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Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

Comedy · Romance · 1953

Lorelei Lee is a beautiful showgirl engaged to be married to the wealthy Gus Esmond, much to the disapproval of Gus' rich father, Esmond Sr., who thinks that Lorelei is just after his money. When Lorelei goes on a cruise accompanied only by her best friend, Dorothy Shaw, Esmond Sr. hires Ernie Malone, a private detective, to follow her and report any questionable behavior that would disqualify her from the marriage.

Movie details

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

“The Two M-M-Marvels Of Our Age In The Wonder Musical Of The World!”

1953 Comedy · Romance 1h 31m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

7.3 / 10

Community rating

Lorelei Lee is a beautiful showgirl engaged to be married to the wealthy Gus Esmond, much to the disapproval of Gus' rich father, Esmond Sr., who thinks that Lorelei is just after his money. When Lorelei goes on a cruise accompanied only by her best friend, Dorothy Shaw, Esmond Sr. hires Ernie Malone, a private detective, to follow her and report any questionable behavior that would disqualify her from the marriage.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Gentlemen Prefer Blondes?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Howard Hawks

Written by

Charles Lederer

Jane Russell

Jane Russell

Dorothy Shaw

Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn Monroe

Lorelei Lee

Charles Coburn

Charles Coburn

Sir Francis 'Piggy' Beekman

Elliott Reid

Elliott Reid

Ernie Malone

Tommy Noonan

Tommy Noonan

Gus Esmond Jr.

George Winslow

George Winslow

Henry Spofford III

Marcel Dalio

Marcel Dalio

Magistrate

Court is in session

Put Gentlemen Prefer Blondes on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Sentimental Softie

“Sincerity is not manipulation.”

The film risks embarrassment to make emotion communal, and that openness is harder than fashionable detachment.

The prosecution The Cool Ironist

“The strings are showing.”

Every cue tells you exactly what to feel and when, leaving sentiment to do the work character should have done.