Diamonds are a girl's best friend.

There might not have been a better screen tandem, at least for males, than Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953). The two were well known for their sex appeal. Russell was brunette. Marilyn was blonde. Their effects on men were the same though.

Groucho Marx remarked that the movie Double Dynamite (1951), in which he starred with Russell and Frank Sinatra, was so named by Howard Hughes in honor of Jane Russell’s breasts. Considering there is no dynamite in the movie and the metaphorical meaning of the title could be lost on most audiences, Groucho might have a point.

The two got along brilliantly on and off-screen. Marilyn had a tremendous inability to get to places on time. Jane would stop by her house every day and drive her to the set so she would be on time. Marilyn was involved in Freud at this time and she tried to get Jane to read some of his work. She didn’t quite take to it. She was more religious and tried to help Marilyn find a religion. Marilyn didn’t quite take to this either.

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes is a musical. Musicals aren’t typically known for their plot. This one revolves around Marilyn and Jane who are best friends. Marilyn is Lorelei Lee, a blonde who covets diamonds and money. Jane is Dorothy, a brunette who is more concerned with true love rather than material love. Lorelei and millionaire geek, Gus are planning an engagement. Gus’ father is not too happy with Lorelei’s lack of brain power. When the two showgirls head out for a European tour, Gus’ father sends out a detective to spy on Lorelei. Comedy and music fill the voyage across the pond. Charles Coburn is wonderful as Sir Frances Beekman “Beekie” to Lorelei. He is a rich man who is enamored with Lorelei’s beauty. She in return, is enamored with the diamonds his wife possesses.

But like in all musicals, it is the music that matters. Three songs from the movie still survive today. “I’m Just a Little Girl from Little Rock,” “Bye Bye Baby,” and most famously, “Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend.” The later is most associated with Marilyn, but the version we all know was sung by Jane Russell in the movie. Still the Technicolor rendition of Marilyn’s version is most frequently replayed when Marilyn Monroe tributes occur on T.V.

The three songs were all taken from the Broadway musical of a book written by Anita Loos. Carol Channing performed the role of Lorelei on the stage. Some believe that Fox missed out when they didn’t get one of the greatest musical performances ever on film by not casting Carol Channing. But Anita Loos stated that Marilyn was the perfect Lorelei.

The only original song included for the movie was “When Love Goes Wrong.” The two actresses did a brilliant job on the number. Audiences came to like it as one of the best in the movie.

With the success of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes came the ultimate success for any actor. Both Jane Russell and Marilyn Monroe got to put their foot and hand prints in the cement in front of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. Legend has it that Marilyn said instead of hand and foot prints, the two should have placed their breasts in the wet cement. Anyways, Marilyn put a diamond over the “i” in her name. It was stolen a few days latter. Today a rhinestone is in its place.