Marilyn Monroe dress, which prompted veteran star Joan Crawford to describe her behavior as "unbecoming an actress and a lady" to the press. While "Niagara" made Monroe a sex symbol and established her "look", her second film of the year, the satirical musical comedy "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes", established her screen persona as a "dumb blonde". Based on Anita Loos' bestselling novel and its Broadway version, the film focuses on two "gold-digging" showgirls, Lorelei Lee and Dorothy Shaw, played by Monroe and Jane Russell. The role of Lorelei was originally intended for Betty Grable, who had been 20th Century-Fox's most popular "blonde bombshell"
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (novel) to give up the opportunity of a trip to Europe paid for by Eisman, decides that she would not like to marry Gerry, who in any case bores her. Lorelei is dismayed that her friend Dorothy wastes her time with a boy named Mencken, who only writes for a magazine, when she could be spending time with Mr. Goldmark, a wealthy movie producer. (This is an inside joke. Author Anita Loos was good friends with writer, essayist, and literary magazine editor, H. L. Mencken.) Lorelei and Dorothy set sail for Europe on the ; Mr. Eisman promises to meet them