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,
Marilyn Monroe including "As Young as You Feel" and "Monkey Business", and in the dramas "Clash by Night" and "Don't Bother to Knock". Monroe faced a scandal when it was revealed that she had posed for nude photos before she became a star, but the story did not tarnish her career and instead resulted in increased interest in her films. By 1953, Monroe was one of the most marketable Hollywood stars; she had leading roles in the noir film "Niagara", which focused on her sex appeal, and the comedies "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" and "How to Marry a Millionaire", which established her star