Saturday, May 29, 2010

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

Today's Hottie Choice is not a typical choice, but I chose her for a couple reasons. One, she's Q's second favorite hottie (the first being his wife) and I think Q is awful patient with us, posting half-dressed, dubiously intelligent men all the time. Second, Marilyn Monroe's birthday is June 1st, and she was always one of my favorite celebrities. I think because I was enchanted by her power to enchant men, which I think was more than her looks. (I mean, the looks were the hook, but she had a whole process for keeping them on the line.) It was amazing to watch in films--or even in still photos. You can see the power she has over the people around her. And yet as powerful as she was, she was so unhappy. And never taken seriously in her profession, which I think she worked very hard to be great in.

There is this famous quotation by Dolly Parton where she says, "It takes a lot of money to look this trashy." I think it probably took a lot of lessons and practice to look that helpless. There's an art to making men look like the most capable people in the room--and I know it because men are so rarely the most capable people in the room. (Sorry, Q.) And she did it with a straight face. I think that's talent right there.



Who is your favorite girl celebrity (dead or alive) and why? Do you think blondes really do have more fun? (I do...there was one Halloween I wore a blonde wig, and the boys were drawn to me like moths to a lightbulb. Funny really.) Do you have a favorite Marilyn Monroe movie? I love her in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes--you get two for one. Marilyn at the top of her game; and Jane Russell, looking gorgeous and flinging the snarky remarks. (The brunette gets the hottie in that one!) And there's that pink dress...

14 comments:

Quantum said...

Hellie, you beautiful pirate. I would like to hug you forever ... even if you're not blond!
What a lovely surprise. :D

All of Marylin's films are favorites, but I guess my favorite favorite is 'Some like it hot' with Tony Curtis and Jack Lemon disguised as musicians in the 'Sweet Sue all girl band'. *grin*

'Gentlemen prefer Blonds' is a close second favorite though. Aren't most of your photo's from this film?

Eve Arnold the photographer once commented that Marylin just came alive when there were cameras around. The bosom swelled, the eyes sparkled and that smile illuminated the galaxy (my phrase not Arnold's!)

Marilyn particularly attracted intellectual men and she admired them, even marrying one ... for a while. I believe that Stephen Hawking, the famous Cambridge cosmologist had her picture in his office for many years. No better recommendation than that!

Marilyn always appeared beautiful, innocent and vulnerable. An irresistible combination.I would guess that all the men in the world were half in love with her in her hey day.

I will always remember her films with admiration and pleasure! :D

2nd Chance said...

Nice to have a day for Q!

I totally agree that it must have been hard work to appear so helpless, I cannot imagine playing such a role so consistently!

Dead girl heroes...hmmm. I need to pop off to google, make sure the one I'm thinking of is dead... Be right back!

2nd Chance said...

OK! Katharine Hepburn! I think because she wasn't the classic Hollywood beauty and still succeeded. I'm also rather fond of Mae West and Mary Pickford...

Donna said...

This was great -- I really enjoyed it. Sorry, Q, not meaning to get in queue in front of you! LOL

I love being blonde (and my hairdresser benefits from putting all this natural blonde back in!) People do tend to think it means I'm not intelligent, and I will admit I've let them think that when it's to my advantage, and boy isn't it fun to let them know afterwards how wrong they were! LOL

I recently had someone apologize to me, explaining they were "having a blonde moment". I just looked at them and said, "Lucky you". LOL

2nd Chance said...

Lucky you because it was only a moment instead of a life? ;)

Donna said...

Chance, LOL -- no, because everyone knows it's true blondes have more fun! LOL (Remember that old commercial?)

Lisa said...

Awesome, Q day!!! What a grand idea.

I have always admired Audrey Hepburn. She is the epitome of a lady.

Bosun said...

I have always loved Marilyn. She's one of those celebrities who had a troubled life and I wish I could have known her and tried to make it better. Same thing with Judy Garland.

Gentlemen Prefer Blonds is probably my favorite, for the combo of Marilyn and Jane, as you say. Jane Russell kicked serious ass. And Marilyn's character was really highly intelligent. But I love How To Marry a Millionaire as well. She has the act down perfect in that one too.

I too am a Hepburn fan. She had guts and brains and more talent than most starlets put together. But she also seemed down to Earth and ordinary in some way. Such a fascinating person.

Oh, I can't forget Ginger. I think I've seen all her films. She never played stupid and always had a comeback, plus there's the classic quote. "She did everything Fred did only backwards and in heels." And I know that often she did them in dresses that weighed nearly as much as she did.

Janga said...

I think Q was right in his analysis on MM as a combination of sexiness, vulnerability, and innocence. I don't think any of her many imitators ever succeeded in capturing that unique combination.

I think both Hepburns, Katharine and Audrey, were magical on screen. So was Grace Kelly in a very different way.

2nd Chance said...

Ah, so Donna...not just about the ditsy-ness, eh? ;)

Hellion said...

*clapping* Oh, I love every woman that everyone named! Great choices, wonderful, beautiful women!

And I'm so glad Q was able to drop by and admire Marilyn. I should have found a "Some Like It Hot" picture to vary it up a bit. (I also loved her in the musical where she's a saloon singer. Dangit, I'm having a blank...It was a good one.)

Katherine Hepurn and Audrey Hepburn are both so gorgeous in their own ways. Just amazing. And Grace Kelly, and yes, yes, all the others named here. Wonderful women.

Bosun said...

I was trying to think of the saloon singer one too. Is it BUS STOP?

I'm done!!!! Rough draft is DONE!!!! I finally have a full-length MS!!!

Champagne for all!!!

2nd Chance said...

I'll break out the stuff I been savin' fer somethin' special!

Whoop! ;)

Hellion said...

EEeekkkkk! Congratulations, Terri!!! Huzzah, huzzah!!! You better drink something cool for reals. I know you're not a liquor drinker--but a milkshake would work. Celebrate for reals!

And River of No Return was the movie where she was a saloon girl. Though in Bus Stop she was something similar. The RONR movie was a "historical" though; and Bus Stop was a "contemporary".

I adore her in The Seven Year Itch. *LOL* That movie is just funny.