Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953 film) Theatre, a spectacle that got a lot of publicity for both actresses and for the film. Loos wrote a sequel to her novel entitled "But Gentlemen Marry Brunettes", with further adventures of Lorelei and Dorothy. The 1955 "Gentlemen Marry Brunettes" musical film used only the book's name and starred Russell and Jeanne Crain playing completely new characters. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953 film) Gentlemen Prefer Blondes is a 1953 American musical comedy film based on the 1949 stage musical of the same name. It was directed by Howard Hawks and stars Jane Russell and Marilyn Monroe, with Charles Coburn, Elliott Reid,
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953 film) and Adamson were written especially for the film. Depsite the film's title, Monroe was paid her usual contract salary of $500 a week, while Russell, the more known and experienced actress of the two, earned $200,000. While Russell's down-to-earth, sharp wit has been noted by most critics, it was Monroe's turn as the gold-digging Lorelei Lee for which the film is often remembered. Monroe's rendition of the song "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" and her pink dress are considered iconic, and the performance has inspired homages by Beyonce , Madonna, Geri Halliwell, Kylie Minogue, Nicole Kidman, Anna Nicole Smith,