Niagara (1953)

A young couple on honeymoon at Niagara Falls meets up with another couple with problems. George (Joseph Cotten) is a troubled veteran married to Rose, a much younger Marilyn Monroe type (Marilyn Monroe). They have a couple blow-outs that bring Polly and Ray into their situation. It soon becomes clear that secrets are being kept.

Tagged Film-Noir, it is slightly outside the genre (vibrant color, American director). But it checks enough boxes so I’ll allow it. Marilyn’s character is perhaps the most complex of her career with lines way longer than “It’s me, Sugar!”, and she does well with them. Not academy award nominee level, but a step above her regular. Forty eight year old Cotten looked ridiculous next to peak Marilyn hotness but that was the point. I expected to read how he buffed-down for this part.

Speaking if Marilyn, this was her first color film and her first starring role. She would go on to make Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and How to Marry a Millionaire the same year banking a fortune for Twentieth Century Fox, but because she was contracted as a stock actress, she would earn less then her makeup man.

Our lead is pretty Polly (Jean Peters). Not the flashy beauty of Marilyn, but perhaps prettier. Also a solid actress, she likely would have had a long career had she not married Howard Hughes. She had a late TV revival after the divorce. This film would have been shorter had the people listened to her instead assume she was just a hysterical woman. Men, am I right?

There is a lot going on here and any more detail would be in spoiler territory. Niagara is an excellent thriller that keeps you guessing. It is visually stunning with a very 50’s look and feel but the film-noir elements are still intact. Suffice to say that this is a thrilling, complex film with great performances. It, the falls, and Marilyn in the shower all look great. It's a real treat. AMRU 4.