to really enjoy being onscreen. That joy is felt by the audience when they watch her. It's an interesting question what would have become of Marilyn as she aged, both in appearance and acting ability. Sadly, we'll never know.
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