Before Legally Blonde, Sex and the City and Heartbreakers there was Gentlemen Prefer Blondes starring Jane Russell and Marilyn Monroe. The film is a campy musical about two women trying to find love, whether it be a man or diamonds.
What I found interesting is how the film pokes fun of women being gold diggers, dumb blondes and having the power to manipulate men with their beauty. Some women may find this offensive, but the underlying meaning is these two women have confidence, power and use what they have to get by in life. Monroe's character, Lorelei, states at the end of the film that a woman wanting a rich man is like a man wanting a beautiful woman. She continues to say that a father would want his daughter to have a rich man. Some may agree and some may argue this point. Whatever one thinks, the film argues that women have enough independence to make their own decisions.
In films today we see the "dumb blonde" play dumb, but conqueror all. We see the gold diggers use their beauty and smarts to manipulate men. Yes, its not cool, but it's interesting to see a woman have the power to be able to pull it off. We see these stereotypes still in films today, why? Do women like the idea of being so beautiful that they can control anyone? It's a nice thought and every woman wants to walk into a room and have men stare at her. That is what Marylin Monroe did for women.
Monroe sings "Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend," as she glides around in a hot pink gown. The number that inspired Madonna's "Material Girl" video and showed women around the world that it was okay to feel and look sexy.
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