Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953 film) not much more is needed when patrons can look at Russell-Monroe lines as displayed in slick costumes and Technicolor." "Harrison's Reports" wrote: "Both Jane Russell and Marilyn Monroe are nothing short of sensational in the leading roles. They not only act well, but the sexy manner in which they display their song, dance and pulchritude values just about sets the screen on fire and certainly is crowd-pleasing, judging by the thunderous applause at the preview after each of the well-staged musical numbers." John McCarten of "The New Yorker" wrote that the two leads "have a good deal of enthusiasm, and
Jayne Mansfield biggest successes, both critically and financially, earning more than "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" had three years before. Soon afterwards, Fox started promoting Mansfield as "Marilyn Monroe king-sized", attempting to coerce Monroe to return to the studio and finish out her contract. Mansfield had become one of 20th Century Fox's main sex symbol actresses. Mansfield next played a dramatic role in 1957's "The Wayward Bus", an adaptation of John Steinbeck's novel of the same name. With this film, she attempted to move away from her "blonde bombshell" image and establish herself as a serious actress. The film enjoyed moderate box office success,