The Seven Year Itch

Perhaps best known today for the iconic moment when Marilyn Monroe is standing over a subway grate and her white dress is subsiquently blown up by a train passing below, 1955's The Seven Year Itch is actually a really fun movie. 

Richard (played by Tom Ewell) works at a New York City publishing company. His wife and son are away on vacation for the summer and Richard has to resist the temptations of smoking, drinking, unhealthy eating and most of all, his new upstairs neighbor (played by Marilyn Monroe). This simple premise leads to a lot of really funny moments. One scene in particular where Richard has an imaginary conversation with his wife and tries to convince her that he is irrasistable to women, makes me laugh everytime.

Overall, the movie provides a good deal of entertainment packed into it's one hour and forty-five minute runtime. Tom Ewell is great in the movie and his comedic timing is spot on. Marilyn Monroe's role is basically ditzy, blonde, eye-candy... so, great casting there. I don't consider The Seven Year Itch to be some great, all-time classic. However, I do recommend it if you're looking for a solid, lighthearted comedy.
I give this one a 4 out of 5.

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

Released in 1953, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes is probably best known today for the famous "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend' sequence. However, the rest of the film does deserve credit for being a well-made, fun, light-hearted, musical-comedy. 

Directed by Howard Hawks (who also made classics like His Girl Friday, El Dorado, The Big Sleep, Red River, and Bringing Up Baby just to name a few), the film stars Jane Russell and Marilyn Monroe as two best friends that work as showgirls. Russell plays the witty, down-to-earth Dorothy and Monroe plays the diamond-obsessed, ditsy Lorelei. Early on the two board a cruise ship bound for France as Lorelei is engaged to a wealthy man named Gus (played by Tommy Noonan) who plans to marry her in Paris, and Dorothy is along to make sure she doesn't get into any trouble. Of course she does get into a bit of trouble when she learns that there happens to be a man that owns a diamond mine aboard the ship. Lorelei does her thing and begins flirting with the man while unbeknownst to her that there is a private detective hired by her fiancée's father on the ship looking to catch her in the act. The whole situation plays out in a very fun way and makes for an overall enjoyable flick.

If you've never seen the film, I do recommend checking it out. It may not be everyone's cup of tea, after all it is a musical that's nearly 70 year old. However, I think it's a fun movie and it is definitely one of the better films to star Marilyn Monroe.
I give it a 4 out of 5.

Western Wednesday: River of No Return (1954)

  

River of No Return is a 1954 film that focuses on Matt Calder (played by Robert Mitchum),who recently has been released from prison and is looking to reconnect with his young son Mark, and a singer named Kay (played by Marilyn Monroe). Now, you may be saying to yourself "I usually don't think of Marilyn Monroe when I think of Westerns". Yeah me neither, but she's actually not half bad in the film.

So here's the story. Kay and her fiance, Harry Weston (Rory Calhoun), are headed to Council City to file the deed on a gold mine that he won in a card game. So, they head down the river toward Council City river on a log raft, but they eventually encounter some rough rapids right near Matt's cabin. Harry doesn't think he can make the rest of the trip by raft, so he offers to buy Matt's rifle and horse. Matt refuses so Harry just knocks him out and steals the horse and rifle. However, Kay decides to stay behind with Matt and Mark, so Harry can get to Council City quicker.

Soon after Harry leaves, some Indians attack the farm and the three have no other choice then to hope on the raft to escape. The next big chunk of the movie involves traveling down a river and Matt and Kay arguing. Matt questions why Kay would choose to marry a jerk like Harry. Kay reminds Matt that Harry never killed a man and went to prison like he did... But along the way, they deal with whatever problems come along, (including a cougar attack) and they end up resolving there differences.

Eventually, they all arrive in Council City. Matt intends to confront Harry but instead gets shot at, and in a fairly predictable twist, Mark ends up shooting Harry to save his Dad. Shortly after, Kay, Matt, and Mark ride off together and the movie ends.

Overall, I definitely wouldn't call this one of the all-time great westerns, but it's a decent movie and worth checking out.

I give it a 2.5 out of 5.

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